We did it!

For ten years, Strathmore Children's Chorus has served Montgomery County students, grades 2 to 12 inclusive, in a performance-based choral music education program.  We added a Sing Out! component to collaborate with Montgomery County Public Schools to bring choral music education to schools without chorus in their curriculum, and we are working in earnest to reboot that program since the pandemic forced us to cease its operations. We added a Touring Chorus that had collaborations with National Philharmonic, Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras, American University, National Governors' Association, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and Dresden Philharmonic Children's Chorus. And, we have added on-line musicianship classes to further enhance the music education portion of our mission.

We celebrate with our Spring Concert 7 p.m. Thursday, May 19, on stage at the Music Center at Strathmore. Founding Director Emeritus Chris Guerra comes back to lead our Treble, Concert, and Tenor Bass Choruses. Our theme of Numbers comes from the question, "What is in a Number?" asked at the celebration of personal and organization birthdays and anniversaries. SCC sings music that includes numbers in title and or lyrics; we sing numbers as synonym for musical selections, and we celebrate the number of years and thousands of children who have been part of what we do.  

Congratulations, Seniors!

We thank our Seniors for their many years of singing with SCC:

• Sophie Bagheri
• Abigail Dodd
• Simoni Mishra
• Ashley Sadler
• Samantha Sarceno

We are a better children's chorus because of the time, talent, dedication and leadership these choristers have provided to the Concert and Touring Choruses in which they participate this year, and to all the SCC ensembles they have been in during their years with us.

Help Us Grow in 2022-23

We are fortunate to be part of Strathmore Hall Foundation, including the continued opportunities to sing in the Music Center and to collaborate with myriad artists who come to the hall in addition to many partner organizations like MCYO and the National Philharmonic. Our team is working on the details for our inaugural Touring Chorus Tour next season, our Treble Chorus is hosting the Maryland Young Voices Festival in 2023, and our entire program is set to continue presenting December and May programs at Strathmore.

We hope that you who are not graduating seniors will choose to continue singing with us in the fall.  More, we know that the most significant and impactful way we grow is when current members not only keep singing with us, but bring friends they know will love what we do teaching singing and creating community.  We have audition dates June 17 and 18, and we have audition dates August 18 and 19.  Pass along this link for friend who wish to sign up to sing:  https://www.strathmore.org/community-education/strathmore-children-s-chorus/auditions/.

Placement for 2022-23

Choristers happy to stay in the ensemble for which they currently sing do not have to do anything. Mrs. Bagheri, our Administration and Singer Services Manager, will send parents registration materials for the fall later this summer.  Choristers interested in moving from one ensemble to another will be given recommendations by Mrs. Hochkeppel and Dr. Wu as part of their Chorister Evaluation Reports sent by early June.

Thank You!

One classmate of mine at Mason said it best: choral directors are nothing but bad mimes waving hands fruitlessly without the collaboration and talent of the singers who join us. Thank you, choristers!

We had an army of parent volunteers to manage COVID19 protocols, choir room set up and take down, attendance, backstage chorister management for tech rehearsals and concerts. Thank you, volunteers!

We had a small but mighty staff team of Suzanne Bagheri, Alice Dillon, Mary Hochkeppel, Hei Jung Kim, and Pablo di Oliviera manage the communications, production, vocal health and voice training, rehearsals, and accompaniment for all of SCC's program this year. Their tireless efforts went above and beyond in profound ways this season, and our success throughout the pandemic and in this year transitioning back to in-person singing falls in large part to their dedication and hard work.  All of us at SCC are part of the larger Strathmore Education Team, headed by Lauren Campbell, Strathmore's Vice President for Education and Community Engagement.  Thank you, team!

With great appreciation for all of you,

Michael

With appreciation,

Michael Wu, DMA

Artistic Director, Strathmore Children's Chorus

mwu@strathmore.org