>> ANNOUNCER: "CHARLOTTESVILLE

INSIDE-OUT" IS MADE POSSIBLE

THANKS IN PART TO ITS PATRONS,

COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE

PEOPLE, PLACES AND QUALITY OF

LIFE THAT UNIQUELY DEFINES

CHARLOTTESVILLE AND ITS

SURROUNDINGS, AND BY VIEWERS

LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> GLORY, GLORY HALLELUJAH.

WARRIORS!

>> BRIDGET: THEY'RE ALL LIKE

REALLY SKILLED, AND I KIND OF

WOULD WANT TO BE LIKE

THEM WHEN I GET OLDER.

>> COACH: LOOKING GOOD, LOOKING

TIGHT.

>> TERRI: FOR WHTJ, I'M TERRI

ALLARD AND THIS IS

"CHARLOTTESVILLE INSIDE-OUT".

>> THREE, TWO, ONE.

>> TERRI: TODAY WE'RE GOING TO

LEARN ABOUT AN ORGANIZATION THAT

IS GIVING THE SPORT OF YOUTH

MOUNTAIN BIKING THE SAME FRIDAY

NIGHT LIGHTS SPIRIT, RESPECT AND

ACKNOWLEDGMENT AS OTHER MIDDLE

AND HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS.

JOIN US AS WE CATCH UP

WITH PETER HUFFNAGLE, EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR OF THE NICA VIRGINIA

INTERSCHOLASTIC CYCLING LEAGUE.

COME ON!

>> ANNOUNCER: JACK AUSTIN.

WHAT'S UP JACK?

>> TERRI: PETER, LET'S START OUT

BY TALKING ABOUT HOW THE YOUTH63

CYCLING PROGRAM GOT STARTED IN

OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT HERE AT

MILLER SCHOOL.

>> PETER: YEAH, SO MILLER SCHOOL

HAS BEEN THE HUB OF THE CYCLING

MOVEMENT HERE IN

CHARLOTTESVILLE.

IN 2010, I PROPOSED THE IDEA OF

CREATING AN ELITE LEVEL CYCLING

TEAM HERE AT THE SCHOOL, AND

FORTUNATELY THE SCHOOL WAS VERY

SUPPORTIVE.

WE CREATED A FIVE YEAR PLAN OF

HOW WE WANTED TO NOT JUST BUILD

A PROGRAM HERE AT MILLER SCHOOL

BUT PROVIDE A MODEL FOR OTHER

SCHOOLS TO FOLLOW AND AN

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RACING TO

TAKE PLACE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL

AND MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.

>> TERRI: AND YOU HAD SPECIFIC

GOALS AND A MISSION, SO TELL US

A LITTLE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE YOU

STARTED WITH SOME REALLY GREAT

GOALS.

>> PETER: YEAH, SO THE IDEA WAS

YOU KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO DO

THIS WE'RE GOING TO DO IT REALLY

WELL.

IN FACT, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT

BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE HAS

IN THE WORLD, SO OUR AMBITION

WITH THE MILLER SCHOOL CYCLING

TEAM WAS BASICALLY TO PROVIDE A

PROGRAM FOR THE BEST YOUTH

ATHLETES IN THE WORLD TO COME

TOGETHER AT A SCHOOL AND COMBINE

THEIR PASSION AND GOALS WITH

CYCLING WITH A HIGH LEVEL

EDUCATION, SO I OFTENTIMES TELL

PEOPLE, IT'S KIND OF LIKE

HOGWARTS BUT INSTEAD

OF WIZARDS, THEY'RE ELITE LEVEL

ATHLETES.

>> TERRI: WELL, AND YOU GUYS

YOU HAD THAT WHOLE ANALOGY OF

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.

YOU WANT IT TO HAVE THE SAME

ATTENTION, STUDENTS LETTER IN

THE SPORT, YOU KNOW THAT OTHER

SPORTS HAVE HAD, TRADITIONALLY

FOR YEARS.

>> PETER: YEAH, SO THE OTHER

PIECE OF THIS IS YOU CAN HAVE

TENTS AND YOU CAN HAVE A FINISH

LINE AND YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE

COOL STUFF THAT MAKES AN EVENT

LOOK LIKE AN EVENT, BUT THAT'S

REALLY FOR THE SPECTATORS AND

THE ATHLETES WHEN THEY'RE

ROLLING UP TO THE START LINE.

THE REAL EXCITEMENT HAPPENS DEEP

IN THE WOODS WHEN THEY'RE OFF

RACING, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO

HAVE TRAILS.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE GOOD TRAILS

THAT KIDS ENJOY RIDING, SO THIS

HAS BEEN AN ADDED VALUE TO

WHAT WE'VE CREATED.

THERE'VE BEEN OVER 50 MILES OF

TRAILS, BUILT IN VIRGINIA BY

STUDENT ATHLETES WHO ARE

BASICALLY BUILDING THEMSELVES A

PLAYING FIELD.

