BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS ACADEMY INC
179 PACIFIC STREET, BROOKLYN, NY 112016213 www.brooklynyouthchorus.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS'S MISSION IS TO INSPIRE, EDUCATE, AND EMPOWER YOUNG SINGERS OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS THROUGH ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION IN CHORAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE, TRAINING, AND THE CREATION OF NEW WORKS. BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS'S CITY-WIDE, MULTI-LEVEL TRAINING PROGRAM AND GRAMMY-WINNING ENSEMBLES ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR DISTINCTIVE SOUND AND VIRTUOSITY, BRINGING A FRESH PERSPECTIVE TO CHORAL PERFORMANCE THAT CROSSES BOUNDARIES AND DEFIES CONVENTION. WITH OVER 25 YEARS OF SUCCESS AND IMPACT IN THE FIELD, THE CHORUS SEEKS TO RAISE THE ARTISTIC PROFILE AND EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS IN CHORAL PERFORMANCE AND EDUCATION BY FURTHERING ITS UNIQUE CROSS-CHORAL TRAINING METHODOLOGY AND BUILDING A DYNAMIC NEW REPERTOIRE FROM AN INCLUSIVE ROSTER OF COMPOSERS AND ARTISTIC COLLABORATORS.

BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS IS A GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING COLLECTIVE OF YOUNG VOICES LED BY VISIONARY FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DIANNE BERKUN MENAKER. THE CHORUS HAS COLLABORATED WITH AN IMPRESSIVE RANGE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS, THIS SEASON ALONE WITH THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC, THE NATIONAL, WYE OAK, INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ENSEMBLE AND IN PREVIOUS SEASONS WITH LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC, LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, BARBARA STREISAND, ARCADE FIRE, SIR ELTON JOHN, AND GRIZZLY BEAR.

CHORAL MUSIC EDUCATION AND PERFORMANCE:IN FY20, BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS SERVED OVER 600 DIVERSE NYC STUDENTS, INCLUDING A RECORD BREAKING 615 WHO SANG IN OUR MULTI-LEVEL TRAINING DIVISIONS AND PERFORMING ENSEMBLES (AT OUR BROOKLYN FACILITY, PURCHASED IN 2002, AND AT NEIGHBORHOOD EXPANSION PROGRAM SITES), AND 57 SERVED THROUGH SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMMING. AT BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS, EACH SINGER TRAINS AND PERFORMS AS PART OF A CHORAL ENSEMBLE GROUPED BY AGE, SKILL AND EXPERIENCE. SIX PROGRESSIVELY ADVANCED DIVISIONS FORM THE CORE PROGRAM AND BYC'S ELECTIVES INCLUDE PRIVATE VOICE AND INSTRUMENTAL LESSONS, SOLO PERFORMANCE TRAINING, AND SKILLS-BUILDING CLASSES. BYC ALSO OFFERS ANNUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHERS AND CONDUCTORS ON THEIR TRADEMARKED CROSS-CHORAL TRAINING PEDAGOGY. THE CHORUS'S FY20 ARTISTIC WORK INCLUDED APPEARANCES IN THE RAG & BONE FASHION SHOW AND ON JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! BACKING THE INIMITABLE DAVID BYRNE. IN DECEMBER, ALL SINGERS PARTICIPATED IN OUR ANNUAL WINTER CONCERTS WHERE THE ENSEMBLE CHORISTERS WERE JOINED BY GUEST ARTIST METROPOLITAN OPERA STAR, ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO. THE CHORUS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN A SERIES OF RECORDINGS CELEBRATING THE RELEASE OF THE NEW BON IVER ALBUM, I,I WHERE BYC PROVIDED BACKUP VOCALS AND LAYING DOWN TRACKS FOR UPCOMING ALBUMS WITH ARTISTS WYE OAK AND JOHAN LENOX. WHILE ALL OF OUR SPRING 2020 LIVE CONCERTS AND TOURS WERE CANCELED OR POSTPONED, BYC CONTINUED TO CREATE AND PREMIERE VIRTUAL CHORUS PERFORMANCES BOTH INDEPENDENTLY AND WITH MAJOR MUSIC ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND AMERICAN COMPOSERS ORCHESTRA. THE CHORUS ALSO CONTINUED ITS GROUNDBREAKING CREATIVE ARTISTRY, COMMISSIONING AND WORKSHOPPING EIGHT PIECES AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW MULTI-YEAR THEATRICAL CHORAL PRODUCTION SHE IS CALLED. ADDITIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE A LONG ARTISTIC HISTORY INCLUDING THE 2014 PREMIERE OF BLACK MOUNTAIN SONGS ON BAM'S NEXT WAVE FESTIVAL (WINNING THE FESTIVAL'S RICHARD B. FISHER PRIZE); OVER 100 COMMISSIONS SINCE 2001; NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL TOURING, INCLUDING TO LONDON'S BARBICAN CENTRE IN 2016; AND RELEASING TWO COMMERCIAL RECORDINGS, BLACK MOUNTAIN SONGS AND SILENT VOICES.WHILE CONTINUALLY GAINING ARTISTIC PROMINENCE, BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS ENSURES BROAD ACCESS. IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, BYC HAS DRAMATICALLY INCREASED FINANCIAL AID, LAUNCHED A NEIGHBORHOOD EXPANSION PROGRAM -- NOW IN THREE SITES -- AS WELL AS EXPANDING FREE SCHOOL-BASED TRAINING PROGRAMS TO BRING CHORAL MUSIC EDUCATION TO BROOKLYN NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS WORK INCLUDES PERFORMANCES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS WHICH ALLOW THE CHORUS TO ENGAGE AND CONNECT WITH DIVERSE AUDIENCES.

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