Performance: Partnership with Emmanuel Music!

Guest Writer: Kasey Fahy. Premier Choir

On October 14, 2007 the Boston Children’s chorus had the privilege to sing with Emanuel music at Emmanuel church. This was the second year we were invited to sing a Bach cantata with the choir and it was even better than the first year. Singing with the professional choir at Emmanuel was both fun and rewarding. We were able to learn from the choir as we hope they were able to learn from us. When we were not singing we were able to listen to the enthralling solos and duets by some of Emmanuel music’s finest singers. The gracious members of the church were warm and inviting and a neighborhood choir even made cookies for us, when they found out we would be performing this weekend! The small orchestra we sang with was exquisite, and even with the tight quarters on stage they were extremely professional. Before we sang the cantata the Boston Children’s Chorus sang Lift Thine Eyes to the members of the church. Even with only a small number of Sopranos the song went well. We sang with heart and hopefully our singing warmed the chilly church. After we sang Lift Thine Eyes we walked out to a fabulous solo of In Paradisum by Miriam. This concert was both exciting and enchanting and hopefully we will be invited back to sing for many more years!

Performance: Superintendant Welcome!

Guest Writer: Mia Ferguson

On September the 25th, the premier choir joined with various organizations throughout Boston to welcome our new superintendent of the Boston Public Schools, Dr. Carol R. Johnson. After one rehearsal only, music filled the chapel of Trinity Church in Copley Square. All three performing groups, the Boston Community Choir, the Trinity Choir, and our very own Premier Choir of the Boston Children’s Chorus, performed with passion and energy individually, but when the groups joined in song together, a true unity and power encompassed the room. Not only was this event musically rewarding for us, after all we did learn a new song from Dr. Carol Johnson, it was an opportunity to experience many of our fellow students in our city. Speakers of all ages took the podium, including the Central Treble Choir’s young singer Christina Yee. In spite of her young age, Christina gave an incredible speech that was certainly memorable and exceptionally well delivered and written. Her words echoed throughout the night as the importance of education in both academics and the arts was emphasized. Another benefit of the evening was to see the red jackets of the City Year corps members filling the pews of the chapel. Their spirit and pride definitely fired up our passion and motivation to sing and spread the word about music. We now all have a confidence that Dr. Carol R. Johnson shares our commitment to music and musical education, and know that we’ll have many more brilliant students from the Boston Public School system heading our way to join us in our choirs.

September 2007: BCC Open House

Guest Writers: Mia Ferguson and Alexis Tice-Alarcon

As BCC’s new space was revealed to the public on September 10th, 2007, the hallways were filled with people bustling about. It was quite the novelty for BCC singers and guests alike to explore the unique new space. Designed by Bob Adams, the space radiates a feeling of community, where two rehearsals can occur at once. Not only rehearsals occur in this new space though, the staff’s offices are all there, as is a waiting area for parents and students, in addition to a kitchen! And although these things all occur in one space, the magnificent rehearsal rooms are all soundproofed as to not bother other activities. Not only did we discover that the space was soundproof, but also that in the Margaret Stewart Lindsey rehearsal hall there are microphones for proper recording, and a screen for watching a variety of performances and choirs. Various Premier Choir members toured visitors around the new space, pointing out all it had to offer. As the evening moved into the rehearsal hall the singing began. After a brief performance of “In Paradisum” and “Can You Hear?” the program moved on to thank all those that supported the choir and the new space. One of our longstanding supporters, the Margaret Stewart Lindsey Foundation, collaborated with the Boston Children’s Chorus to create our rehearsal hall. In honor of Margaret Stewart Lindsey, a woman who loved music and singing, a beautiful photograph of her as a young woman was revealed on the wall. It will remain there everyday to remind us of the woman whose legacy has given our choir so much. The Open House continued with refreshments for all in the other smaller rehearsal space. As people began to pour out of the space down the stairs to Shawmut Avenue, chorus members were revived and excited to get back to rehearsals in the astounding new space.