HERE AT MILLER SCHOOL WE'VE

BUILT FOURTEEN MILES OF MOUNTAIN

BIKE TRAILS, AND WE USE

THE CAMPUS FOR LOCAL PRACTICES

FOR DIFFERENT CHARLOTTESVILLE

TEAMS.

WE OBVIOUSLY USE IT FOR THE

MILLER SCHOOL'S PROGRAM, WE HAVE

ADULTS WHO COME RIDE ON THEM,1"x

Ul@?km=ñm O COME RIDE ON THEM,1"x

AND IT'S BEEN A COMMUNITY

BUILDER.

>> TERRI: IN THE SUMMER TIME YOU

HAVE CAMPS FOR LITTLE KIDS.

>> PETER: YEAH, SO IN THE SUMMER

WE HAVE CUTAWAY BIKE CAMPS, AND

THESE RANGE FROM SIX YEAR OLD

ATHLETES ALL THE WAY THROUGH 18

YEAR-OLD ATHLETES.

IN TOTAL WE HAVE ABOUT 300 KIDS

COME ON TO CAMPUS FOR MOUNTAIN

BIKE CAMP, THE SAME WAY

YOU'D GO TO LACROSSE CAMP OR

SOCCER CAMP.

THESE KIDS ARE MOUNTAIN BIKERS.

THAT'S WHAT THEY DO NOW, AND

THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO

IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS BY SPENDING

THE WEEK HERE WITH US.

>> BRIDGET: THIS YEAR I DID THE

CUTAWAY PROGRAM THAT WAS THE

TRAVEL CAMP, SO WE WOULD COME

HERE EVERY DAY FOR ONE WEEK AND

THEN WE WOULD GO ON THE MIDDLE

SCHOOL BUSSES WITH EVERYONE AND

THEN WE WOULD PARTY ON DOWN TO

ANOTHER PLACE TO RIDE OUR BIKES.

>> BEN: I PERSONALLY LOVE

MOUNTAIN BIKING BECAUSE

DOWNHILLS.

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE FREE

FEELING OF JUST COASTING DOWN A

HILL.

>> SYDNEY: IT HAS BEEN SO

AMAZING BECAUSE NOW I HAVE A

GROUP OF PEOPLE AT SCHOOL THAT I

CAN TALK TO AND THAT WE SPEND

TIME TOGETHER AFTER SCHOOL DOING

OUR SPORT AND DOING THE THING WE

LOVE.

>> COLLEEN: OF COURSE THERE'S A

TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRIDE AND

WE JUST LOVE TO SEE YOUR

CHILDREN WORKING HARD TOWARDS A

GOAL AND REALLY GAINING

CONFIDENCE FROM A SPORT, AND

THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST THINGS.

>> NED: GETTING KIDS OUT OFF THE

COUCH, GETTING KIDS ONTO TRAILS

IN THE WOODS, IT'S CONTAGIOUS.

>> TERRI: THIS PROGRAM IS NOW IN

ALL OF OUR PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS?

>> PETER: CORRECT.

>> TERRI: THAT IS FANTASTIC.

>> PETER: IN TOTAL WE'RE LOOKING

AT JUST IN CHARLOTTESVILLE OVER

200 ATHLETES ARE PARTICIPATING<U

IN MOUNTAIN BIKING AS THEIR

PRIMARY SPORT.

>> ANNOUNCER: SO WE'RE DRILLING

IT TO THE LINE IT'S GONNA BE

CLOSE 113 AND 123.

>> PETER: SO THE RACES

THEMSELVES ARE PRETTY AWESOME

EVENTS, AND YOU HAVE RIDERS

RANGING FROM NEO-PROFESSIONAL

ATHLETES TO BEGINNERS COMING

TOGETHER AND HAVING FANS CHEER

THEM ON, CHALLENGING COURSES.

GOING OUT THERE AND JUST

FINISHING ONE OF THESE RACES IS

AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.

>> ANNOUNCER: WELCOME BACK!

>> LUCAS: TODAY I HIT A TREE

PRETTY HARD BUT STILL DIDN'T

CRASH.

SAM CRASHED REALLY HARD BUT

STILL MANAGED TO WIN.

I MEAN, PHYSICALLY YOU KNOW

ANYONE CAN BE STRONG, BUT

MENTALLY I'M REALLY STRUGGLING,

IT'S THE PART I STRUGGLE THE

MOST WITH.

>> SYDNEY: YOUR MIND ALWAYS HAS

TO BE ON.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE A PUZZLE.

WHERE DO I GO HARD?

WHERE DO I RELAX?

>> SAM: THIS COURSE IS

DIFFICULT.

IT HAS REALLY STEEP, LOOSE

GRAVEL CLIMBS WHICH ARE REALLY

HARD TO KEEP TRACTION ON.

YOU'VE GOT REALLY FAST, SMOOTH

FUN DOWNHILL RUNS, AND THEN

YOU'VE GOTTA GO RIGHT BACK TO

ANOTHER CLIMB.

