Music Niagara kicked off its 27th season with a Father’s Day performance by the Laura Secord student choir.

The junior choir, composed of high school students in grades 9 and 10, performed a mixture of choral contemporary and classical songs to a packed audience of families. The performance opened Music Niagara’s season but specifically introduced its Young Virtuoso series.

Katryna Sacco, choir leader and teacher at Laura Secord, said the group typically performs at ticketed events, making the Father’s Day performance an opportunity for families to watch their students sing for free.

“We sing with the Niagara Symphony and MusicFest Nationals, and a whole bunch of events that you normally have to pay for, so this was awesome,” Sacco said. “It was just a lovely afternoon where everybody could bring their family.”

The Laura Secord choir is recognized nationally through MusicFest Canada and the CBC Canadian Music Class Challenge, but Sacco said getting to perform for the community is a uniquely special experience.

“It’s really nice to extend our reach throughout the community and sing at a really nice venue,” she said.

The venue, Ironwood Cider House, is housing Music Niagara for the second year in a row. Performances will be taking place next to the vineyard in a large outdoor tent.

“This tent was set up last year as Music Niagara’s new home for all of the performances we can put out here,” Colin Maier, production manager of Music Niagara, said. “We’re thrilled […] to be in the most beautiful, scenic environment.”

Members of the Secord choir shared some of that excitement.

“They’re really excited to perform in a variety of different venues,” Sacco said.

The songs performed on Father’s Day were ones the students worked on throughout the school year, such as Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know Why” and The Ink Spots’ “Java Jive.”

As the leader of the choir, Sacco said she feels it is her responsibility to give the audience a well-rounded performance, and based on the loud applause from the crowd, she can say her job was well done.

The choir’s regular performances are typically only a few songs, but the Father’s Day event provided one hour and 30 minutes of live music.

“We’re really lucky at Laura Secord to have a really big appreciation for the arts, and our parents are always super supportive,” she said. “The audience was amazing […] it was really nice to have that support for a whole choir concert.”