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Abrget! _ u\! The Lyrical Lines Educaâ€" tion Network, a notâ€"forâ€" profit organization, has invited 750 teens from the region to sing at the event, which will be sponsored by The school choirs are learning the music during their regular _ choir rehearsals, which is typically only once a week. But that‘s about as much time as 15 local high school choirs have to prepare for the third annual Waterloo Region High School Choral Festival at the Centre in the Square next Tuesday at 8 p.m. ne hour a week isn‘t Omuch when it comes to stretching your vocal cords for a huge choral festival less than a week away. Choral festival gives local students a chance to hit all the right notes By Denise MOrrer For The Chronicle Some of the schools involved include Bluevale collegiate institute, Kitchenâ€" erâ€"Waterloo collegiate instiâ€" tute (KCH), Sir John A. Macâ€" donald high school, Jacob Hespeler secondary school, St. Mary‘s high school and Resurrection Catholic secâ€" ondary school. "Students need to be learning this music on their own," Dyck said. The next time they all come together to practise will be the day of the conâ€" cert. Kristine Dyck, who works at Music Plus and is volunâ€" teering her time for the fesâ€" tival, said students have been practising in their school choirs for the perforâ€" mance and have only had one chance to practise as a whole group. Music Plus Corp. Jamye Troy, 17, said it‘s ARTS FOCUS AeratiOn LaWn Rolling Detha t(“hing Yard Cle anâ€"ups Bed Mulching Top D"essing Fertilizep laWn Cutting â€" oaal "She‘s a terrific director," said Dyck. "She has an amazing rapport with all the kids." Dyck said the choral always gets guest conducâ€" tors and Quinn, who is also the conductor of the Quinâ€" tessential Vocal Ensemble, is well known on the East Coast. Directing this year‘s choral is Susan Quinn, conâ€" ductor for the awardâ€"winâ€" ning choral and string ensembles at Holy Heart of Mary high school in St. John‘s, Nfld. "There‘s a great number of kids involved," said the Bluevale student. "It‘s great to see the youth interact with. music in the commuâ€" nity in this kind of way." her third year in the choral festival and thinks it‘s an amazing experience. The repertoire â€" will Emily Jull, a member of the local StitchnKitsch group of artisans, peddles her wares during a recent show and sale in Waterâ€" loo. Jull said a group of likeâ€" minded people assembled for the sale, in an attempt to sell their unique and lowâ€"priced colâ€" lection of crafts. Handmade bags, books, pottery and baked goods were among the items for sale. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased through the schools‘ music departâ€" ments, participating memâ€" bers of the choral or at the Centre in the Square ticket office at 578â€"1570. Stitchin‘ sells The Waterloo Region High School Chamber Choirs will also be performâ€" ing at the festival, under the direction of Dr. Leonard Enns. "There are so many budâ€" get cuts in the schools these days," she said. "Students don‘t have the exposure to that kind of music anyâ€" more." This choral festival is important for the youth because it‘s an experience they otherwise might never have, said Dyck. an sounds. include a sampling of old and new, as well as Canadiâ€" and _ international TiM MureHy PNOTO The summer issue will be devoted to comedy and the 100th issue next fall to a list of the top 25 mostâ€" loved tiving Canadian writers. The spring issue, which is due at newsstands in midâ€"April, will feature genre literature with an interâ€" view with fantasy writer Kenneth Oppel; a trio of essays by science fiction writers, including last year‘s Waterloo Region One Book, One Community author, Rob Sawyer; essays by mystery writer John Brady and novelist Christine Pountney, who moonlights writing erotica; and a colour feature on the offâ€"theâ€"shelves genre of graffiti. The first, on newsstands now, points out the signifâ€" icant number of wellâ€"known Canadian writers today who have a history with the magazine. It offers an insider‘s view of how those writers arrived at the first lines of their latest novels. The New Quarterly‘s mandateé is to celebrate readâ€" ing and writing. It plans to celebrate its own 25th anniversary with a series of special features in every issue leading up to its big 100th issue next fall. The last three issues have featured artists and writâ€" ers with local roots: Last summer, Shannon Reynolds® portrait series "Dramatis Personae," based on convenâ€" tional characters from the theatre and "starring" local personalities in the roles of the coquette, the lusty woman, the crone, the sage, the tragic lovers and the dandy; Last fall, the breathtakingly lovely poet and ficâ€" tion writer Carrie Snyder (author of The Man in the Hair Hat); and, in the issue now in stores, painter Jeff Bums, who grew up in the region and whose surreal interior landscapes were the subject of a oneâ€"man show at the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery last spring. iss nsc ol Sm NA T 30 "While bigger and better than ever before, there are many ways in which we‘ve come full circle in that time," said editor Kim Jernigan. "We‘ve returned to St. Jerome‘s University where we were launched and where we now make our home in a cozy office on the first floor. We‘ve continued to promote local writers, though now to a national audience. And we are again featuring artists, as well as writers, in our pages and on our cover." The New Quarterly, a national literary magazine based at St. Jerome‘s University on the University of Waterloo campus, turns a quarterâ€"century this year, complete with special features for readers across the country. UW arts magazine celebrates 25 years