I need to learn how to use a camcorder with a fairly high degree of proficiency. Here is an example of what I will need to be able to do:

Record a group of children singing using 4-5 microphones to capture different tracks (3 for singing-voice, one for music, and one for possible voice narration).

I want to get a "starter" cam with the intention of buying an HD camera in a year or year and a half. I want the camera to have the following capabilities:

- external mic jack
- user adjustable white balance
- mini dv tape
- either svideo or firewire
- I prefer the monitor on the camera is not a touch screen
- I prefer Canon or JVC.

The rest of the features on the cameras I have looked at seem to be pretty universal.

Is it possible to connect this kind of camera directly to a computer and have the images stored directly to the computer's hard drive?

You have some problems here:
1) They don't make DV cams anymore, so you'll have to get a used one. You can still by HDV cams. On the more expensive DV cams (and HDV) you can have four channels of audio, but only in DV. HDV is limited to two channels.
2) You can record three channels with a VIVE surround mic, four if you get and extra mic for the input on it, but not five.

I am a HDV diehard, but I think your best bet would be a avchd cam that allows 5 different channels to be recorded. Some have 5.1 sound, I have no idea about how they use optional mics, but that would be what I would look into. Sony has cams with 5.1 as does Panasonic (I think).