WNYC will broadcast The YPC's Transient Glory Concert Sun. May 11 at 8pm

On Sunday, May 11 at 8pm, WNYC will broadcast the Young People's Chorus of New York presentation of Transient Glory from the 92nd Street Y. John Schaefer will host the broadcast that features world premieres of newly commissioned works by preeminent composers Dominick Argento, Geoffry Burgon, David Del Tredici, Michael Nyman, and Kevin James. Please visit www.wnyc.org for more details.

YPC Chamber Singers Perform at International Choral Festival in Bulgaria

The YPC Chamber Singers (ages 18-26) traveled to Bulgaria in June to participate in the 2002 International Festival of Light and the internationally recognized Salon des Arts Festival in Sofia through the New York-based Friendship Ambassadors Foundation.

Twenty-six members of the Chamber Singers traveled with Conductor Cara Tasher, Accompanist Jon Holden, and Board Member Frederick Sibley. They shared traditional, contemporary and world music new to other participating choirs, amazing audiences with their stage presence and musicality.

The Chamber Singers enjoyed the opportunity to discover the Bulgarian cities and surrounding areas of Sofia, ancient Veliko Tornovo, and Plovdiv. The Archbishop of Bulgaria welcomed YPC with a Bulgarian Orthodox service dedicated to the victims of the 9/11 disaster and world peace.

YPC Wins First Place in International Competition

The Young People's Chorus of New York City Concert Chorus (ages 12-18), under its founder and artistic director Francisco J. Núñez, won First Place in the Children's Choir category of the 2002 International Kathaumixw Choral Festival and Competition. Winning pieces included Rushing at Times Like Flames by D. Brewbaker and Two Norwegian Folk Songs by Nils Vigeland. The festival, in Powell River, British Columbia, was held from July 2 through 7. In the Children's Choir category, the YPC competed against 12 other youth choirs from countries including Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, New Zealand, Turkey, and the United States. All of the choirs took part by invitation only.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, congratulating the YPC on their achievement, writes "You did a brilliant job representing New York City in such a prestigious competition." State Senator Charles Schumer also praised the Chorus: "The YPC's diverse composition represents New York City's rich culture and character...[helping] to bring a unity that the city has been much in need of since September 11. The YPC's recent win at Kathaumixw shows that great things can be accomplished when socio-economic divides are brought down."

Kathaumixw marked the choir's third time in competition. In 1999 it took first place in the Des Moines International Competition in, Iowa, and in 1997, second place in the International Choral Competition in Prague. Kathaumixw (pronounced Ka-thou-mew) is the local Coast Salish First Nation word meaning: "a gathering of different peoples." (visit www.kathaumixw.org).

Blue Hill Troupe, LTD. Announces This Year's Charity as The Young People's Chorus of New York City

October 15, 2002 – NEW YORK –The Blue Hill Troupe, New York’s oldest Gilbert & Sullivan performance group, announces that the recipient of this year’s proceeds will be the Young People’s Chorus of New York City.

The Blue Hill Troupe, or “The Troupe” as it is known, is a 78-year-old organization of devoted performers and creators who stage a full theatrical production of Gilbert & Sullivan operettas and give each year’s proceeds to a deserving New York charity. In the past five years alone, the Troupe has raised over $1 million dollars for various not-for-profit programs.

The charity chosen this year to receive the proceeds of the Troupe’s fall and spring productions is the internationally acclaimed Young People's Chorus of New York City, a performance-based choral program that has become a prominent citywide ensemble for children, youth and young adults. The YPC's five choral divisions include two children's choruses, a concert treble chorus, a young men's chorus, and a mixed semi-professional SATB chorus. Founded by composer/conductor Francisco J. Núñez, the YPC reaches out to hundreds of young people throughout and beyond the city, creating a mosaic of New York City's population and helping urban youths to fulfill their personal and artistic potential. The Troupe’s funds will provide member scholarships.

This fall the Troupe will present Frank Loesser’s “Most Happy Fella,” a Napa Valley love story set in the late ‘20s, at the Acorn Theater, 410 West 42nd Street, November 8 through 16th.

This spring The Troupe will mount “Ruddigore” a gothicly gleeful bit of Gilbertian lore at the Teatro Heckscher of el Museo del Barrio, opening April 4, 2003. For more information, go to Blue Hill Troupe at bht.org.

Blue Hill Troupe Member Nancy Morgan Interviews Francisco Núñez

October 3rd 2002

Q: As you know, the Blue Hill Troupe does two plays a year – a big Gilbert & Sullivan show in the spring and a smaller Broadway-type musical in the fall – and the proceeds of these shows benefit a single charity from many that apply. How did the Young People’s Chorus decide to apply to be the Troupe’s charity this year?

