I love YPC!!

I absolutely love YPC. Cantare and Young Men got the opportunity to perform in a concert with James Taylor, Steve Martin, Sting and many more. It was a really great experience, especially when James Taylor announced us. We did a really good job and everyone around us was crying as we were singing. I feel very privileged to be a part of something as amazing as YPC; it has given me incredible experiences.  I can’t name a lot of people who have “Performing with James Taylor, Steve Martin and Sting!!” written on their calendar!

- Sofia, Cantare


Hey all you blog-followers out there! I'm from the Cantare division of the Young People's Chorus of New York City, and I’m here to tell everyone about the FABULOUS concert we had last night at Carnegie Hall with James Taylor! An average 14-year old living in NYC would rarely to NEVER have an opportunity to even be in a theater as majestic as Carnegie Hall, let alone sing with a famous music LEGEND! The experience was once in a lifetime, and I'm so happy to have experienced it with some of my best friends at YPC and my mentors (the YPC conductors). When we where first introduced to James Taylor, I thought he would be just a regular musician, but when he started to sing, he sounded AMAZINGGGG. I was so excited to see how many people were gathered to see him performing, and was honored to be a guest star! Behind the scenes, I must admit we did work hard and it definitely paid off on the night of the concert. Besides getting the opportunity to sing with a music icon, I also got to spend time with my Cantare pals, and met a lot of new friends in Young Men. All our voices mixed together sounding angelic (don’t tell anyone, but Young Men is my favorite division. They sound great when they sing, and the effort that they invest in their musical pieces, dances, and stage mannerisms is what makes them shine above all), and when we ran down the aisles to perform the song, it all just came together smoothly. This was a great bonding and musical experience, and I couldn’t have wished for a more fun night!


- May, Cantare

We sounded great!!

This past Tuesday, I was reminded why I love YPC so much. The one and only James Taylor came to our rehearsal, to work on his song "Shower the People" for Carnegie Hall's 120th Anniversary Gala this Tuesday. The second that he walked into the room, I could sense the faces of every chorister light up. It was so great to see everyone so inspired by such a renowned musician, especially the younger kids of Cantare. However, it was even more rewarding to hear that James thought that "we sounded great," after we ran the piece. To know that he realized and appreciated our musicality and liveliness was an incredible feeling. I always love a true unique YPC experience such as this one, and I'm totally pumped (man) to perform with James on Tuesday at Carnegie.

- Nathaniel, Young Men

James Taylor at YPC Rehearsal!!!

There are some things in your life that you know are just right. This past Tuesday we were rehearsing for Carnegie Hall's 120th Anniversary Gala, which features James Taylor, Sting and many other artists, including YPC with James Taylor as the finale. Near the end of the rehearsal James himself arrived, and ran through "Shower The People," the song we're performing this Tuesday, a few times with us. He was a really nice guy, and had a beautiful, authentic voice which was I expected of his wonderfully idiosyncratic persona. A guitar player myself, I definitely look to his music for inspiration, as his guitar work is some of the most beautiful and heartfelt in existence.  It was a really great experience for me to see such a staple figure in music in person, and hear what he had to say about his beginnings and roots in music. I think we really felt his vibe, and the experience of rehearsing with him this past Wednesday clearly showed how we paralleled his mission in singing this song.

James and YPC are definitely a match, and after the rehearsal I'm really excited about the upcoming concert. I think it's going to be pretty amazing, and besides, I'm really lucky to have in my schedule: "Tuesday: Go to Concert with James Taylor at Carnegie Hall!"

-Christopher, Young Men

Sforzando!

Sforzando--that's the word which comes to mind when thinking about the past two months. When Francisco originally told us about all of the important upcoming events we were filled with excitement. Not yet sleep deprived we enthusiastically dove into the towering pile of music we needed to master in the upcoming months. 


When the reality of the task ahead hit us, we began to feel overwhelmed, the low point of our sforzando. After rehearsing 6 days a week, including lots of dancing (not my favorite), we felt ready to perform at Carnegie Hall--the beginning part of our crescendo. 


