PORTSMOUTH — St. Mary’s Church took a night off from spirituals and was filled with the sound of old-school jazz last Wednesday, Jan. 29.

That’s because children in grades 2 to 4 were there for a four-week program called “Scattin’ with Ella (Fitzgerald),” offered by the Newport County Youth Chorus. 

Classes began Jan. 22 at the church, with a second group of children meeting at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Newport on Tuesdays. It’s free to participate and no audition is necessary.

In “Scattin’ with Ella,” children practiced music sung by the iconic performer, digging into her vast songbook of jazz classics. They also developed musical skills and experienced how their unique voice positively impacts the ensemble’s sound. 

The Newport County Youth Chorus is part of a choral collective in Newport County that also includes the Middle School Ensemble, which meets from 3:15-4:45 p.m. on Wednesdays at St. Mary's Church, and, beginning Feb. 20, at the same time on Thursdays at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center.

The collective also includes The Aquidneck Singers, an all-female ensemble made up of teens and adults that Ms. Woodhouse formed in September 2019.

The Aquidneck Singers meet from 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesdays in the upper level of the CFP Center for Arts, Wellness, and Community in Common Fence Point. There is no audition to participate and all are welcome to join in.

For more information, visit www.newportsings.org.