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The Concert Choir

Josephine Lee, Artistic Director
Judy Hanson, Director of Choir Programs

Mollie Stone, Associate Conductor
Amelia Fonti, Vocal Coach in Residence
John Goodwin, Principal Accompanist

Chicago Cultural Center
78 East Washington Street, 5th Floor
Phone: (312) 849-8300
Fax: (312) 849-8309

The Concert Choir is the top-level choir of the Chicago Children's Choir. It comprises three ensembles:

Treble, a traditional children's choir of unchanged soprano and alto voices as well as Chamber and Men's Chorus, a mixed choir of changed-voice high-school-age singers.

Since 1956 the Concert Choir has earned the reputation for the Chicago Children's Choir of a top-notch musical organization performing challenging repertoire while bringing together a diverse group of children from across the Chicago area. Members of the Concert Choir perform annually in concerts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and in the Joffrey Ballet's annual production of the Nutcracker Ballet. Touring has become a regular feature of Concert Choir involvement as well.

The Concert Choir has three special ensembles:

  • Madrigal Singers - This ensemble sings a diverse repertoire of a cappella music ranging from Renaissance madrigals to vocal jazz. The Madrigal Singers include some of the best musicians in the choir and usually perform without a conductor.
  • Opera Chorus - An ensemble that performs with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
  • Show Choir - This ensemble incorporates movement and dance in its repertoire of show tunes, jazz, and pop music.

Repertoire

The Concert Choir performs a wide range of literature, ranging from Renaissance music to works commissioned specially for the Chicago Children's Choir. It spans the world from homegrown American folk music to the folk music from countries around the globe, all sung in original languages. The choir sings everything from the simplest of rounds to major works such as Bernstein's Chichester Psalms.

Auditions for the Choir are held in September and January. For details on the audition process, enrollment and/or general information on the Choir, please contact Cece Hill at (312) 849-8300 x 14 or chill@ ccchoir.org.

Concert Choir Highlights

 

Local Performances

  • Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus - annual performances of Welcome Yule, Duain Wolfe conductor;
  • Schoenberg Moses and Aron, Pierre Boulez conductor;
  • Bach St. Matthew Passion, Peter Schreier conductor;
  • Carmina Burana, Zubin Mehta conductor.
  • Joffrey Ballet of Chicago- annual performances of Nutcracker ballet.
  • 1993 Chicago Jazz Festival
  • 1998 British Airways Worldwide Sales Conference

Touring

  • 2006 - Prague
  • 2005 - Japan
  • 2004 - Canada
  • 2003 - Hamburg, Germany
  • 2002 - Japan, Carnegie Hall
  • 2001 - Germany, Austria, and Hungary; concerts in Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna, Rosenheim and Budapest; featured in the Musik Vereine
  • 2000 - Colorado; concerts in Denver Estes Park, Winter Park, Mesa Verde, Durando and Boulder- featured in Colorado Music Festival.
  • 1999 - Great Britain; concerts in Scotland, Wales, and England; participation in the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales
  • 1998 - Pacific Northwest and British Columbia; participation in the International Kathaumixw in Powell River, Canada
  • 1997 - Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia; participation in the Ravenna Festival
  • 1996 - Ukraine
  • 1996 - South Africa; participation in the Grahamstown Festival
  • 1995 - Canada
  • 1994 - Russia; concerts in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Ekaterinburg, and in Warsaw, Poland
  • 1993 - Mexico City
  • 1992 - Japan; joint tour with Chicago Youth Symphony

Rehearsal Schedule

  • Chamber/Men
    Tuesdays 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • Treble/DiMension
    Wednesdays 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • Combined Concert Choir
    Saturdays 10:00 am to 12:30 p.m.

  • Madrigal Singers
    Saturdays 12:40 p.m. to 1:40 p.m.

  • Show Choir Saturdays
    2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

  • Opera Chorus
    Saturdays 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

  • Theory Classes
    Tuesday 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. + 12:40 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.