>> JOHN: THEY ALL JUST KNOW THEY

JUST HAVE TO GET UP THE HILL AND

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE GRIT AND

DETERMINATION TO DO THAT, AND

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO

TEACH THE KIDS.

THAT'S WHAT ALL OF THE COACHES

OUT HERE ARE TRYING TO DO.

>> TERRI: OKAY, SO EXPLAIN IT.

WHEN PEOPLE ARE LOOKING INTO

THIS, IT'S THE VIRGINIA

CYCLING LEAGUE UNDER THE NICA

UMBRELLA.

JUST QUICKLY TELL US WHAT ALL

THAT MEANS.

>> PETER: YEAH SO THERE ARE TWO

ENTITIES.

WE HAVE THE NATIONAL

INTERSCHOLASTIC CYCLING

ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS A

GOVERNING BODY BASED IN

CALIFORNIA, AND IT'S

A NON-PROFIT, AND OUR FALL

LEAGUE IS PART OF THAT

ORGANIZATION.

THAT SERVES MIDDLE SCHOOL AND

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THE ORIGINAL INTERSCHOLASTIC

MOUNTAIN BIKE EVENTS HERE AT

SCHOOL AND AROUND THE STATE ARE

PART OF THE USA CYCLING

GOVERNING BODY.

USA CYCLING GOVERNS ALL LEVELS

OF RACING FROM BMX PUMP TRACK

RIDING TO OLYMPIC SPORTS, SO WE

HAVE TWO SEASONS OF MOUNTAIN

BIKING HERE IN VIRGINIA, WHICH

IS UNIQUE.

MOST STATES HAVE ONE SEASON. AND

THE SPRING ONE IS A BIT MORE

GEARED TOWARDS THOSE HIGH

PERFORMING ATHLETES AND THE FALL

ONE IS MORE GEARED TOWARDS JUST

GETTING MORE KIDS ON BIKES, MORE

KIDS RACING.

>> TERRI: YEAH, AND LET'S TALK

ABOUT, ANYONE IS ELIGIBLE. ANY

MIDDLE SCHOOLER OR HIGH SCHOOLER

IF THE PROGRAM IS IN THEIR

SCHOOL IS ELIGIBLE.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE ELITE

RIDERS.

TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT

THAT.

>> PETER: MOUNTAIN BIKING IS A

SPORT WHERE THERE ARE REWARDS

JUST FOR DOING IT, AND ROSTERS

ON TEAMS AREN'T LIMITED TO A

FIVE PERSON STARTING ROSTER OR

TEN PERSON STARTING ROSTER.

YOU CAN HAVE A TEAM WITH 50

RIDERS, AND EVERY SINGLE

ONE OF THOSE ATHLETES IS ABLE TO

PARTICIPATE IN EVERY RACE AND DO

THE SAME COURSE AND EARN POINTS

FOR THEIR TEAMS, AND THEY COME

IN AS BEGINNERS BUT SOMETIMES

THEY PROGRESS REALLY QUICKLY AND

SAY, HEY, I'VE GOT A REAL TALENT

FOR THIS.

A GOOD EXAMPLE IS A KID NAMED

EDDIE ANDERSON FROM RICHMOND.

>> TERRI: SNEAKERS. THEY CALL

SNEAKERS.

>> PETER: YEAH, HIS NICKNAME IS

SNEAKERS.

HE SHOWED UP TO A RACE IN A PAIR

OF SNEAKERS AND BEAT ALL OF THE

VARSITY RIDERS, WHICH WE SAID,

WOW!

YOU KNOW THIS KID, THIS KID'S

GOT SOME TALENT.

SIX MONTHS LATER HE'S SIGNING A

PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT.

IT TURNS OUT THAT HE HAS IN

TERMS OF HIS PHYSICAL ABILITY,

NUMBERS THAT EXCEED WHAT MOST

TOUR DE FRANCE RIDERS HAVE. SO

HE'S ON HIS WAY AND I

WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF HE'S

RACING THE TOUR DE FRANCE HERE

IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS, AND

THAT'S JUST A GREAT EXAMPLE OF

SOMEONE WHO MAY NOT HAVE HAD A

SPORT OR CONSIDERED HIMSELF AN

ATHLETE, JUMPED INTO THE

MOUNTAIN BIKE RACING SCENE

HAD SOME SUCCESS AND THEN HAD

THE DEVELOPING PATHWAY TO MAKE

IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL REALLY

QUICKLY.

>> LUCAS: I'M NOT SURE IF I WANT

TO GO PRO, BUT I WILL DEFINITELY

RIDE MY BIKE UNTIL THE DAY I

DIE.

WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT LEADS ME.

>> SYDNEY: I'VE BEEN REALLY

HAPPY TO TAKE TOP STEP OF THE

PODIUM SOMETIMES.

IT'S AN AWESOME FEELING. HERE

THEY MAKE IT FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ON

TOP OF THE WORLD AND

IT'S REALLY, REALLY GREAT.

