Anima (chorus)

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Anima Young Singers of Greater Chicago is a chorus based in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Formerly the Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus (GECC), the chorus changed its name to Anima in May 2008. The chorus consists of girls and boys ages 5-18.

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[edit] History

The chorus was founded in 1964 by Barbara Born. Dr. Doreen Rao served as director from 1972-1988. It is currently directed by Emily Ellsworth, who has served as artistic director since 1996.

The chorus has performed frequently with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Chicago's Symphony Center, the Ravinia Festival, and New York's Carnegie Hall. It has participated in four Grammy Award-winning recordings with the CSO and performed under conductors including Sir Georg Solti, Christoph Eschenbach, Claudio Abbado, James Levine and James Conlon. It has toured throughout the United States as well as internationally to Canada, Europe, Australia, Brazil, China, and South Africa.

The mission of the chorus is to provide interested children in the Chicago area with extraordinary choral music experiences, regardless of the child's musical background or socio-economic circumstances. A variety of chorus programs provide opportunities for children at various stages of development.

[edit] Programs

(Following information taken from gechildrenschorus.org)

The performing ensembles comprise the core of GECC's ongoing programs. Rehearsing twice weekly, they serve children at various skill levels. The challenges of musicianship and repertoire increase incrementally with each ensemble, creating a sequential upward spiral of learning and development. Through rehearsals and performances the choristers enjoy a high level of accomplishment, make lasting friendships, and enjoy a nurturing and challenging learning environment. There are three different performing levels: Treble, Concert, and Touring. Treble Chorus, the beginning level, consists of children ages 8-11. They perform approximately 4 concerts a year. Concert Chorus, the intermediate level, consists of children with a more experienced choral background. They also perform approximately 4 concerts a year, but they may also have a one week, out of state tour. Touring Chorus, the most experienced level, consists of children in grades ranging from 7th through 12th. This level is the most demanding, with a plethora of performances throughout the year, especially during the Christmas and Easter seasons. The touring chorus also usually goes on one domestic tour per season and an international tour every two to three seasons. Their most recent tours included China in the summer of 2005 and South Africa in July of 2007.

Musical Experience for Children (MEC) is a non-auditioned weekly class serving children in kindergarten through second grade. Designed as an entry-level, pre-choral training program, there are no comparable classes in existence for children of this formative young age. Through such activities as finding the singing voice, moving to music to develop kinesthetic awareness, working with Orff instruments, and singing age-appropriate fine repertoire, the children grow and develop skills that enhance broad-based learning skills in many areas.

Honors Chorus SingFest offers hundreds of young singers and their teachers a day of invigorating challenge and musical growth through choral activities led by prominent guest clinicians and the GECC Artistic Director. Designed to support classroom music programs and community-based choruses, the SingFest also offers concurrent sessions for teachers focusing on rehearsal strategies, vocal pedagogy for the child voice, and appropriate new repertoire. Culminating in a Festival Concert (performed by the participants free-of-charge), approximately 400 children and 50 music teachers take part in this amazing choral experience. Registration efforts target schools throughout DuPage, Kane, Will and Cook counties, particularly where school music programs are lacking or non-existent.

School Exchanges are an additional way the GECC reaches hundreds of school children. This program involves students in quality musical experiences on-site in their own schools. Each winter, programs ranging from 30-60 minutes in length are presented in numerous Chicago area schools. School music teachers help define the type of program that best meets their needs, ranging from interactive rehearsals with their own school choirs, to singing demonstrations by the GECC, to concert performances for all-school assemblies. School Exchanges generate interest in music, support local music teachers and their programs, and provide exceptional musical opportunities for students with limited access.

VoiceLinks is an in-school program offered free of charge and that is designed to support school music programs by bringing the expertise of the GECC staff on-site. Within the classroom, GECC Artistic Director Emily Ellsworth partners with music teachers on specific vocal projects as needed and defined by the teacher, thus increasing the Chorus' ability to positively impact children in area schools by providing additional quality and interactive singing experiences. Teachers have commented that Ms. Ellsworth's expertise brings a dynamic new dimension to the children's musical experience through skill development, vocal warm-up exercises, and active rehearsal strategies. Examples: 2nd and 3rd graders from a local school were involved in a program centering around healthy vocal development and good singing habits, using a Stephen Foster folk-song unit. The GECC's Treble Chorus was involved, bringing a strong singing demonstration model to the other children.

Week Alive Summer Arts Camp offers local children an introductory experience of musical discovery, expression, and growth. Held at the College of DuPage daily for one week in June, activities include movement, improvisation, choral singing, vocal techniques, and simple staging of selected works. Young people dance and sing folk songs of different cultures, stage musical theater songs, sing choral works with movement, and explore many styles and ways of interpreting music with body and voice. They discover the joy and self-expression of singing, acting, and movement, and present a free demonstration concert for parents at the close of the week. Connie Canaday Howard of the Buffalo Theater Ensemble, a professional company in residence at College of DuPage, has joined GECC Artistic Director Emily Ellsworth for the last two years to lead the program.

The Scholarship Program enables the Chorus to accomplish one of its key commitments - that finances not preclude a child from participating in any GECC program. Financial aid is based on economic need; to date, the Chorus has provided for all requests received. Through the Kay J. Kehoe Scholarship Fund, children participate who would not otherwise be able to, including those from low-income and/or single-parent homes, and choristers whose families' financial setbacks would preclude the child from continuing in the program.