The Bach Children’s Chorus is returning

for the 2023-2024 season!

 

To book an audition, click here!

 

The Bach Children’s Chorus is comprised of classroom preparation for concerts in the community. This season will include performances with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Madrigalia, and the Rochester Oratorio Society. In addition, we will sing the US and Canadian National Anthems at a Rochester Amerks game in the Blue Cross Arena. We are considering a tour to Washington, D.C. if there is enough participation.

The Mozart Singers is comprised of classroom activities, singing folk songs, playing Orff instruments, and learning elements of music theory, culminating in a year-end performance. This ensemble is free for any students enrolled in private lessons at KSMA.

Open to all children, no experience required. For participation in the BCC, (ages 7-15), being able to match pitch is required.

 

Both ensembles meet on Sundays:

Mozart Singers:                     1:00 – 1:50 PM

Bach Children’s Chorus:      3:00 – 4:45 PM

 

Students in the BCC are expected to practice their music at home between rehearsals. Concerts are always performed from memory. This is not to be feared. Children have a natural ability to remember the songs they practice.

An audition is required for participation in the BCC.  A student may join the BCC at any point during the school year by scheduling an audition with the director.

 

Important Dates:

First Rehearsals: 

Bach Children’s Chorus – Sunday, September 24th, 3:00 – 4:45 PM

Mozart Singers              – Sunday, September 17th, 1:00 – 1:50 PM

 

Audition Process: 

 

An audition will last approximately 20 minutes during which the child will work with Ms. Krogstad doing vocal warmups, and singing a prepared song (Follow the Drinking Gourd – music and recording below). The child will be expected to sing the prepared piece from memory. Children will be encouraged at the audition, not simply tested. Our goal is acceptance, not rejection!

 

Audition Materials:  

Follow the Drinking Gourd – Sheet Music 

 

Recordings:

 

 

Tuition for the chorus is $200 per semester or $350 for the full year.

 

To book an audition click here! 

Have you been accepted into the BCC?
Please complete your registration HERE

 

The Bach Children’s Chorus:

The Bach Children’s Chorus of Rochester is one of Western New York’s most respected children’s classical music ensembles. The chorus has appeared regularly with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rochester Chamber Orchestra, and other area ensembles. The girls and boys in the group range in age from 8 to 16 and are well-known in Rochester’s arts community.

Students in the Bach Children’s Chorus receive exceptional vocal training and learn to appreciate many types of music. In addition, students have a wonderful time making friends and interacting with peers who have similar interests. Experiences throughout the year range from formal concerts, to sporting events, seasonal parties, and team-building activities. The children meet weekly for rehearsals throughout the academic year. Rehearsals are Sunday. 

In previous years, the chorus toured annually, usually during spring break. The BCC has sung at many exciting venues including the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, St. Patrick’s and St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral in New York City, and in Williamsburg, Virginia. In the spring of 2018, the chorus toured New York City, and in 2019 they visited Toronto, Canada. They have sung at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Lafayette Square, where the Presidents pray before their inaugurations. They have also performed the National Anthem at a Washington Nationals game and for the Rochester Amerks – both in English and in French. In 2014, the chorus traveled to NYC again, to perform with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in Carnegie Hall! The BCC has been the children’s chorus of choice for the RPO and has performed in numerous operas, including Carmen, Carmina Burana, and La Boheme, as well as with the Nazareth College Jazz Ensemble.

The BCC was founded by its current director, Karla Krogstad, in 1989. Over 1,500 students have joined the Bach Children’s Chorus singing family