>> JOE: KIDS ON BIKES.

THAT'S NICA'S MISSION.

WHEN YOU THROW A LEG OVER THE

BIKE THE HELMET SHOULD BE ON AND

STRAPPED.

OTHERWISE THEY'RE REALLY NOT

MUCH RULES OTHER THAN COME OUT,

HAVE A FUN TIME AND TRY YOUR

HARDEST.

>> BEN: I'VE CRASHED A LOT.

IT'S NOT FUN, BUT AFTER THE

FIRST COUPLE CRASHES IT'S NOT

BAD.

IT'S JUST ONE OF THE PARTS OF

IT.

>> PETER: THERE ARE SPORTS

ACADEMIES THERE ARE SPORTS

PROGRAMS THAT WILL FOCUS

ON THE SPORT.

OUR MISSION IS YOU DON'T PICK

ONE OR THE OTHER.

YOU KNOW I WANT YOU TAKING AP

CLASSES AND I WANT YOU PLANNING

TO GO TO A TOP TIER COLLEGE

BECAUSE ONE CRASH CAN END ALL

THIS.

ONE CRASH AND IT'S OVER, YOU'RE

NO LONGER AN ELITE ATHLETE

ANYMORE.

AND ALSO, CAREERS ARE SHORT.

THE AVERAGE LIFE OF A

PRO-CYCLING CAREER IS FOUR TO

FIVE YEARS, MAX.

>> TERRI: AND TALK ABOUT THE

ROLE THAT YOUR WIFE ANDREA

PLAYS, PROFESSIONAL CYCLIST.

>> PETER: SO YEAH, WE'RE IN A

GREAT PLACE.

WE HAVE 125 COACHES TOTAL ACROSS

THE STATE, AND THESE PEOPLE

RANGE FROM FORMER PRO MOUNTAIN

BIKERS TO PARENTS WITH SOME

EXPERIENCE MOUNTAIN BIKING BUT

WHO WANT TO COACH.

THEY ALL GO THROUGH A TRAINING

PROGRAM WHERE THEY LEARN TO

TEACH MOUNTAIN BIKE SKILLS.

THEY LEARN WILDERNESS FIRST AID

SKILLS.

SO WHEN THEY ARE WORKING WITH

KIDS, THEY ARE EXPERTS IN WHAT

THEY'RE DOING, BUT WE ALSO HAVE

GREAT PEOPLE LIKE ANDREA WHO

RACED PROFESSIONALLY FOR TEN

YEARS, WON A STAGE OF THE

WOMEN'S TOUR DE FRANCE

WAS A MULTIPLE TIME MEMBER OF

THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM FOR

THE UNITED STATES, AND SHE

SPEARHEADED THIS WHOLE THING.

SHE'S OUR LEAGUE DIRECTOR, SO

HER ABILITY TO GO WORK WITH

COACHES USING HER EXPERIENCE AND

HER PASSION FOR CYCLING IN

GENERAL AND WHAT IT CAN DO FOR

SOMEONE'S LIFE AND FOR SOMEONE'S

SELF-CONFIDENCE, I THINK, IS

INSPIRING FOR BOTH OUR COACHES

AND INSPIRING FOR OUR

ATHLETES.

>> COLLEEN: NICA IS WORKING TO

BUILD STRONG MINDS AND STRONG

BODIES AND ATHLETES THAT HAVE

CHARACTER, AND I JUST SEE ALL OF

THAT WORKING TOGETHER.

I JUST THINK AT THE END OF THE

DAY THE ATHLETES ARE JUST VERY

PROUD OF WHAT THEY'VE

ACCOMPLISHED.

>> SAM: THEY HAVE TO TRAIN, IT'S

HARD WORK OUT THERE.

THEY HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO FIX

THEIR BIKE OUT THERE IN THE

WOODS ALL BY THEMSELVES.

THEY HAVE TO DO ALL THAT

STUFF AND SO, IT'S ADVENTURE,

YOU KNOW?

>> PETER: THESE RACES ARE

SERIOUS BUSINESS.

WHEN THE KIDS GET OUT THERE THEY

ARE TACKLING HILLS, ROCKS,

ROOTS, THE COURSES ARE

CHALLENGING.

IT RANGES FROM A 3.2 MILE RACE

FOR OUR YOUNGEST COMPETITORS TO

A 16 MILE RACE FOR OUR VARSITY

ATHLETES, AND WE DO LAPS, SO A

LAP IS ROUGHLY 3.2 MILES.

A MIXTURE OF SINGLE TRACK

TRAILS, GRAVEL ROADS, A LITTLE

BIT OF GRASS.

OUR TOP ATHLETES ARE KNOCKING

THAT LAP OUT IN 16-18 MINUTES

AND SOME OF OUR BEGINNER RIDERS

ARE DOING IT OUT IN ROUGHLY

40-45 MINUTES.

>> TERRI: SO WHAT ARE YOUR BIG

GOALS FOR THE FUTURE?

YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY

ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH.

WHAT IS IT?

WHAT ELSE IS ON THE HORIZON?

>> PETER: YEAH, SO WE ORIGINALLY

CREATED A FIVE-YEAR PLAN, BUT

QUICKLY REALIZED THIS IS GOING

TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE TO

GROW FOR THE NEXT 20, 30 YEARS.

SO I HOPE TO BE WATCHING THE

NEXT OLYMPICS AND SEE A FEW OF

OUR ATHLETES REPRESENTING THE

UNITED STATES, WHICH IS VERY

MUCH IN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY

RIGHT NOW, WITH THE BIGGER PLAN

OF GROWING MOUNTAIN BIKING AND

EXPANDING IT TO OTHER PARTS OF

THE STATE.

MY GOAL IS FOR EVERY SCHOOL IN

VIRGINIA TO HAVE A MOUNTAIN BIKE

TEAM, AND TO HAVE ONE MORE

OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS TO BE PART

OF A TEAM, TO GAIN ALL THAT

SELF-CONFIDENCE YOU GET FROM

BEING AN ATHLETE AND HOPEFULLY

YOU KNOW HAVE RACES WITH 2,000,

3,000 KIDS.

>> BEN: BIKING FOR MY HIGH

SCHOOL IS A REALLY IMPORTANT

PART OF WHO I AM.

IT ALLOWS ME TO MEET A LOT OF

DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND ALLOWS ME

TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT I

WOULDN'T HAVE HAD BEFORE.

>> SYDNEY: IT'S SOMETHING I CAN

DO WITH MY FAMILY AND MY FRIENDS

AS WELL, BUT ALSO WHEN YOU COME

TO RACES THERE ARE PEOPLE FROM

ALL OVER VIRGINIA THAT ARE

SUCH COOL PEOPLE THAT WE SHARE

THE SAME INTERESTS.

IT'S REALLY, EVERYONE WHO

DOES IT IS SUPER NICE.

>> BRIDGET: I REALLY LIKE IT AND

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE SHOULD

MOUNTAIN BIKE.

IT'S JUST SO MUCH FUN.

>> ANNOUNCER: THAT WAS A HARD

FOUGHT RACE.

LESS THAN 20 SECONDS SEPARATING

THESE TWO.

>> MICHAEL: WE'LL GET THE VOICES

WORKING INDIVIDUALLY, AND THEN

WE'LL DO A FEW EXERCISES TO GET

OUR KIND OF COLLECTIVE EARS AS

ALWAYS TUNED INTO EACH OTHER AND

OUR ENSEMBLE VALUES.

LET'S HAVE AN A AND A C JUST

SLIDING, SINGING VOICES WARM UP

GOOD.

♪

>> TERRI: TODAY WE'RE GOING TO

CATCH UP WITH ONE OF THE

PREEMINENT COMMUNITY CHORUSES IN

THE REGION.

THIS GROUP HAS BEEN ENTERTAINING

AND INSPIRING US WITH REGULAR

PERFORMANCES OF CHORAL

MASTERWORKS SINCE 1968.

JOIN US TODAY AS WE HEAR FROM

THE ORATORIO SOCIETY OF

VIRGINIA.

COME ON!

♪

>> TERRI: SO MICHAEL, WHY IS IT

THAT WE LOVE SINGING SO MUCH?

>> MICHAEL: WELL, YEAH I

SUPPOSE THERE'S A LONG AND A

SHORT WAY TO ANSWER.

IT'S BEEN SHOWN THAT SINGING,

ESPECIALLY IN LARGE GROUPS

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, RELEASES

ENDORPHINS, SO PEOPLE GET THIS

NATURAL HIGH WHEN THEY SING

TOGETHER.

IT'S SHOWN TO REDUCE STRESS

LEVELS, BUT ACTUALLY THERE ARE

STUDIES THAT SUGGEST IT BINDS

PEOPLE IN SOCIAL GROUPS WHICH

BECOMES AN EVOLUTIONARY

ADVANTAGE.

I MEAN, IT'S AMAZING TO THINK

ABOUT THAT ACROSS TIME.

THERE'S REAL SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE

FOR THAT ALONG WITH WHAT WE ALL

CONSIDER AND KNOW AND LOVE TO BE

THE AESTHETIC VALUE OF IT.

>> TERRI: YEAH, AND TALK ABOUT

THE VITAL ROLE THAT A GROUP,

THIS GROUP PLAYS IN THE

COMMUNITY.

>> MICHAEL: SO THE ORATORIO

SOCIETY HAS BEEN IN THE

COMMUNITY ALREADY 50 YEARS PLUS

AND I THINK THAT IT'S A VERY

IMPORTANT PART OF ANY COMMUNITY

TO BE THIS KIND OF ARTISTIC

EXPRESSION, AND I THINK IT'S

GREAT WHEN YOU HAVE A CHORUS

THAT'S OPEN TO MEMBERS OF THE

COMMUNITY, AND THEY CAN COME AND

WITHOUT BEING A PROFESSIONAL

MUSICIAN STILL MAKE MUSIC AT A

HIGH LEVEL AND NOT ONLY OFFER

SOMETHING TO THE COMMUNITY,

RIGHT, OFFER SOME KIND OF UNIQUE

INDEED BUT SPEAKING TO THE

COMMUNITY.

