Los Angeles Children’s Chorus

Los Angeles Children’s Chorus
Name	Los Angeles Children’s Chorus
Origin	Los Angeles
Founded	1986
Founders	Karen Gabriel
Headquarters	Los Angeles Music Center
Genre	Choral music
Members	Children and youth

Contents

Los Angeles Children’s Chorus is a professional-level children's choir based in Los Angeles. It trains young singers through graded ensembles and presents concerts at venues such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall and Hollywood Bowl. The Chorus has collaborated with ensembles and institutions including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Music Center organizations, and touring orchestras from New York City, London, and Vienna.

History

Founded in 1986 by Karen Gabriel, the Chorus emerged amid a vibrant Southern California arts scene featuring institutions like the Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Master Chorale, and CalArts. Early seasons included performances alongside conductors such as Gustavo Dudamel, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Zubin Mehta, and venues like the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Disney Hall, and Hollywood Bowl. The Chorus expanded through partnerships with cultural organizations including the Getty Center, The Broad, and LACMA, and participated in festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Tanglewood Festival, and Vienna Boys' Choir exchanges. Tours brought ensembles to cities including New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, London, Paris, Rome, and Tokyo, while residencies connected the group with institutions like Juilliard, Royal Academy of Music, and Hochschule für Musik und Theater München.

The organization is structured with a Board of Directors drawn from arts administrators at entities such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, California Arts Council, and LA County Arts Commission. Artistic leadership has involved maestros and pedagogues associated with Curtis Institute of Music, Colburn School, and USC Thornton School of Music. Administrative staff coordinate fundraising, education, and touring with partners including Chorus America, Meet the Composer, and philanthropic foundations like the Annenberg Foundation and Getty Foundation. Volunteer networks liaise with community organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs of America, YMCA, and local school districts across Los Angeles County.

Educational curricula incorporate pedagogy influenced by methods from Kodály, Orff Schulwerk, and practices shared at institutions like Royal Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music, and Peabody Institute. Rehearsal tiers mirror models used by Philadelphia Boys Choir, The Vienna Boys' Choir, and youth ensembles from the New York Philharmonic education programs. Outreach programs collaborate with LAUSD, UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, and community choirs including Bel Canto Chorus affiliates. Workshops have featured guest clinicians from Juilliard, Royal College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and composers-in-residence commissioned through relationships with American Composers Forum and New Music USA.

Signature performances include appearances at the Walt Disney Concert Hall with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, gala concerts at the Hollywood Bowl with artists linked to Disney Concerts and film composers such as John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and Alan Silvestri. Seasonal programs often engage repertoire by composers like Benjamin Britten, Aaron Copland, Eric Whitacre, Olivier Messiaen, and Igor Stravinsky. Tours have taken choristers to major festivals including the Eurochestries International Festival, World Choir Games, and engagements at venues like Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and Sydney Opera House. Collaborative appearances have been staged with orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, and ensembles like Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

The Chorus has commissioned works from composers associated with institutions including ASCAP, BMI, American Composers Forum, and universities such as USC Thornton School of Music, UCLA, and Stanford. Notable collaborations include projects with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, Center Theatre Group, and film studios like Walt Disney Pictures and Warner Bros.. Commissioned composers have included figures connected to Nonesuch Records, ECM Records, and labels that showcase choral composers like Hyperion Records. Educational partnerships have involved Lincoln Center Education, Southbank Centre, and municipal arts departments in cities such as London, Paris, and Berlin.

Recognition comes from organizations including Chorus America, GRAMMY Awards-affiliated panels, and local honors from the Los Angeles Times and LA Weekly. The Chorus has been cited by arts funders such as the National Endowment for the Arts and received programming accolades from festivals like the Edinburgh International Festival. Critical praise has appeared in publications including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Gramophone, BBC Music Magazine, and music blogs affiliated with WQXR and KUSC.

Category:Choirs in Los Angeles Category:Children's choirs