SUDBURY -- A Sudbury choir group is celebrating its 14th season by releasing four videos of the children performing virtually.

Usually, at this time of year, Young Sudbury Singers are making final preparations for their appearance on the annual CTV Lions Children's Christmas Telethon, but with COVID-19 they have decided to take a different approach to share their talent.

The pandemic has also sidelined their group's concert, so they have released the first of four videos virtually as a culmination of the group's fall session. Organizers said for many of the singers, it is the first time being a part of a recording project.

Each member was recorded performing individually and incorporated into one video as a group.

"The choir has been rehearsing since late September, and each of the contributing singers submitted their recordings in early Nov. Local recording editor Tess Dufour mastered the vocal and accompaniment tracks, spliced together clips from each of the individual videos to create the final product, and added opening and closing graphics, assisted by YSS general manager Ralph McIntosh," said the choir in a news release.

Rather than in-person rehearsal sessions, they continue to meet virtually every week over Zoom to sing together are led by two choir directors, Heather Charsley and Colette Nadeau.

The group's first performance is Children Together by Denise Gagne.

"Children Together by Canadian composer Denise Gagne has been one of the choir’s favourite pieces for many years, Charsley, director of the senior choir, said. "With its positive messages of hope and friendship, it was the popular choice for this year’s first recording."

The choir's second video will be recorded this month and will be released during the week leading up to Christmas.

Coming up in January, two choirs will be starting up. They both meet on Wednesday evenings. One is for students in SK to Grade 4 and another one is for those Grade 5 and up.

The group is waiting on the COVID restrictions to be lifted to resume live, in-person rehearsals. Once safe to do so, the choir will re-establish a group in the Valley.

Find out more about the group here or watch other videos on the group's YouTube page here