The Pennsylvania Youth Chorale is a community children's choir based in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, Pennsylvania for boys and girls ages seven to fifteen. Artistic director Eileen Finley founded the choir in 1977. The mission of the Pennsylvania Youth Chorale is to provide children with the opportunity to grow musically, professionally and personally through a community based, multi-dimensional choral program which will be implemented and sustained by the joint effort of the artistic staff, the Board of Directors, the choir families and the community that it serves.
The Pennsylvania Youth Chorale has had the privilege of performing such major works as Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana", Randall Thompson's "Place of the Best", Humperdink's "Hansel and Gretel" Pergolesis "Stabat Mater", Bach's "St. Matthew Passion", and Britten's "St. Nicholas Cantata" and "Ceremony of Carols".
The choir can be heard on Albany Record label performing the world premiere of Robert Maggio's "Rachel and Her Children- Small Hands Relinquish All", with the Bucks County Choral Society, and can also be heard on demo recordings for Malecki Music Publishers and Santa Barbara Music Publishers.
The touring choir has performed in Carnegie Hall,New York; the Kimmel Center, Philadelphia; the Senate Rotunda, Washington DC; the Capitol Rotunda in Madison Wisconsin; Bass Hall, Forth Worth, Texas; at York Minister and Gloucester Cathedral, England; and Parliament House, Ottawa, Canada. They have performed in 25 States, 4 Canadian Provinces, in the British Isles, and Germany.
"The Pennsylvania Youth Chorale, under the artistic direction of Eileen Finley, has been consistently dedicated to inspiration and enlightenment through music. Performing in Carnegie Hall in New York, the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, the Senate Rotunda in our nation's capitol, as well as many other noted venues, these young vocalists have maintained the highest standards of excellence in musical expression as they delighted audiences in 25 states, Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany. They have brought life to music and music to life, ensuring the sanctity of one of our most precious gifts in this world--the gift of music." Edward G. Rendell, Governor of Pennsylvania from a tribute to the PYC in honor of its 30th anniversary (Spring 2007)
At our Spring Concert, each member of the Alumni Chorus was asked to write about what he or she feels were the most valuable life lessons learned as members of the PYC, particularly those lessons that have served them well since they've left the choir. Below is one of the responses. Other responses can be found on the News and Info page under Alumni.
"It would be very difficult for me to pinpoint just one life lesson learned during my time in PYC. Because I was a member of the choir for 7 years, the choir greatly influenced my social development. Performing on a regular basis boosted my self-esteem and I became more outgoing. The touring experience helped me improve my ability to socialize with my peers. (Touring also ingrained some other things in me - I still ask whether a host would like me to make or strip the bed. I never wear headphones in public, and I always feel somewhat awkward talking on a bus while it's stopped.)
The greatest gift I received from the PYC was the most obvious one - the gift of music. In September I will be a senior at Eastman School of Music majoring in voice performance. Although I have operatic ambitions rather than choral ones, the PYC gave me a great passion for singing that I have carried with me since my days of singing with Ms. Finley. Learning to sight sing at an early age benefited me throughout my musical training as did the basic knowledge of music theory we acquired as choir members. Ms. Finley taught us about phrasing and expression as well as general professionalism. Everything I learned in the Pennsylvania Youth Chorale influenced me both as a musician and as a young professional. I left the PYC at age 14 knowing that I wanted to be a professional singer. Thank you, PYC, for helping me realize my passion for music and for providing me with the tools to become the best musician I can be." Ashlee Bickley, 1995-2002 (Alto Section Leader 1999-2002)
