Cincinnati Children's Choir, May Festival and VAE Launch Cincinnati Choral Academy

The Cincinnati May Festival, Cincinnati Children's Choir and Vocal Arts Ensemble and announce a new collaboration to launch the Cincinnati Choral Academy, a new El Sistema-inspired choir program in area elementary schools. The organizations have appointed Sarah Grogan as the director.

The program is slated to launch in January 2016, beginning with third grade students at Carson Elementary School (located in the Price Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati) and Pleasant Hill Academy (located in the College Hill neighborhood).

Students in the program will rehearse two days per week at their respective school. Each session will consist of one hour of choral rehearsal and one hour of music literacy learning. The students will perform 2-3 times each semester in their schools and with the Cincinnati Children's Choir, and will receive masterclasses and coaching from members of the May Festival Chorus and Vocal Arts Ensemble. The program will be tuition-free for participating students, and all necessary supplies will be provided.

"I am delighted to be moving back to Cincinnati to direct the Cincinnati Choral Academy," said Ms. Grogan, a former singer with the Cincinnati Children's Choir and a current member of the May Festival Chorus as well as an alumna of University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Ms. Grogan worked with a similar program in Miami, Florida. "The benefits of being in a choir, especially for at-risk youth, go far beyond developing vocal and music skills. Study after study demonstrates that students

who participate in choir improve group work, become involved in the community, and are more engaged at school while developing creativity, problem solving and emotional expression."

Following in the footsteps of the El Sistema method of music education that began in Venezuela and other programs it has inspired, the Cincinnati Choral Academy will focus on holistic music education.

While social change is the primary goal-creating good citizens rather than just great musicians- musical preparation will be intense, and students will be pushed to perform at a high level. There are currently 105 El Sistema inspired programs in the country; the Cincinnati Choral Academy will be one of only 5 choral-centric programs.

"I am delighted to be partnering with the May Festival and Vocal Arts Ensemble for this new initiative," said Robyn Lana, Artistic Director of the Cincinnati Children's Choir. "Our mission is to offer all children the opportunity to experience musical excellence in a creative environment, centered on our values of Inclusiveness, Community, Education and Collaboration. The CCC already successfully engages diverse communities through a variety of existing programs, but the Cincinnati Choral Academy is a defining project for us as we continue to make the rich benefits of choir more accessible for students of all circumstances and backgrounds."

"The creation of the Cincinnati Choral Academy is a huge step for all three of our organizations in terms of deepening our relationships in the community," said Steven Sunderman, Executive Director of the May Festival and Vocal Arts Ensemble. "We know through both our own research with the May Festival Youth Chorus and the findings of Chorus America's Choral Impact Study that students who sing in choirs become more focused, more creative and better problem solvers. The Academy will further our individual organizational goals, but the expected outcomes also very much align with broader community goals, such as ArtsWave's Blueprint for Collective Action, United Way's Bold Goals, Strive and Agenda 360's Action Plan by developing 21st century skills like creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking needed for success in the future."

This program is funded in part by the generosity of the Ladislas and Vilma Segoe Family Foundation. The CCC, May Festival and VAE will be working together to ensure sustainable funding for the future of the program.

It is the mission of the Cincinnati Children's Choir to offer all children the opportunity to experience musical excellence in a creative environment. Participants demonstrate musical understanding, artistry, achievement and confidence through passionate performances and collaborations with premier ensembles and children's choirs throughout the world. The Cincinnati Children's Choir (CCC) builds stronger communities by creating a comprehensive foundation that supports music educators and develops tomorrow's leaders.

Established in 1873, the May Festival is directly responsible for the development of Cincinnati's modern music life. Music Hall, the city's primary concert venue, was built specifically to house the Festival's performance. The mission of the May Festival is to engage, energize and connect the community with the highest quality performances of great choral music.

Vocal Arts Ensemble is greater Cincinnati's premier professional vocal ensemble dedicated to presenting passionate and innovative performances of choral music that raise and nurture the public's appreciation of the life-enriching qualities of the choral arts.

To post a comment, you must register and login.