A: That’s a very funny story. I actually said, “don’t bother.” I told Renee [Danger-James, Operations Director of YPC] not to do it. She went ahead and she convinced me to try. I said, “it’s a far-fetched idea: look at the people who are on the list – Children’s Aid Society – it’s a $60 million not-for-profit. We’re a small fledgling organization.” Anyway, she convinced me, working with board members J. B. Harrison and Frank Harvey. (Frank couldn’t stop talking about the Troupe at board meetings even before we applied for the grant!) And when after that we received notice that we were one of the four finalists, we all looked at each other and we said, “What?!”

Read more.

Young People's Chorus of NYC in "Rolling Requiem" on 9/11

As New York sought solace during the anniversary of 9/11, the YPC was the only chorus in New York City to perform Mozart's Requiem as part of the worldwide Rolling Requiem.

The idea of the Rolling Requiem was conceived and organized by the members of the Seattle Symphony Chorale. On September 11 beginning at 8:46 a.m., the time of the first attack, Mozart's Requiem circled the globe performed by 160 groups in 20 time zones over 24 hours.

Members of the Chamber Singers (ages 18-26), Concert Chorus (12-17), and Young Men's division (12-17) performed the piece on the steps of the Bible Society, directed by associate conductor Cara Tasher.

On September 11 at 8:46AM local time, the performance began with a moment of silence and a short prayer.

The Bible Society is located on West 61st Street and Broadway and is free and open to the public.

International Program Sends Choristers Abroad

The Young People's Chorus in 2002 established an association with the Experiment in International Living (EIL), based on shared organizational values. Three YPC choristers, through a highly selective application and review process, were chosen to participate in the 3-6 week program which sends high school students abroad for in-depth cultural and language immersion. Our three choristers were awarded full scholarships and traveled to Italy, Australia and Germany.

Jareth Lopez, Rudy Dilone and Sheldon Ogbourne all reported life-changing experiences as a result of this new and exciting YPC/EIL partnership.

EIL travels to 35 different counties and sends over 1,000 U.S. students abroad every year with the philosophy that we can achieve peace in the world one friendship at a time.

EIL representatives will visit the YPC for an information session in January 2003, conducting interviews in March and offering up to five scholarships for its Summer 2003 program.

The YPC Presents: A Taste of Song and Wine, April 26th at Epiphany Church

Join the Chamber Singers of the Young People's Chorus of New York for an exciting evening of entertainment coupled with a professional wine tasting by Fr. Walter.

Saturday, April 26, 2003 at 8pm

Epiphany Church - Parish Hall

2nd Avenue between 21st and 22nd Streets

Tickets in advance - $20.00, $30.00 at the door

All Proceeds to Benefit the Chamber Singers Tour Fund

You must be 21 to participate in the wine tasting.

Reserve your tickets by calling: 212-289-7779

Transient Glory 2003

In 2001, the YPC embarked on an ambitious program series at the 92nd Street Y. The series features the performance and premieres of the worlds leading composers. Transient Glory sets the stage for new works to be heard by one of New York City's leading youth ensembles.

The unique aspect of a children's chorus as a musical instrument is that the performer who sings in it can use his/her instrument for only a very short time before relinquishing the art to others. This transient, eternally self-renewing quality endows the instrument with a particular poignancy and innocence. On April 27, 2003 at 3PM at the 92nd Street Y, the YPC will premiere five new works at our Third Annual Transient Glory concert along with a panel discussion that includes all the composers.

Following are the five composers who are creating new works for the 2003 Transient Glory concert.

Dominick Argento, b.1927
Considered to be America's leading composer of lyric opera •Has written thirteen operas; most have been performed in both Europe and the U.S. •Won the Pulitzer Prize in 1975 for his song cycle From the Diary of Virginia Woolf.

Geoffrey Burgon, b.1941
Has written a large body of concert works as well as film and television, scores, including "Dr. Who," "Brideshead Revisited", "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and "Bleak House" •A highly successful CD of his TV music was released on the Silva Screen label

David Del Tredici, b.1937
Came to prominence with a series of works based on Lewis Carroll's "Alice" books •From the atonal Pop-Pourri (1968) and An Alice Symphony (1969), his language evolved to the lush romanticism of Child Alice (1977-81)
•Was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1980 for In Memory of a Summer Day •Has written dozens of songs and vocal works on texts by American poets.

Michael Nyman, b. 1944
His music has reached its largest audience by way of his film scores, most famously Jane Campion's "The Piano," (1992) •has written for a wide variety of ensembles, including symphony orchestra, a cappella chorus and string quartet •Has written several stage works, notably "The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat" (1986)

Kevin James, b. 1961
Received numerous awards, grants and commissions as a composer, performer and educator, including selection for the prestigious Meet The Composer/New Residencies Program. •This residency partnership includes the commission of Portraits, a 95-minute multimedia "opera-lingua" on the theme of homelessness, for which Mr. James recorded over 700 interviews with homeless New Yorkers. He continues his work with the homeless community through the creation of the Portraits Project Mentorship Program.

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