Have you heard about SDCC's new Youth Chorale?  This exciting new choir level for students in 8th-12th grade started this Fall and we recently sat down with our Artistic Director, Ruthie Millgard, to get the scoop.

We are so excited about the new Youth Chorale? Can you tell us more about it and why you wanted to start this new program? 

Ruthie Millgard: For years I've lamented that we didn't have a choir for the older beginning musicians. We can accept non-music readers into our elementary choirs because those skills are still being developed, but our advanced choirs require participants to be competent musicians due to the high volume of challenging music brought to them for various commissioned and collaborative performances. If a non-music reader comes to us when they're in elementary school, then we have plenty of time to train them in preparation for the advanced choirs, but if they start with us in upper middle or high school without music reading experience, we haven't been able to accept them into our programming, until now! In fact, there are several students who have auditioned unsuccessfully for our advanced choirs over the past two or three years that I've contacted with a special invitation to this new choir!

Additionally, we have some advanced musicians who have struggled with the increased workload in our advanced choirs as they get further into high school.  Youth Chorale requires less of a commitment, so it is a great place for them.

The new choir started at the same time we made the decision to consolidate Premier Choir (our advanced treble choir) to only one rehearsal site per week (that's a different blog post!). The new youth chorale has rehearsals on the same night so those who weren't able to make the switch, because of scheduling, can continue to sing in a choir. 

Who are the choristers that have joined the new Youth Chorale? Is there age/experience/qualification requirement? 

Anyone who loves singing can audition for Youth Chorale, that's the beauty of it, no experience required!

How often do the choristers meet for the Youth Chorale? 

Just once a week, on Tuesday nights from 6:30-8:30 PM in Carmel Valley.

Are there leadership and performance opportunities for the Youth Chorale choristers, similar to the more advanced SDCC choirs? 

Yes, we'll have leadership positions in Youth Chorale as well: president, assistant conductor, section leaders, social chair, etc. The same as what they would get in the other advanced choirs. 

What can the Youth Chorale choristers expect from their experiences? 

Youth Chorale choristers can look forward to singing awesome songs with a great group of kids. They'll have a few performances per semester and will perform with the rest of the Ensemble Program at the Winter and Spring Concerts. For members of Youth Chorale who end up wanting more of a challenge, they can audition upward to Premier or Chamber Choir whenever they're ready. Youth Chorale is going to be a strong part of the San Diego Ensemble Program!

Will there be opportunities to improve music literacy and for additional vocal coaching? 

Yes! Just like with the other SDCC choirs, music literacy will be built into the experience. Additionally, Youth Chorale choristers can opt into small group vocal coaching to occur before every-other-weekly rehearsals, at no extra cost!

How does the new Youth Chorale program align with the mission of the SDCC? 

Our goal is to reach more kids in San Diego and this program is an example of how we can do that by creating opportunities to meet kids where they’re at, regardless of skill and/or commitment level.  What all our kids have in common is they love to sing!