Young People's Chorus of New York City Will Represent the U.S. in Performance at World Holocaust Forum in Jerusalem

On Thursday, January 23, when more than 45 world leaders convene in Jerusalem for the Fifth World Holocaust Forum, which commemorates 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz, twelve young men and women of the Young People Chorus of New York City (YPC) take the stage as the only young people invited to perform as part of the proceedings. Organized by the World Holocaust Forum Foundation in cooperation with Yad Vashem-the World Holocaust Remembrance Center-and the President of the State of Israel, the event takes place at the Warsaw Ghetto Square in Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day and begins at 1:30 p.m. IST (GMT+2) / 6:30 a.m. EST.

The Fifth World Holocaust Forum is broadcast live via satellite feed worldwide and via Yad Vashem's website (yadvashem.org) and Facebook page (facebook.com/yadvashem), with live translations in six languages: English, Hebrew, French, German, Russian, and Spanish.

The participating YPC choristers come from all five boroughs of New York City and Long Island, and-in keeping with YPC's founding mission-represent the cultural and economic diversity of America. Singers of YPC were invited to participate by the World Holocaust Forum Foundation, and they sing during musical interludes interspersed throughout the Forum proceedings. YPC choristers perform as part of an international chorus that also includes professional singers from France, Russia, and the United Kingdom, and which performs alongside an international orchestra conducted by UNESCO Artist for Peace Vladimir Spivakov. Among the works to be performed are Dies Irae movements from the Requiems by Mozart and Karl Jenkins and the Hostias movement from the Saint-Saëns Requiem.

The event program will also include addresses from a number of world leaders: President of the State of Israel Reuven Rivlin; Prime Minister of the State of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu; President of France Emmanuel Macron; The Prince of Wales, HRH Prince Charles; President of Russia Vladimir Putin; as well as a senior leader from the United States and the President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier. For a list of the confirmed leaders of nations and heads of delegations attending the Forum, as well as additional information about the proceedings, click here.

About the Young People's Chorus of New York City®

Young People's Chorus of New York City® is a world-renowned youth chorus founded in 1988 on a mission of diversity, artistic excellence, and education by Artistic Director Francisco J. Núñez, a MacArthur Fellow, Musical America's 2018 Educator of the Year, and a recipient of ASCAP's Life in Music Award. Under the leadership of Mr. Núñez and Associate Artistic Director Elizabeth Núñez, the program harnesses the power of music to fulfill the potential of children, heightening an awareness of the ability of children to rise to unforeseen levels of artistry. Two-thousand children from 8 to 18 participate annually in YPC through its after-school, in-school, and community programs, and now, through YPC National (ypcnational.org), even more children across the country are being reached. YPC is a recipient of the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, America's highest honor for youth programs. For more information, visit ypc.org.

About the World Holocaust Forum Foundation

Founded in 2005 by Dr. Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress, the World Holocaust Forum Foundation is an international organization dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and its important lessons for all of humanity, including fighting rising antisemitism. Past World Holocaust Forum events have taken place at Auschwitz, Babi Yar and Terezin, in cooperation with Yad Vashem, with the highest-level political and diplomatic representation. For more information, visit worldholocaustforum.org.

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