PITTSBURGH SCHOOL FOR THE CHORAL ARTS
4677 BAYARD STREET 101, PITTSBURGH, PA 15213 www.pittsburghgirlschoir.com

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Organizations Filed Purposes: PITTSBURGH SCHOOL FOR THE CHORAL ARTS (PSCA) IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION INCORPORATED IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA ON JULY 28, 2011 AND WAS RECOGNIZED AS AN EXEMPT ORGANIZATION BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE IN 2011. PSCA OPERATES A GIRL'S TOURING CHOIR, AND SEVERAL TRAINING CHOIRS FOR DIFFERENT AGES AND ABILITIES. IN 2005, OAKLAND GIRLS CHOIR, THE PREDECESSOR TO PSCA, WAS FORMED AS A PROJECT OF OAKLAND SERVICE MINISTRIES. CONTRIBUTIONS TO PSCA ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE WITHIN LIMITATIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE. VISION: OUR CHOIR SEEKS TO SHARE THE TRANSCENDENT BEAUTY OF GIRLS' VOICES AND STRIVES TO TRANSFORM THE LIVES OF CHORISTERS BY CREATING COMMUNITIES OF COMPASSION, EXCELLENCE, AND MUTUAL RESPECT. MISSION: TO WELCOME GIRLS OF ALL RACES, ETHNICITIES AND SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS INTO OUR SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY COMMITTED TO ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE THROUGH AN EXEMPLARY MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR GIRLS IN FIRST THROUGH TWELFTH GRADES. PSCA IS COMMITTED TO SERVING OTHE

FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES 1. CONCENTIO THIS ENSEMBLE, WHICH INCLUDES GIRLS AGES 13-18, PERFORMS THROUGHOUT THE PITTSBURGH REGION AND TRAVELS NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. CONCENTIO GIVES GIRLS OF ALL CULTURAL, GEOGRAPHIC, AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SING IN THE COMMUNITY. THE ENSEMBLE IS AN UNCOMPETITIVE MUSICAL ENVIRONMENT, WHERE GIRLS LEARN TO USE MUSIC AS A POSITIVE EMOTIONAL OUTLET AND WORK TOGETHER IN A SPIRIT OF MUTUAL RESPECT AND ENCOURAGEMENT. CONCENTIO DOES NOT HAVE A COMPETITIVE OR SELECTIVE AUDITION PROCESS; ALL GIRLS ARE TAUGHT MUSICAL SKILLS AND ARE MENTORED TO MAKE THEIR BEST CONTRIBUTION. THE ENSEMBLE IS ALSO A CLIQUE-FREE ENVIRONMENT, WHERE THE UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION OF EVERY GIRL IS VALUED AND WHERE HEALTHY FRIENDSHIPS ARE FOSTERED. THE DEMOGRAPHICS (RACE, ETHNICITY, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS) OF THE CHOIR ARE DIVERSE, REFLECTING OUR VISION TO GROW INTO A HIGHLY ACCESSIBLE CHORAL COMMUNITY THAT TRULY REFLECTS THE CULTURAL AND GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY OF THE PITTSBURGH REGION. A GROWING NUMBER OF STUDENTS ARE FROM WILKINSBURG, HOMEWOOD, AND CENTRAL LAWRENCEVILLE, AND FINANCIAL AID IS MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL QUALIFYING FAMILIES. 2. CHAMBER CHOIR THIS ENSEMBLE INCLUDES MEMBERS OF CONCENTIO WHO HAVE MADE AN EXTRAORDINARY COMMITMENT TO REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE. THE CHAMBER CHOIR PERFORMS FOR SOCIAL AND CHARITY EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, STRENGTHENING OUR CONNECTIONS IN PITTSBURGH. MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER CHOIR SUPPORT CONCENTIO AS MENTORS AND SECTION LEADERS. 3. MELODIA, HARMONIA AND VIA MELODIA, HARMONIA AND VIA (AKA THE "TRAINING CHOIRS") INCLUDE GIRLS FROM GRADES 1-7 AND ARE GROUPED BY AGE AND SKILL. THESE THREE CHOIRS EDUCATE YOUNG SINGERS IN MUSICAL LITERACY, HEALTHY VOCAL PRODUCTION, AND CHORAL FUNDAMENTALS, AS WELL AS SIGHT SINGING, PART SINGING, AND FOREIGN LANGUAGES. CHOIR MEMBERS DEVELOP MUSICAL SKILLS THROUGH AGE-APPROPRIATE REPERTOIRE, MUSICAL GAMES, AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT STRETCH THE YOUNG SINGER. MEMBERS GRADUATE THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND MAY EVENTUALLY MOVE TO CONCENTIO. MELODIA IS FOR GIRLS IN FIRST THROUGH THIRD GRADE. AN EMPHASIS ON MUSICAL GAMES, FOLK SONGS, SOLFEGE, AND RHYTHM LEARNING MAKES MUSIC EDUCATION FUN AND PHYSICAL. MELODIA PERFORMS AT THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY CONCERT, AT THE MAY MELODIA & HARMONIA CONCERT, AT THE ANNUAL SING FOR SERVICE, AND AT LOCAL VENUES SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR. HARMONIA, FOR GIRLS IN THIRD THROUGH SEVENTH GRADE, BUILDS ON THE FUNDAMENTALS TAUGHT IN MELODIA. SINGING PRIMARILY IN TWO OR THREE PARTS, HARMONIA PERFORMS AT THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY CONCERT, AT THE MAY MELODIA & HARMONIA CONCERT, AT THE ANNUAL SING FOR SERVICE, AND AT OTHER LOCAL VENUES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. VIA IS A TRANSITIONAL CHOIR FROM THE TRAINING CHOIR PROGRAM TO CONCENTIO. GIRLS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP PART SINGING SKILLS AND MUSICAL LITERACY. THIS TRANSITIONAL CHOIR ENABLES THEM TO BECOME MORE INDEPENDENT AND MORE GREATLY PREPARED FOR THE ADVANCED REPERTOIRE SUNG BY CONCENTIO. IN ADDITION TO WEEKLY REHEARSALS, THEY PARTICIPATE IN A WEEK LONG CAMP, A WINTER RETREAT AND A THREE DAY TOUR. 4. WOMEN OF SONG WOMEN OF SONG IS A CHOIR CLASS FOR WOMEN OF ALL AGES. IT PROVIDES TRAINING IN HEALTHY VOCAL PRODUCTION, LITERACY AND ENSEMBLE SKILLS FOR WOMEN WHO ARE EITHER UNTRAINED OR WHO HAVE NOT SUNG FOR MANY YEARS. FOR THOSE WHO ARE MORE SKILLED, WOMEN OF SONG PREPARES THEM FOR MORE DEMANDING CHOIR AUDITIONS SUCH AS THE "MENDELSSOHN CHOIR". WOMEN OF SONG ENSEMBLE PARTICIPATES IN PSCA CONCERTS DURING THE SEASON AND PERFORMS AT CANTERBURY PLACE AND THE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN HOME. 5. HOPE ACADEMY HOPE ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND THE ARTS WAS FOUNDED IN 1999 AS AN OUTREACH PROGRAM OF EAST LIBERTY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TO BRING ARTS TO CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY. HOPE ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND THE ARTS OFFERS A SAFE PLACE WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE OF DIVERSE ETHNIC, ECONOMIC, AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS CAN FURTHER THEIR PERSONAL AND ARTISTIC GROWTH THROUGH THE STUDY AND PERFORMANCE OF THEATER, DANCE AND MUSIC. THE PITTSBURGH GIRLS CHOIR'S PARTNERSHIP WITH HOPE ACADEMY BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER 2015. THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER DUE TO THEIR MUTUAL COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY ARTS EDUCATION REGARDLESS OF A STUDENT'S SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS. MUSIC DISCOVERY IS A KODALY-BASED MUSIC AND MOVEMENT CLASS FOR FIVE AND SIX YEAR OLDS. THIS PROGRAM USES MULTICULTURAL FOLK SONGS, MUSICAL GAMES, CREATIVE MOVEMENT AND SIMPLE PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS TO GIVE STUDENTS A SOLID FOUNDATION IN MUSICAL CONCEPTS. IN THIS HOLISTIC, PROCESS-ORIENTED CLASS, STUDENTS NATURALLY DEVELOP THEIR FIRST INSTRUMENT - THE VOICE/BODY. PARENTS JOIN THE STUDENTS FOR THE LAST TEN MINUTES OF CLASS, PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE FUN OF CREATING MUSIC TOGETHER. THIS CLASS PREPARES STUDENTS FOR FUTURE INSTRUMENTAL OR CHORAL STUDIES.

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