Young People's Chorus Of New York City Celebrates 30th Anniversary Summer

This summer, the Young People's Chorus of New York City (YPC), led by Founder and Artistic Director Francisco J. Núñez, continues its 30th anniversary celebration with performances in seventeen cities spanning three countries. YPC's summer launched on Sunday, June 24, when the chorus was joined at Carnegie Hall by young singers from around the world. Additional summer performances include a free concert at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, YPC's return to the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, and tours to Canada and Japan.

Three New York City Performances

Francisco J. Núñez conducts DCINY concert at Carnegie Hall, 2018.

On Sunday, June 24, choristers of the Young People's Chorus of New York City were joined at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage by singers from 15 youth choruses based in China, Finland, Ireland, and six U.S. states. The program, titled ||: SONG/PLAY :||, was presented by Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) in celebration of the organization's 10th anniversary, and included works composed and conducted by Francisco J. Núñez. He led the world premiere of his work Liminality as part of the DCINY Premiere Project, as well as performances of his compositions Forever is My Song, Naturaleza, and Es Tu Tiempo.

The program also featured Venezuelan composer / conductor Cristian Grases conducting the world premiere of his composition La Cigarra y La Hormiga-a seven-movement work based on rhythms mainly from Colombia, Cuba, Brazil, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela-and Hanrich Claassen, Music Director of the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras, conducting these orchestras in works by Nancy Bloomer Deussen and Edvard Grieg.

UPCOMING

Free Pre-Curtain Concert - The Classical Theatre of Harlem's Antigone
Thursday, July 12 at 7:00 p.m. (Antigone begins at 8:15 p.m.)
Marcus Garvey Park, Richard Rodgers Amphitheater (18 Mount Morris Park West)

Young People's Chorus of New York City (left); The Classical Theatre of Harlem's Antigone (right).

Shortly after returning from the five-day International Choral Kathaumixw festival in British Columbia (see below), the Young People's Chorus of New York City under the direction of YPC Associate Artistic Director Elizabeth Núñez reprises the Canadian tour program in a free pre-curtain concert at The Classical Theatre of Harlem's performance of Sophocles's Antigone at Marcus Garvey Park. Both the pre-curtain concert and performance of Antigone are free and open to the public.

For more information, visit ypc.org/event/cth-precurtain-antigone.

Bernstein MASS: A Theater Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers
Mostly Mozart Festival
Tuesday, July 17 and Wednesday, July 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Lincoln Center, David Geffen Hall

Young People's Chorus of New York City in its Mostly Mozart Festival debut, 2017.

Young People's Chorus of New York City returns to Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival after debuting last summer in the festival's opening concert. This July, under the direction of Elizabeth Núñez, YPC joins the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra and Music Director Louis Langrée in Bernstein's MASS: A Theater Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers. In celebration of the Leonard Bernstein centennial, these performances feature a new, fully-staged production by director Elkhanah Pulitzer in her New York debut, and also feature baritone Nmon Ford (as the Celebrant), the Concert Chorale of New York, a marching band, and dancers.

For more information, visit lincolncenter.org/mostly-mozart-festival/show/bernstein-mass.

Two International Tours

British Columbia, Canada - July 1-9, 2018

Choristers of the Young People's Chorus of New York City on tour, 2018.

More than 40 choristers from the Young People's Chorus of New York City led by Elizabeth Núñez will take part in International Choral Kathaumixw, a choral festival that takes place every two years in the city of Powell River, north of Vancouver, British Columbia. The YPC singers join more than 1,200 singers from choruses in North America and as far away as Uganda, Taiwan, Poland, and Australia for performances and competitions during the nine-day tour.

Additionally, on Wednesday, July 4, YPC performs in concert with three other participating choirs-Crescent Collegiate Vocal Ensemble (Canada), Ad Una Corda (Slovak Republic), and Pan African Choir (Uganda)-at the Max Cameron Theatre.

For more information, visit ypc.org/event/international-choral-kathaumixw-in-british-columbia.

Japan (15 cities) - July 9 - August 9, 2018

Young People's Chorus of New York City.

In their fifth visit to Japan and under the direction Francisco J. Núñez, choristers from the Young People's Chorus of New York City embark on a country-wide, month-long tour that includes 18 performances and 5 workshops in 15 cities, covering more than 1,100 miles from Sh?nan in the south of Japan to Sapporo in the north.

This tour is sponsored by Min-On Concert Association, which since 1965 has been introducing the finest performing arts and artists from every corner of the world to the people of Japan in its mission to promote international cultural exchange and peace. Min-On has previously sponsored YPC twice before-in back-to-back, sold-out tours in 2009 and 2010, which reached thousands of audience members in 30 Japanese cities.

For more information, visit ypc.org/event/summer-2018-japan-tour.

The Young People's Chorus of New York City is grateful to Tommy Hilfiger, the chorus's official tour outfitter, for generously contributing a touring wardrobe for each of YPC's young men and women who are traveling to Canada and Japan this summer.