Funds needed to help Treble Choir students achieve this dream
The Treble Choir of Houston, under the direction of Marianna Parnas-Simpson and composed of young women in grades 6-12, has been invited to perform at the Southwestern American Choral Directors Association Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in March 2026. Only a small number of choirs across a seven-state region were selected for this honor, based on a rigorous recorded audition process judged by a panel of esteemed choral professionals. This recognition places the Treble Choir of Houston among the top secondary school ensembles in the Southwest.
“This achievement is a tribute to the dedication, talent, and hard work of our students and the incredible choral music program we have created,” says Parnas-Simpson, who received the Texas Choral Masters Award at the Texas Choral Directors’ Association conference this past summer in San Antonio. She founded the Treble Choir in 2006, which performs widely in the community and serves as the resident children’s choir at Christ Church Cathedral. Some of the Choir’s performance highlights include Carnegie Hall, the International Choral Festival in Powell River, British Columbia, and the Washington National Cathedral.
“This three-day trip will be a life-changing experience for our 40 young musicians, and our goal is to enable every one of them to participate without regard to their family’s personal financial circumstances,” says Parnas-Simpson. “To achieve this goal, we must raise $12,000 in scholarship funds. We are asking the Houston Community to support our efforts with a donation of any size.”
The Choir’s feature performance will take place at Albuquerque’s First United Methodist Church, which provides a reverent and acoustically beautiful setting, offering students the opportunity to share their music in a space that values artistry and community. The young women will be exposed to other New Mexico experiences, including the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, the historic charm of Old Town Albuquerque, and Sawmill Market Food Hall.
Parnas-Simpson hopes that Houston-area community members will help the Choir members realize this dream by donating. Please go to this Fellowship One Giving at tinyurl.com/GiveTrebleChoir to donate. Follow these instructions: 1. Select the Fund “Treble Choir of Houston.” 2. Include “Albuquerque trip” in the box labeled “long text.” Any amount is appreciated.
“The gift is tax-deductible and will enable us to represent Christ Church Cathedral, the City of Houston, and the State of Texas at this prestigious gathering featuring the Southwest’s finest choirs,” says Parnas-Simpson.