Amadeus Chorale Youth Singers (ACYS) uses singing as an avenue, a tool, to provide children with opportunities to discover themselves and learn about the worlds around them.

"Singing is a natural process," said Darla Bair, the founder and artistic director of ACYS. "Many children sing before they speak. We all sing. It's a natural human function."

A repurposing of a proven successful program, ACYS will be introduced as an organization to Lancaster County for the first time during an informational meeting at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 18, at Lancaster Church of the Brethren, 1601 Sunset Ave., Lancaster. ACYS' first rehearsal will be conducted at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 1, at Lancaster Church of the Brethren.

ACYS is broken down into two age-related groups - the SaraSingers for children ages 6 to 10 and the Lyric Choir for Singers for older kids between ages 11 and 14.

Children and their families are asked to register before the informational meetings at http://www.amadeuschorale.org. There are fees associated with participation in the programs.

"(The singers) will learn that there are people all around the world who share the dreams they have," said Bair. "Different languages don't separate us. It's a global perspective. We teach children that there are right ways to do things. We teach them how to do things properly so they can grow in confidence. That's the kind of things we look at and celebrate as a win."

Participating singers will rehearse for an hour each week. As the singers progress, the choirs will create recordings and music videos, perform publicly at about three or four concerts and festivals each year, collaborate with other groups of musical artists and embark on trips.

"We give our kids a lot of experiences," said Bair. "I don't believe in competitions. I only want to give my kids stories to tell of where they're singing and who they're singing for. I want the kids to have experiences to have lifetime stories to tell."

ACYS participation is open to all Lancaster County youths with an interest in singing.

"I'd like to see all Lancaster County children come sing with me," said Bair, a native of Lancaster County and a resident of East Lampeter Township. "We don't have a maximum number. If we have a choir that gets too big, we'll start a new one. We have two requirements: A child must sing in tune, and a child must show respect for every adult involved. That's it."

Involvement with ACYS programs could instill a lifelong love of singing into maturing youths. Proceed with caution.

"They are children who already know they love singing and their parents are willing to support them," said Bair. "This is for kids and their families. It's like the family is joining the organization together. These are people who want to invest in their children and get the type of high-quality music instruction you can't get anywhere else. You can see the quality in the things we do."

"Parents can expect their children will be elevated in their vocal etiquette," added Bair. "They can expect their children will be in a safe environment. (The children) can be who they authentically are. The parents often form their own sub-group, like a club of parents."

Bair originally founded ACYS in Rochester, N.Y., in 1996. At the heights of its success, the program featured 140 singers and staged performances at numerous high-profile events.

"We just sort of moved it here," said Bair. "I'm really open to the opportunities here. We want to duplicate the joys of the stories, but the stories are going to be different here. These kids will be very much of the community, learning about it and being a part of it."