THE PROCESS OF SINGING TOGETHER

IS A GREAT MODEL FOR US

INTERACTING IN A HARMONIOUS WAY.

>> ROWENNA: HOPEFULLY YOU CAN

LISTEN TO IT OR SING IT AND ONLY

THINK ABOUT THAT, AND YOU DON'T

THINK ABOUT THE BARRIERS THAT

SEPARATE YOU FROM THE PERSON

SITTING NEXT TO YOU OR SINGING

NEXT TO YOU OR SINGING OUT

THERE.

>> JOANIE: I THINK THAT PEOPLE

ARE SURPRISED AT THE BEAUTY AND

THE GLORY OF SINGING THIS KIND

OF MUSIC.

>> MARGARET: IF CONDITIONS ARE

RIGHT, IF YOUR GROUP IS IN GOOD

FORM, QUITE FREQUENTLY MAGIC

HAPPENS, AND THAT'S VERY SPECIAL

WHEN THAT HAPPENS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN KEEP YOU

INSPIRED AND SORT OF ON A CLOUD

FOR QUITE A WHILE.

>> MICHAEL: SAME THING, MAKE A

LITTLE CRESCENDO TO THE MIDDLE

NOTE AND THEN TAPER DOWN THE

LAST TWO.

MOVING FORWARD, RIGHT, MOVING

FORWARD, NOW TURN THE CORNER.

>> TERRI: TELL US A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.

>> MICHAEL: WELL, I STARTED AS

A CHILD AS A PIANIST, AND WE HAD

MUSIC IN THE HOME, AND MY DAD

ESPECIALLY WAS A PIANIST AND HE

DID SOME CHURCH MUSIC SO THERE

WAS SINGING AND MUSIC AND I WAS

BLESSED TO COME THROUGH SOME

WONDERFUL CHORAL PROGRAMS.

IN HIGH SCHOOL I SANG IN, WAS AN

ACCOMPANIST, COLLEGE AT CORNELL

AND AT THE INDIANA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF MUSIC WHERE I STUDIED

CONDUCTING, HAD A CHANCE, HAVE A

BROAD EXPERIENCE IN CHORAL,

CHORAL ORCHESTRAL, OPERA ETC

MUSIC, AND IN ALL PHASES I THINK

WHEN IT'S DONE RIGHT AND IT'S A

SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE, YOU

DEVELOP A REAL LOVE.

>> TERRI: AND YOU COULD BE, YOU

DEFINITELY COULD BE WORKING IN A

LARGE CITY, SO WHY

CHARLOTTESVILLE?

>> MICHAEL: THAT'S A GOOD

QUESTION.

I SUPPOSE IT'S TRUE. FIRST OF

ALL A JOB IS A JOB AND I WAS

BLESSED TO GET HIRED HERE AT UVA

AND SO THAT BROUGHT ME HERE AS A

PROFESSOR AND A CONDUCTOR.

>> TERRI: OF THE?

>> MICHAEL: OF THE UNIVERSITY

SINGERS, OF THE CHAMBER SINGERS,

AND A GUEST CONDUCTOR OF OUR

SYMPHONY HERE, THE

CHARLOTTESVILLE SYMPHONY HERE

AND THAT'S A WONDERFUL

EXPERIENCE, WORKING WITH OUR

STUDENTS AND MY FACULTY

COLLEAGUES, BUT THEN ALSO I FEEL

LIKE WE'RE BLESSED TO LIVE IN A

TOWN OF CHARLOTTESVILLE THAT IN

A SENSE PUNCHES ABOVE ITS WEIGHT

CULTURALLY, AND WE HAVE PEOPLE

IN THIS TOWN THAT REALLY SUPPORT

THE ARTS EITHER AS PRASMERS OR

BENEFACTORS, AND AUDIENCES TEND

TO BE VERY WARM IN THE RESPONSE

AND TEND TO BE VERY WARM IN

THEIR RECEPTION OF WHAT WE

OFFER.

AND WE ARE ABLE TO DO THINGS

CULTURALLY.

I THINK IT'S EXCITING WHEN YOU

MAKE SOMETHING EVEN LARGER THAN

ANY OF YOU COULD MAKE ON YOUR

OWN.

>> JOANIE: I LOVE BEING A PART

OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S SO RARE TO

BE ABLE TO WORK WITH A BIG GROUP

OF PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE A COMMON

GOAL AND TO DO IT WITH ENJOYMENT

AND GRACE AND FUN.

>> KIM: I ALWAYS THINK OF

CHORAL MUSIC AS BEING SORT OF

THE ULTIMATE TEAM SPORT.

