Pair of Cherry Hill East Students to Help Open Ensemble Series Oct. 26

A pair of Cherry Hill High School East students have the chance to perform on stage with professional singers later this month.

Senior Patricia Irwin and junior Abigayle Stoetzer will perform alongside professionals from the Academy of Vocal Arts as part of The Voices at the Croft Farm Arts Center (100 Bortons Mill Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034) on Sunday, Oct. 26, 3 p.m.

The young will practice with the Academy of Vocal Arts in the weeks leading up to the concert, which will serve as the kickoff for the 2014-15 Cherry Hill Ensemble Series.

Irwin and Stoetzer will perform alongside Academy of Vocal Arts residents Anush Avetisyan, Julie Dawson, recent graduate Chloe Moore, all Sopranos, as well as pianist Luke Housner.

The Cherry Hill Ensemble Series is sponsored by NFI and tickets are still available for purchase in Room 102 of the Municipal Building (820 Mercer Street, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002).

Seating is general admission and tickets are $15; $12 for seniors and $5 for students. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. for all performances.

The Academy of Vocal Arts mission is to be the world’s premier institution for training young artists as international opera soloists.

Through rigorous instruction and coaching, and by presentations of Resident Artists from around the world in concerts, oratorios, public programs and fully staged professional opera productions, the Academy aims to train artists with the high potential for career success while enriching lives in Philadelphia and beyond.

Built in 1779, Croft Farm was once a working mill, farm and stop on the Underground Railroad. This historic landmark has played an important role in Southern New Jersey for more than 200 years. In 1995, the township converted the tractor barn into a 200-seat performance venue with concert-worthy acoustics.

The Arts Center has become a cultural haven for many Cherry Hill residents providing “big-city” entertainment without all the hassle of bridge tolls and parking. Last year renovations to the art center included a new vestibule, more flexibility for seating during events, a repositioned stage and a facelift to the restroom facilities. These new renovations have added approximately 75-100 seats, allowing more people than ever to enjoy a wide variety of events.

The next show in the series will be a concert featuring music of the Beatles performed by members of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Philadelphia Pops on Sunday, March 29,

The final show, on May 3 will be Beautiful Music: the Music of Carole King, James Taylor and others.

This concert will be performed by members of the Ocean City Pops.

For more information on any of the concerts in this series, contact the Department of Recreation at 856-488-7868 or email Arts@chtownship.com.