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Songs are not an unfamiliar sound on a typical day at the Leeds Center for the Arts. 

Once again, this fall is preparing for a concert that has long been held in high esteem. 

The annual Chords for Clark concert – featuring the Cardinal Singers group from George Rogers Clark High School – will take place at Leeds Center for the Arts on Saturday, October 5, at 7:30 p.m. 

“Chords for Clark is our annual fundraising concert that features the Cardinal Singers and a men’s barbershop chorus in Lexington,” said Kris Olson, choral director at George Rogers Clark High School. “It’s the first sort of big event that our choirs perform in the year, but it is also one of our first and biggest fundraisers.” 

The barbershop chorus that will perform alongside the Cardinal Singers – known as The Kentuckians Chorus – has a longstanding relationship with Olson and GRC’s music program. 

The idea of a concert including the two first came about in 2015 when Olson – who was beginning his teaching career at GRC – was approached by former Kentuckian Chorus member Mike Malone about the idea as a means to raise funds for the choir program. 

Since then, both groups have consistently teamed up to provide both music for the community and an opportunity for youth and adult singers to collaborate. 

Along with different age groups, an eclectic variety of talents and genres can be seen and heard. 

“We do some combined choral numbers. We also have students do some solos. There’s some comedy. It’s a fun variety show,” Olson added. “There’s a lot of variety in the show, from classical music to barbershop music, to jazz standards [and] music theater. It’s something that I try to evoke in all of our kids, which is versatility and broadening their horizons.” 

Speaking of his students, Olson expressed much confidence in their abilities. 

“The kids and Cardinal Singers are pretty good about being musically aware, and they are receptive to lots of style,” he said.”What makes it easy to teach that many styles is that the kids go for it!” 

With the funds raised from the event, a number of opportunities will be made available for students. 

“We have to pay for uniforms and travel and audition fees, guest clinicians, piano tuning, [and] sheet music. To put together a choral program…it takes a lot of resources,” Olson said. “By attending this concert, people will have a good time, but they also are supporting an important cause for some hard working, music loving kids.” 

As Olson noted, it intends to build for future success. 

“Our kids work very hard, and we’re building a great program here at GRC that can last for decades.”