San Diego Children's Choir
Encyclopedia
The San Diego Children's Choir is a choral
organization consisting of 300 boys and girls from the San Diego, California
area who are of ages six to eighteen and from a variety of racial, ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds. It was founded by Polly Campbell and was incorporated as a non-profit public benefit corporation
in 1990. Rehearsals and performances of fine music literature form the foundation of instruction and provide the youth of San Diego opportunities for artistic and personal growth through choral music performance.
The choir currently rehearses in five locations to provide choral opportunities to youth in major areas of San Diego County
: North County, Rancho Bernardo, the central San Diego area, downtown, and Allied Gardens. Each branch is structured to contain multiple choir levels (preparatory, intermediate, concert), and as choristers advance, they leave their individual branch and join the Youth Choir.
Intermediate Choir - for choristers who have completed Preparatory Choir training. Choristers in this choir are usually 8 to 10 years old (grades 3 to 5). The Intermediate Choir participates in local performances and tour locally, normally within Southern California.
Concert Choir - for choristers with more developed voices who are usually 11 to 14 years old (middle school grades 6 to 9). At this age that choristers begin touring nationally and internationally.
Youth Choir - for advanced singers, normally consisting of high school choristers. Girls progress to the Youth Choir when they enter the tenth grade. Boys progress to the Youth Choir also in the tenth grade unless their voice changes earlier.
As a member of the San Diego Performing Arts League, they participate yearly in the organization's "Bravo San Diego" event along with the other major art organizations in San Diego. Each Spring, they perform for the public at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park.
The Choir has collaborated over the years with other performing groups. They regularly participate in Holiday Concerts with the San Diego Symphony
. In 1996, they performed the world premiere of "Requiem in Memoriam, Oklahoma City" under the direction of the composer, Ron Gillis. The San Diego Children Choir has performed Carl Orff
's "Carmina Burana
" twice: once under the direction of Sir David Willcocks in Royal Albert Hall
, London, and again under the direction of Maestro Yoav Talmi with the San Diego Symphony.
Tours are also part of the educational program, providing an opportunity to be ambassadors for San Diego as well as travel and performance experience. The Concert and Youth Choirs travel every summer during June and July, and they follow the tradition of international tours every other year. Tours normally include 6 to 7 concerts, home stays with host choir organizations, and daily tours of the visited countries. The Intermediate Choir tours locally in Southern California in preparation for the longer tours when the choristers advance to the Concert Choir.
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
organization consisting of 300 boys and girls from the San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
area who are of ages six to eighteen and from a variety of racial, ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds. It was founded by Polly Campbell and was incorporated as a non-profit public benefit corporation
Public benefit corporation
A public-benefit corporation is a public corporation chartered by a state designed to perform some public benefit.A public authority is a type of public-benefit corporation that takes on a more bureaucratic role, such as the maintenance of public infrastructure, that often has broad powers to...
in 1990. Rehearsals and performances of fine music literature form the foundation of instruction and provide the youth of San Diego opportunities for artistic and personal growth through choral music performance.
The choir currently rehearses in five locations to provide choral opportunities to youth in major areas of San Diego County
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
: North County, Rancho Bernardo, the central San Diego area, downtown, and Allied Gardens. Each branch is structured to contain multiple choir levels (preparatory, intermediate, concert), and as choristers advance, they leave their individual branch and join the Youth Choir.
Structure
Preparatory Choir - for very young choristers who are usually 6 or 7 years old (1st and 2nd graders). This level introduces music to the child and focuses on in-tune singing skills and building basic rhythmic skills. Except for two major Concerts, this Choir performs independently from the older choirs.Intermediate Choir - for choristers who have completed Preparatory Choir training. Choristers in this choir are usually 8 to 10 years old (grades 3 to 5). The Intermediate Choir participates in local performances and tour locally, normally within Southern California.
Concert Choir - for choristers with more developed voices who are usually 11 to 14 years old (middle school grades 6 to 9). At this age that choristers begin touring nationally and internationally.
Youth Choir - for advanced singers, normally consisting of high school choristers. Girls progress to the Youth Choir when they enter the tenth grade. Boys progress to the Youth Choir also in the tenth grade unless their voice changes earlier.
Performances
The San Diego Children's Choir schedules two major concerts each year at which all choristers perform – the Holiday Concert during the Christmas Season and the Spring Concert. During the year, they perform at other venues suitable for each choir level. The younger choristers perform many outreach programs at libraries and senior citizen homes.As a member of the San Diego Performing Arts League, they participate yearly in the organization's "Bravo San Diego" event along with the other major art organizations in San Diego. Each Spring, they perform for the public at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park.
The Choir has collaborated over the years with other performing groups. They regularly participate in Holiday Concerts with the San Diego Symphony
San Diego Symphony
The San Diego Symphony is an American symphony orchestra, based in San Diego, California. On 6 December 1910, it gave its first concert as the San Diego Civic Orchestra.Currently, the Symphony performs over 100 concerts each season...
. In 1996, they performed the world premiere of "Requiem in Memoriam, Oklahoma City" under the direction of the composer, Ron Gillis. The San Diego Children Choir has performed Carl Orff
Carl Orff
Carl Orff was a 20th-century German composer, best known for his cantata Carmina Burana . In addition to his career as a composer, Orff developed an influential method of music education for children.-Early life:...
's "Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana (Orff)
Carmina Burana is a scenic cantata composed by Carl Orff in 1935 and 1936. It is based on 24 of the poems found in the medieval collection Carmina Burana...
" twice: once under the direction of Sir David Willcocks in Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
, London, and again under the direction of Maestro Yoav Talmi with the San Diego Symphony.
Tours are also part of the educational program, providing an opportunity to be ambassadors for San Diego as well as travel and performance experience. The Concert and Youth Choirs travel every summer during June and July, and they follow the tradition of international tours every other year. Tours normally include 6 to 7 concerts, home stays with host choir organizations, and daily tours of the visited countries. The Intermediate Choir tours locally in Southern California in preparation for the longer tours when the choristers advance to the Concert Choir.