Lord & Taylor - a memorable performance for choristers!

"The performance was really exciting - we were featured at the flagship Lord & Taylor to celebrate their holiday windows unveiling to the world, and live-streamed on the internet! We sang a variety of holiday songs, most notably the world premiere of Jim Papoulis and Francisco's 'Share the Joy' - so exciting! And one of the best parts of the evening was undoubtedly singing with Kristen Chenoweth. Being on stage with such a talented performer was really an amazing experience. She was entertaining as well as incredibly talented, and all of us were in awe as we harmonized against her perfect soprano. Overall, the performance felt like a great success!" - Lizz, Concert Chorus

"The concert at Lord & Taylor was so much fun. When we were waiting to go on it still hadn't hit me that we were singing with Kristin Chenoweth - then, I turned to the elevators, and as the door opens I see her come out surrounded by people and I'm in total shock. She was waving at us and I was completely frozen. It was an amazing experience to get to sing with her - she's just such a charming person. I'm just so glad I got the chance to sing with her - it's something I never would've imagined doing and it's definitely something that I'll never forget." - Victoria, Concert Chorus

Unveiling the holiday season with YPC, Lord & Taylor, and Kristin Chenoweth!

"City sidewalks, busy sidewalks" came to life on Monday, November 15 as YPC celebrated the unveiling of Lord & Taylor's holiday windows 2010! Premiering "Share the Joy," written by Francisco Núñez and Jim Papoulis especially for the occasion, alongside some other classic holiday favorites, it was a beautiful night to sing outside the Fifth Avenue store. YPC also performed with Kristin Chenoweth in a charming performance of "Silver Bells" off her holiday album, A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas.

"Share the Joy" with YPC, Kristin Chenoweth and Lord & Taylor!

Young People’s Chorus of New York City™ will perform the world premiere of “Share the Joy” at The Gift of Sharing unveiling of Lord & Taylor’s 2010 holiday windows on Fifth Avenue today, November 15, and will be premiering the work simultaneously with more than 40 other choruses in Lord & Taylor stores across nine states.

Visit your local Lord & Taylor store today to hear a live performance to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season! Performances begin at approximately 5:30 pm.

“Share the Joy” was written especially for this event by Francisco J. Núñez and composer Jim Papoulis, with words inspired by YPC chorus members. In the spirit of the season, YPC invited almost 2,000 choristers to sing with them to demonstrate how the power of song can bring people of all kinds together through music.

Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth, currently starring in Broadway’s “Promises, Promises,” will join YPC and perform a song from her new album, A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas. YPC and Ms. Chenoweth will join the Fifth Avenue revelers in singing “Let it Snow” to close the program, and we hear that the forecast is calling for snow at Lord & Taylor’s flagship store today!

The performance will be streaming live on Lord & Taylor’s website beginning at 5:00 p.m. today. Each of the Lord & Taylor stores will also be taping their local chorus’ performance, and these will be added to Lord & Taylor’s website to be viewed throughout the holidays.

A Busy Week for Cantare!

I had an awesome time at the United Airlines event. We worked really hard during our rehearsals and it really payed off. The crowd seemed to enjoy the performance as well which is always a good sign. I love performing with Cantare because we all get along and perform so well together.

-Nailah, Cantare

My first concert with Cantare was a blast! Not only was the place fancier than any other place I had ever been to, but I also enjoyed reviewing all the choreography and lyrics with everyone to get ready for the concert. The supportive community and all the positive energy made this experience amazing!

- Jacob, Cantare

Over this past week I have had a fantastic time with YPC! I performed at the Yale Club and the Hyatt hotel with other Cantare members! It was terrific! Everyone had a lot of fun and the crowd loved us! We even made them cry after What A Wonderful World! :) GREAT JOB CANTARE!

- Ashley, Cantare

From Kronos to the SAT's...

The Day the World Stood Still… for Two Hours While I Took the SAT IIs.


More stressful than a concert at Carnegie Hall, more tiring than going by bullet train to plane to bus in Japan, more difficult than any Michael Gordon piece, the SAT was devised to cause mass devastation to families and teenage self-esteem across America. I shudder thinking about the ridiculous amount of times I’ve had to wake up early at 6:15, solemnly shower, grab my #2 pencils (don’t you dare let them be mechanical!) and trudge out to the testing center.

Leaving the Kronos concert Friday night, my family and I took a joy ride to Princeton, New Jersey where I subsequently went to sleep for 5 hours, only to be woken up with shivering fear at 6; it was time. I took my achievements at the Lawrenceville Boarding School gymnasium, surrounded by other squirming seniors anxious to be done with their terrifying 1, 2, or 3 subject tests. The proctor read aloud: “Welcome to the SAT Subject Test. Testing will begin soon, but first we must go over some guidelines. No eating, drinking, or smoking is aloud during testing. If you are caught attempting to gain an unfair advantage by cheating, sharing answers, or discussing questions, your test will be taken and you will…” I could only imagine the list of horrific tortures the creators of the SAT could unleash on the poor student who dared look at another’s page. If they could summon out of thin air a list of malicious questions, consisting of five parts designed to confuse and trip teenagers up, who could imagine what physical evils they were capable of too?

