FESTIVALS

The Ames Youth Choir (AYC) program created the Midwest Children’s Choir Festival (MCCF) in 1996 to provide the opportunity for young singers in Iowa to hear and perform with nationally and internationally acclaimed choirs and performers. The first two festivals featured international choirs and included children’s choirs from Central Iowa in addition to the AYC Concert Choir performing separately and as singers in a mass choir. Since 2000, the festival has been held at Stephens Auditorium on the ISU campus and has included select Iowa singers in addition to featured Midwest choirs and the AYC Concert Choir to form a mass choir of 400 singers (primarily in 5th-7th Grades). MCCF 2000-2005 featured baritones Simon Estes and Timothy Kuhn as soloists. Since 2007 MCCF has featured living composers and the premiere of new works.

The 2025 Midwest Children’s Choir will be held on Friday, March 28th at Stephen’s Auditorium. Please email info@ameschildrenschoirs.org to stay up to date on festival information and director nominations.

Dr. Michelle Folta is an associate professor of choral/general music education at Columbus State University and the artistic director for the Voices of the Valley Children’s Chorus. Dr. Folta earned her masters and Ph.D. in Music Education at the University of North Texas and a bachelor’s degree in Music Studies from the University of Texas at Austin.

Graduates of Dr. Folta have pursued excellence after earning their degrees. Several have earned the title of Teacher of the Year on their campuses and have been named finalists for their district’s top educator award. Other graduate accolades include the GA-ACDA Young Director Award and performances at GMEA.

The Voices of the Valley Children’s Chorus at Columbus State University has achieved excellence under Dr. Folta’s direction. In addition to local performances, Voices of the Valley has performed internationally, at the Georgia Music Educators Association conference, and the ACDA Southern Conference.

Dr. Folta has served as the guest clinician for a variety of honor choruses across the state and nation. In addition, she has served as an adjudicator for state-wide festivals and contests and serves on the GA-ACDA board of directors as the Repertoire and Resources Chair for Children’s Choirs.

Dr. Folta was named a finalist for the 2021 GRAMMY Music Educator of the Year Award, was also the recipient of Columbus State University’s Faculty Service Award, and named Columbus and the Valley’s 5 Under 40.

Our guest choirs for the 2025 festival are Heartland Youth Choir, UNI Children’s Choir and AYC’s Singers/Concert Choir.