SO IT'S OUR WAY OF GETTING

TOGETHER AND REALLY REPRESENTING

THE COMMUNITY.

>> TERRI: TELL ME ABOUT THE

MEMBERS, WHO PARTICIPATES?

>> MICHAEL: SO WE HAVE PEOPLE

WHO ARE HAVE BEEN PROFESSIONAL

SINGERS OR ARE OR ARE MUSIC

TEACHERS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE

PEOPLE WHO ARE TEACHERS IN OTHER

SUBJECTS, LIKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

TEACHERS, OR WE HAVE SOME OF

CHARLOTTESVILLE'S LEADING

LAWYERS, WE HAD A GUY WHO IS A

WORLD CLASS ASTRONOMER, AN

ASTRO-PHYSICIST IN THERE.

WE HAVE DOCTORS, AND MOMS, AND

WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE GRADUATE

STUDENTS, SO IT'S A VERY

INTERESTING ECLECTIC MIX, AND I

INVIGORATE THE REHEARSAL PROCESS

WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THESE

DIFFERENT, INTERESTING PEOPLE

WHO HAVE A COMMON SHARED LOVE OF

MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER.

♪

>> MICHAEL: BEAUTIFUL!

>> JIM: I RESISTED AT FIRST.

I SAID OH, I'M TOO BUSY, BUT I

WAS SWEET TALKED BY ONE OF THE

ALTOS, SARAH FISHBACK, AND IT

WAS REALLY SUCH AN EXPERIENCE I

WOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN IT UP FOR

ANYTHING.

>> KIM: THIS IS WHAT I DO FOR

ME, SO THIS GROUP HAS BEEN AN

AMAZING OUTLET AND A LOT OF MY

FRIENDS ARE ACTUALLY IN THIS

GROUP AS WELL.

>> STEVE: IT IS A VERY WARM

GENEROUS GROUP, AND I JUST

COULDN'T BE AMONG A NICER BUNCH

OF PEOPLE.

>> ROWENNA: I SIT THERE IN THE

CORNER AND I LISTEN TO THESE

PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY DIFFERENT,

BUT WHEN THEY SING TOGETHER

THEY'RE A WORK OF ART BECAUSE

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

>> TERRI: TELL US ABOUT SOME OF

THESE PERFORMANCES AND THE

PIECES THAT YOU ALL LIKE TO DO.

>> MICHAEL: SURE, SO IT'S A

GROUP THAT LOVES TO SING MAJOR

WORKS WITH CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA

BUT ALSO HAS OTHER LOVES IN

TERMS OF OTHER SHORTER LOVES IN

TERMS OF SHORTER CHORAL PIECES.

PIECES THAT REACH IN TO THE

COMMUNITY IN DIFFERENT WAYS, AND

A TYPICAL SEASON WILL INCLUDED

CHRISTMAS CONCERTS AT THE

PARAMOUNT WHICH HAS BEEN A

TRADITION DATING BACK BEFORE MY

TIME AS DIRECTOR.

WE'VE DONE COMMUNITY SING-INS IN

THE LAST FIVE OR SEVEN YEARS

WHERE WE'VE PUT A PIECE OUT

THERE AND OFFERED IT TO THE

COMMUNITY, LEARN THIS PIECE,

COME SING WITH US

AND WE'LL HAVE A BIG WHIP IT

TOGETHER REHEARSAL AND THEN

PRESENT IT.

>> TERRI: THAT IS FANTASTIC.

>> MICHAEL: THAT'S A GREAT

EXPERIENCE, AND WE'VE SOMETIMES

HAVE HAD AS MANY AS 60-70 JOIN

OUR 85 OR 90, AND WE'VE

ALSO DONE THIS SOMETIMES AS A

BENEFIT FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS SO

THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO KIND OF

SERVE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH

MUSIC.

IN THE SENSE OF CELEBRATING A

50TH THERE HAVE BEEN SOME

CONCERTS.

WE DID PART OF HANDEL MESSIAH AS

AN ECHO OF THAT VERY FIRST

PERFORMANCE IN 1968 THAT THE

ORATORIO SOCIETY DID, BUT WE

ALSO HAVE CONCERTS WHERE MOZART

CMINUS MASS IS ON THE PROGRAM AS

A MAJOR WORK, A KIND OF STAPLE

OF THE REPERTOIRE TOGETHER WITH

A COMMISSIONED NEW WORK FROM AN

AMERICAN COMPOSER, IN FACT FROM

A VIRGINIAN, ADOLPHUS HAILSTORK,

AN AFRICAN AMERICAN COMPOSER

WHOSE JUST DOWN THE ROAD AT OLD

DOMINION WHO IS SETTING A READED

DOVE TEXT, TESTIMONIAL WHICH IS

THE POEM WHICH IS SO BEAUTIFULLY

INSCRIBED ON THE MURAL ON THE

GRADUATE HOTEL HERE IN

CHARLOTTESVILLE, AND SO I, I

THINK IT'S VERY EXCITING TO HAVE

THAT BECOME VOICED AS A PIECE OF

MUSIC AND HAVE THESE ARTISTS

COLLABORATE SO THAT IS ALSO PART

OF THE 50TH CELEBRATION.