But upon starting the exams, I quickly realized that my fears were misplaced. The test itself wasn’t frightening; I was letting my head get to me. I was my own obstacle. The math was the same thing I’d done in school last year. The literature contained types of poems I was used to analyzing. Nothing was new.

So I walked out of that exam feeling confident. Half the test is getting past the mental barrier. Like Michael Gordon’s “Exalted” piece, what looks intimidating and foreign at first, can be mastered by recognizing the similarities it shares with songs we’ve done past, and, of course, a lot of practice.

- Charlie, Young Men

One of the Most Amazing Weekends Ever!

This is my second time at Camp Jewell. Right now we are in the dining hall drinking hot cocoa and rock climbing and other fun activities. This is a great experience for everyone in YPC, especially those who are new and have not gotten to know everyone while they have been in the chorus. We have been canoeing, rock climbing, and we have played a great game of wiffle ball. The talent show was funny and enjoyable. Overall, this is my second to last year on YPC and thinking about leaving makes me sad. Iwould love to do this again next year because it is so much fun. I love YPC. J

-Dianne, Concert Chorus

As the staff sits in the dining hall, preparing the clues for our scavenger hunt this afternoon, many of the girls are coming in and out for hot chocolate. A constant supply of hot chocolate, available 24/7, is certainly a plus in mid-October.

The groups are on their last rotation of activities right now - canoeing, playing archery and climbing the deceptively difficult climbing wall. It is so fun to see girls of every division playing together, and making new friends regardless of age.

I have to say though, that staying in a cabin with Cantare last night was a highlight for me. Half of us went to sleep or played cards, and the rest stayed up to relax and bond for a little while. Crammed onto a couple of bunks so we wouldn’t wake the others, we played games and laughed until the clock hit

midnight. The late night didn’t make waking up this morning any easier, but I can affirmatively say that I learned everyone’s name in my cabin! That, for me, is quite an accomplishment. It will be nice to go home and see so many familiar faces at rehearsal on Tuesday.

-Lindsay, Staff and Alum

Before yesterday, I had never traveled with YPC before, but I have always wanted to. I see pictures of everyone on trips and tours having so much fun, and I was so excited to try it for myself. I am so glad that I did! This has been one of the most amazing weekends ever. I met people in every division, watched a super awesome talent show, and, I admit, stayed up all night talking to my amazing friends and making new ones.

My favorite part of the weekend though, was watching the watermelon smash. One of the chaperones was blindfolded, and needed to find a watermelon, so he took his walky-talky and had someone direct him where to go, a genius maneuver! And the other adults began kicking the watermelon around like a soccer ball so he couldn’t smash it. It was so funny! I am so glad I came to Camp Jewell, and I’m definitely coming back!

-Sophie, Concert Chorus

YPC Girls at Camp Jewell!

This is my first time at camp Jewell and I am having a really fun time

doing activities and we made an awesome cheer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Charlotte, Intermezzo

Camp Jewell. I think Camp Jewell is the best camp ever!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Kaitlyn, Prelude

Camp Jewell is so awesome! We get to hang out we other kids in YPC and get to know them while doing fun activities. Go Camp Jewell!

- Leila, Intermezzo

This is my first time at Camp Jewell and I am really happy about it! We have these teams in colors and I am in the orange group. We do lots of activities. I hope to do this again!

- Alyssa, Prelude

This is my second time at Camp Jewell (out of the three times I could go), and my first time as a CC-er. We got stuck in our canoe, won against the little kids in wiffle ball, and I got all m

y arrows on the target in archery. I can’t wait for the campfire tonight!

- Ariana, Concert Chorus

This is my first time at Camp Jewell and so far, it’s sooo fun!!! All the staff here and of YPC is awesome and my orange group teammates are awesome, too! They cheered me on when I was on the climbing wall and in wiffle ball. I hope to do this again next year because it’ll be another chance to have as much fun as I did this time!

- Maya, Intermezzo

This is my first time at Camp Jewell, and it’s so fun!! Go Green team! So far we played wiffle ball and we went canoeing. I hope to come back next year and have much more fun!

- Sofia, Cantare

This is my first time at Camp Jewell and so far I love it! We went rock climbing and cheered each other on. I hope I come back next year!

- Louisa, Intermezzo

This is my first time at Camp Jewel and I am having so much fun! It’s really nice to spend time with people in other divisions and get to know them better and spend time with other friends. I am really looking forward to the rest of the weekend!

-Miki, Cantare