Without taking a breath we shifted our focus to the Gala, then three days later were on a plane to Chicago; our excitement mounted. Francisco had made it clear that Chicago was important by saying, "This will be one of the most important things you will ever do with YPC."  No pressure or anything. In spite of exhaustion and sickness all of our hard work came together with magic. Crescendo. After rave reviews from the composers of "Ain't No Grave" and Francisco, we were all floating on a cloud. We thought it couldn't get any better!


Less than 24 hours later back at MCoC we shifted to the David Del Tredici pieces, and the next thing we knew we were on stage performing at the Guggenheim!  We learned so much by working with the YPC alumni and our conductors. The sforzando was complete when Francisco told us it was the best performance ever!

-Jamie, Concert Chorus

YPC Rocks Chicago and the National ACDA Convention!

This Chicago trip has been stressful, crazy and fun.  We worked so hard to get that magical experience with the music and we got it!  I am so proud of every single person here and we did an amazing job.  I love every single one you guys.  We DEFINITELY rocked those pitches!

- Dianne, Concert Chorus

Chicago was an unforgettable trip.  Rehearsals after rehearsals, it got better and better.  I actually wanted more rehearsals to get even better.  We sang songs of a variety and the most memorable one was “Things” by Meredith Monk.  After hours and hours of trying to memorize “Things” and other songs on the plane the bus, the aftermath of the concert felt phenomenal.  I’m so glad I got to experience the wonderful large halls of Chicago where we sang with thousands of people in our audience.  The sounds of our voices were blown around the enormous halls in the windy city.  I was amazed how nice the pitches were flowing.  While experiencing the wonderful city, I met many new people.  Conductor after conductor repeatedly complimented us on how wonderful we were.  It felt awesome because our hard work came out.  It was a worthy trip and one that I will always remember.  The magic was definitely there!

- Christine, Concert Chorus

Let’s face it – trips can be terrifying.  This trend stretches from a daring excursion to your corner deli to ones on entirely different continents.  All of the fifty singers who gave up hours of their lives and sacrificed their more pedestrian priorities for this trip pondered that.  Clearly it was very important for us to show our incredible talents and to properly do justice in performing the five works (and an encore) that Francisco and the other conductors painstakingly taught us.  The faith that the YPC staff had in all of us was truly touching and I found it to be extremely inspirational.

The trip itself was the culmination of a plethora of effort, yet all of us were able to properly mix professionalism with the true YPC spirit.  Making new friends and having new experiences while also performing at tremendous venues was a humbling experience and it was certainly one I will always be proud to be a part of.

-Melissa, Concert Chorus

YPC: A Six Word Memoir

Several members of the Young People's Chorus of New York City staff recently attempted to write a story about YPC in six words—a six-word memoir.  The first six-word memoir was written by Ernest Hemingway when he was challenged to write a novel in so many words.  He wrote:  “For sale.  Baby shoes.  Never worn.”  Here are the memoirs the staff composed - and we'd love to hear yours, too!

Many voices. One vision. Potential realized.

 

Children’s joy can change the world.

YPC songs from souls and angels.

Every walk, place, face, all singing.

Yes, I believe I can fly.

One by one, sing a song.

Shaping young lives through new music.

YPC celebrates and develops children’s choruses.

Kids discovering the world through YPC.

From corner to stage, new life.

City kids singing together. Lives changed.

YPC in a Coca Cola commercial, now showing on YouTube!

Hear and see YPC in the newly released Coca Cola commercial on YouTube by clicking here!

In August 2010, the season got started a little earlier than usual for YPC as the youngest choristers in Prelude and Intermezzo rehearsed, recorded, and filmed a brand new feel-good TV commercial for Coca Cola!  From rehearsal, to the recording studio, to the actual day of filming, over 50 children gave up a couple days of their summer vacation to be part of a very exciting project.