Education and Community Programs
An important part of the New York City Master Chorale’s mission is to provide youth and community programming.
School Partnership Program
Through the School Partnership Program, a member of the New York City Master Chorale’s artistic team visits partner schools each month throughout the year. This program, unique to the choral arts world in New York City, has reached over 1,000 students since its inception in 2006.
Due to budget limitations in public schools, many students, particularly those in low-income settings, do not have the opportunity to participate in a chorus or attend concerts.
Most of the students who benefit from these lessons and attend the Chorale’s concerts have had little to no exposure to classical music and many claimed not to enjoy classical music prior to the concert. One student said, “Before the concert I thought classical music was really boring and I never listened to it except if someone played it for me. But now I think classical music makes me feel relaxed and calm.”
Students have also said that attending one of the Chorale’s concerts changed their understanding of classical music. As one sixth grade articulately described, “I enjoy the lessons because now I know how to sing properly and I understand the meaning behind the lyrics of the music that the New York City Master Chorale will sing.”
We Sing NYC
Celebrating the diverse cultures, voices, and people of New York City, We Sing NYC unites New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds through musical exploration, the choral arts, community voice lessons, and special access to a live music environment.
Young Artist Program
The New York City Master Chorale strongly believes in supporting performance opportunities for young artists. Through our Young Artist Program, we partner with the Manhattan School of Music on select concerts to provide professional performance opportunities for their students. These musicians are hired as professionals and have the opportunity to rehearse and perform with our conductors, orchestra, and singers, all while adding new repertoire and venues to their resume. Past soloists have included Kendra Broom, Bryn Holdsworth, Maria Natale, Oliver Sewell, Young Kwang Yoo and Xiaomeng Zhang, and in our 2018-19 season we continue our work with the Manhattan School of Music Chamber Sinfonia.
Baritone Young Kwang Yoo wrote, “I auditioned and was selected for the Boston University Opera Institute, which is one of the most fabulous program in the States. All 10 judges knew I made my Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center debut with NYCMC; it definitely helped me to be selected for that program. Thank you and thank you again.”
Soprano Bryn Holdsworth added, “Performing with New York City Master Chorale was very special to me in my career. Not only were they extremely professional, they were a wildly fun group of people that genuinely come together for the love of the music. For me, that is a recipe for the greatest experience in collaboration. As a young singer, it was a turning point for me to perform with such a talented group at such a renowned space as Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center. New York City Master Chorale is the sort of organization that brings dreams into reality and music that never fails to move me.”
Performance Program
Through our performance program, we regularly invite youth choruses to perform on select concerts and provide complimentary tickets to those performers. Partner ensembles have included the Oyster Bay High School Concert Choir, the Reaching for the Arts Community Choir and the National Children’s Chorus.
Community Performances
Throughout the year, the New York City Master Chorale engages in community performances, including visiting The Lighthouse Guild, a local healthcare facility for people who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities or chronic medical conditions and at Housing Works, which provides housing and support services for those living with HIV/AIDS.