>> TERRI: OH, THAT IS EXCITING.

OKAY, BUT WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT

REHEARSAL THOUGH, HOW OFTEN DO

YOU ALL REHEARSE AND WHAT IS

YOUR GOAL, WHAT'S YOUR FOCUS

WHEN YOU'RE DOING THAT, YOU GUYS

MUST WORK REALLY HARD.

>> MICHAEL: I HOPE WE DO, AND

THAT'S OUR GOAL AS MUSICIANS,

OUR JOB.

WE TYPICALLY REHEARSE ONCE A

WEEK, AND I THINK THAT'S PRETTY

STANDARD FOR MANY COMMUNITY

CHORUSES IN BIGGER AND SMALLER

CITIES, AND THE SINGERS MEET FOR

USUALLY TWO HOURS TO WORK ON

SPECIFIC REPERTOIRE TO EXCEL AT

THAT.

AND YOU WANT TO CREATE A GROUP

THAT STARTS TO FORM HABITS

MUSICALLY.

IT'S ALSO A PROCESS OF BECOMING

SOME SORT OF MUSICAL FAMILY, A

COMMUNITY RIGHT?

AND THAT AFFECTS THE WAY YOU

SOUND ON STAGE.

>> MARGARET: I HAVE BEEN SINGING

WITH THE ORATORIO SOCIETY SINCE

THE FALL OF 1975.

PREPARING THAT KIND OF EFFORT

AND INPUT AND COMING OUT WITH A

GOOD PRODUCT IS, THAT'S ONE OF

THE MORE SATISFYING THINGS IN

LIFE, I'VE ALWAYS FELT.

>> JOANIE: HE TEACHES YOU ABOUT

DICTION, ABOUT BREATHING, ABOUT

YOUR INSTRUMENT AND HOW TO USE

IT CORRECTLY.

AS WE'RE REHEARSING, YOU GROW AS

A PERSON AS WELL AS A CHORAL

SINGER.

>> TERRI: WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE

TO SEE FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS?

>> MICHAEL: THAT'S A GREAT

QUESTION, AND IT'S NOT ONLY UP

TO ME, I MEAN THERE'S A WHOLE

WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION THAT HAS

TO DETERMINE THAT, BUT FIRST OF

ALL, I THINK MUSICALLY WE NEED

TO KEEP PURSUING EXCELLENCE, AND

THAT WOULD MEAN BOTH IN TERMS OF

DRAWING MEMBERS AND RAISING THE

MUSICAL STANDARD AS WE HAVE

ALREADY AND ALWAYS CONTINUING TO

LOOK AT REPERTOIRES FROM SEVERAL

DIFFERENT ANGLES RIGHT?

FROM RESPECT FOR HISTORY AND

THIS INCREDIBLE TRADITION WE'VE

INHERITED.

SO WE CAN KEEP SHARING WITH

GENERATIONS, THAT'S VERY

IMPORTANT, THAT MUSIC IS FOR

EVERYONE, BUT ALSO TO CREATE NEW

MUSIC AS WE'RE DOING IN

COMMISSIONING, AND THAT'S VERY

IMPORTANT THAT THERE'S A CERTAIN

DIVERSITY IN THE REPERTOIRE AND

THE THINKING ABOUT THAT AND ALSO

WHO YOU WANT TO SHARE IT WITH

BOTH IN YOUR SINGING MEMBERS AND

AUDIENCE MEMBERS.

CAN WE EXPAND THE DEMOGRAPHIC?

BECAUSE I THINK IT OFFERS

SOMETHING VERY VITAL TO THE

COMMUNITY.

>> STEVE: WE CONTINUE TO RISE IN

THE WORLD OF CHORAL MUSIC, AND

IT'S SO FUN TO HAVE THAT LEVEL

OF AMBITION AND EXPERTISE RIGHT

HERE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE.

IT'S REALLY AMAZING.

>> ROWENNA: WE'RE BUILDING A

MUSICAL MONUMENT TO THE BEAUTY

AND DIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA AND OF

CHARLOTTESVILLE.

THAT'S OUR NEXT 50 YEARS.

♪

>> TERRI: THAT'S IT FOR THIS

WEEK.

FOR WHTJ, I'M TERRI ALLARD.

JOIN US NEXT TIME ON

"CHARLOTTESVILLE INSIDE-OUT".

>> ANNOUNCER: "CHARLOTTESVILLE

INSIDE-OUT" IS MADE POSSIBLE

THANKS IN PART TO ITS PATRONS,

COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE

PEOPLE, PLACES AND QUALITY OF

LIFE THAT UNIQUELY DEFINES

CHARLOTTESVILLE AND ITS

SURROUNDINGS, AND BY VIEWERS

LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

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