Taylor and Unity Choir join for unique concert

VAN WERT — And now for something completely different: it's the unique voice of Livingston Taylor, combining with one of the top young choirs in the world in a one-of-a-kind concert Saturday at Niswonger Performing Arts Center.“We wanted to do something different for this concert,” said Cheri Oechsle, marketing director at Niswonger. “Livingston was here a few years ago, and he was an audience favorite that year. We invited him back and asked what he thought about performing with the Voices of Unity Choir, and he was all for it. It's going to be a good show.”It's going to be a hold on to your seat show, promises Marhsal White, director of the 54 youngsters performing for Unity.“You can't sit still at one of our concerts. You'll go from crying to laughing, and everything in between. It will be an incredible evening,” White said.Youngsters in the choir range from 7 years old to college-age. “The success stories we've had come out of this choir are unbelievable,” White said. “Our kids have gone on to do everything from become first generation college students to actual performers.”With 60 percent of the group new every two years, the youngsters taken into the award winning choir work hard to achieve the perfection expected. “These are not normal kids,” White said, laughing. “We keep such a schedule, and the expectation level is so very high. But through this, these kids have a good, strong sense of pride and importance and confidence. This gives kids hope and energy, and they celebrate each other,” White said.Along with taking top honors last year in the international choir competition in China, the group has also worked with celebrities including Roberta Flack, Josh Groban and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.