FRIDAY, JUNE 14

The 2012-13 school year may be coming to a close, but the Young People’s Chorus of New York City continues to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its founding by Artistic Director Francisco J. Núñez with special events and broadcasts continuing well into the summer. Please click on the links provided for more details.

On Sunday, July 30, at 4 p.m. YPC presents its third Transmusica concert, this time welcoming the Young Voices of Melbourne (Australia) to the 92nd Street Y for a joint concert that will blend and highlight the music of Australia, America, and other countries in an exciting intermingling of voices and cultures. More information on Transmusica.

Then, just days later, YPC embarks on a month-long tour of China and Japan, in its fifth trip to Asia. See the Tour schedule here.

Also coming up in the next few weeks is a broadcast on the WWFM Classical Network of YPC’s four new Radio Radiance commissions, which were premiered and recorded by YPC in April—Celestial Fire by Thomas Cabaniss, The City by TED Fellow Susie Ibarra, Colors by Kevin James, and WICBM by Toby Twining. Read the composer answers to audience questions on the YPC Blog.

A podcast of an hour-long radio program from last November’s YPC tour of France will be broadcast on the France Musique Web site (www.francemusique.fr) on Thursday, July 11.  The program features music from the tour and interviews with Francisco Núñez and choristers Chris Hall and Rose Lebarre.

A reminder that thanks to Louis  Vuitton, “Life is a Journey,” written by Francisco J  Núñez and Jim Papoulis, with words by YPC choristers is now available on iTunes and CD Baby.  It’s been described by one chorister as “cool with a world music groove.”  Take a listen, and please support YPC by purchasing a copy. Just 99¢! Click to purchase on iTunes or CD Baby.

 

THURSDAY, MAY 16
YPC Satellite Schools 10th Anniversary Concert

Satellite Schools Director Elizabeth Núñez

Eight hundred children from 11 public schools in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx converged at the 92nd Street Y on Thursday, May 16, for the 10th anniversary celebration concert of the Satellite Schools program of the Young People's Chorus of New York City.

 Members of the Concert Chorus and Young Men's divisions welcomed them all with school banners held on high and musical shout-out to each school.

Choristers from P.S. 64

Later, when P.S. 130 from Chinatown took the stage, Satellite Schools director Elizabeth Núñez introduced two members of  YPC - Ada and Christine, who reminisced about their days singing at the 92nd Street Y when they attended P.S. 130 themselves.

Every one of the children was in great vocal form and smiled from ear-to-ear at the loud and enthusiastic cheers from an audience of their peers. The concert closed in the traditional manner with everyone in the concert hall joining hands to sing the YPC anthem "Give Us Hope."

More photos from this concert in the YPC Gallery. 

 

 

FRIDAY, APRIL 19
YPC's Radio Radiance Recording-for-Broadcast

Friday, April 19 marked the making of the next Radio Radiance broadcast by the Young People's Chorus of New York City. Radio Radiance is a series in which technology and the human voice overlap to make new sounds and great music, and on April 19 YPC Artistic Director/Founder Francisco J. Núñez conducted YPC in the world premieres of four newly commissioned pieces of music in an unusual recording session at the 92nd Street Y, hosted by YPC's longtime friend and collaborator John Schaefer from WNYC.

The four Radio Radiance compositions created specifically for radio are Celestial Fire by Thomas Cabaniss, The City by Susie Ibarra, Colors by Kevin James, and WICBM by Toby Twining. 

This new Radio Radiance music recording will be broadcast this spring by WWFM The Classical Network, and will include the music, composer interviews, as well as audience reactions, applause, and questions asked by the audience of the composers and Mr. Núñez.

Radio Radiance, which has been funded since its inception by the National Endowment for the Arts, was created by Francisco Núñez in 2009 to expand the influence of YPC's acclaimed Transient Glory commissioning program to attract new listeners to innovative choral music by combining live performance, recording, broadcast, and digital media.

Composer answers to audience questions that were not asked during the live event due to limited time are posted on the YPC Blog.

 

SATURDAY, MARCH 23
YPC Launched Washington Heights Uptown Games

State Senator Adriano Espaillat and City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, valued supporters of YPC, posed with several children from the Young People's Chorus at Washington Heights and YPC's Intermezzo division Saturday, March 23 at the Armory on 168th Street. The children were invited to sing the National Anthem to launch the second annual Washington Heights Uptown Games.

Afterwards, the choristers joined hundreds of other enthusiastic children in such fun-filled activities as hurdles, long jumps, sprints, relays, and the shot put in the Games, which was created to introduce children to healthful physical activities.

Photo Credit: Maria Peña

State Senator Adriano Espaillat and City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez with choristers from YPC at Washington Heights and YPC's Intermezzo chorus

 

FRIDAY, MARCH 22
The Cantare division of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City featured at the National Conference of the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE)
 

Photo Credit: Christopher Hall

The Cantare division of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City led by YPC Associate Conductor Elizabeth Núñez was a featured performer on Friday, March 22 at this year’s National Conference of the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE), held this year in Hartford, Connecticut. The YPC was honored to have been selected out of many choruses throughout the nation to perform at this National Convention where music educators from around the country come to study trends in music education and promote universal musical literacy.

 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Young People’s Chorus at Washington Heights performed a winning debut concert with full house and standing ovation.

Photo Credit: Christopher Hall

The 60 members of the Young People’s Chorus of Washington Heights conducted by YPC Conducting Fellow, Johnny Rabe gave their uplifting debut performance in a packed Washington Heights Academy gym on Thursday, February 21, delighting their families and friends with glorious melodies and gorgeous harmonies. They sang in Latin, Spanish, English and even an old Australian dialect.

This group of uptown choristers, all between the ages of 7 and 11, constitutes the first of several community choruses to be created by the Young People’s Chorus of New York City.

Click Here for the Daily News Article

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Young People’s Chorus of New York City 25th Anniversary Carnegie Hall Gala, hosted by Renowned Soprano Renée Fleming is Most Successful Fundraiser in YPC History.

Beginning with a capacity-filled Carnegie Hall concert and followed by agala reception in the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel, the February 11 gala benefit evening celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City founded by Artistic Director Francisco J. Núñez has turned out to be the most successful in the chorus’s history, benefiting an organization that has transformed the lives of thousands of children.

Click here for the full article