The Phoenix Boys Choir
The Phoenix Boys Choir is a Grammy Award winning boys choir based in Phoenix, Arizona and the largest boys' choir in the United States.
History
The Phoenix Boys Choir had its first rehearsal in 1947, although it was not until February 1949 that they performed their first concert.
In 1993 the choir moved into its first dedicated building, the Helen C. Lincoln Building for the Phoenix Boys Choir. American composer Daniel Pinkham wrote a piece for the grand opening entitled "Cantate Dominum" which, translated from Latin reads, "Sing to the Lord a new song..."
Performances
Each year the choir performs a full and varied season, beginning in the early fall and ending in late May or early June, followed by their annual concert tour.
Of all of the choir's annual performances, the most attended and most highly publicized are their series of Holiday concerts performed in December. These concerts are performed in churches and concert halls across the Valley of the Sun and contain both Christmas and Hannukah pieces. In recent years the choir has been invited to sing annually at the Arizona Biltmore Resort's tree lighting ceremony.
The choir performs a classics concert-usually in February—featuring great traditional pieces in the boys' choir repertoire and one or two annual Pops concerts — usually in May. The program of the pops concert generally is culled from the traditions of Americana, the American Songbook, Broadway show tunes, and pieces from contemporary film, television, and other popular outlets. These concerts often feature a special guest performer.
Conductors and staff
Georg Stangelberger joined the Phoenix Boys Choir as Artistic Director in 1999 upon the retirement of Dr. Smith. He graduated from the Musikhochschule in Vienna, and spent more than 13 years with the Vienna Boys Choir, where he served as principal choir conductor and associate artistic director. He led the Phoenix Boys Choir to its Carnegie Hall debut in 2003 and is considered largely responsible for the choir's current success.
Dr. Gregory Amerind conducts the Cadet and Town Choirs. Amerind, who joined the choir at the beginning of the 2007-2008 concert season, majored in music and theatre arts at UCLA, California State University, Northridge, and Arizona State University.
Jason Snodgrass is the Phoenix Boys Choir's Operations Manager. ;)
Harvey K. Smith is Artistic Director Emeritus. A native Arizonan, Dr. Smith received his education at Occidental College, Master of Music at the University of Southern California, Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Arizona, and Honorary Doctor of Letters at Grand Canyon University. Beginning in 1960, Dr. Smith’s vision and commitment to quality musicianship have guided the Phoenix Boys Choir from a single, 30-voice choir to a current membership of over 170 boys in five choirs. His pursuit of excellence has brought the Phoenix Boys Choir critical acclaim from audiences and journalists around the globe as well as a Grammy, awarded in 2001. Listeners in Europe, the Far East, Mexico, Canada, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and across the United States have enjoyed the choir’s splendid performances of varied repertoire. The choir has participated in numerous collaborative projects ranging from advertising soundtracks to solo performances with major musical institutions.
Dr. Smith and his wife, Dorothy Lincoln-Smith, worked as clinicians upon his retirement from the choir in 1999, were avid scuba divers, and co-authors of the video teaching series Singing and Growing. He died on December 12, 2012 at age 76, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.
Levels
There are four levels of the Phoenix Boys Choir, of increasingly advanced singers.
Boys as young as 7 audition and begin their choir careers in the Training Choir, the lowest level. The Training Choir is divided into five Neighborhood Choirs, each under the direction of a different conductor and meeting at separate locations. Currently there are Neighborhood Choirs located in Peoria, downtown Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, and one at that meets at the choir's headquarters in the Helen C. Lincoln Building on Missouri Avenue.
The Cadet Choir is the next senior level. Most boys move into this level after one or two years in the Training Choir. The boys are a year or two older and have some concert experience.
The Town Choir is senior to the Cadet Choir. Boys in this choir are exposed to their first touring experiences. They embark annually on a national tour but do not travel internationally. Previous tours have gone to Texas, New Mexico, and Northern Arizona.
The Tour Choir is the Phoenix Boys Choir's top level. Members range in age from 10 to 14 years old and are the most advanced, most accomplished singers in the program. Each year they perform an extensive tour, alternating national and international itineraries.
The Masters choir, also conducted by Georg Stangelberger is a choir for boys who have graduated from the choir. Any graduated member whose voice has matured to a tenor through bass range may join and perform with this group.
Awards and honors
In 2000, the choir was awarded a Grammy for Best Choral Performance for its recording of Krzysztof Penderecki's Credo with the Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Hellmuth Rilling.
In 2001, the Phoenix Boys Choir was named "Cultural Ambassadors" to the European Union's Federation of choirs.
In December 2002, they were named an Honorary Phoenix Point of Pride by the Honorable Skip Rimza, then Mayor of Phoenix. They share this honor with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Phoenix Suns.
In 2003, the choir performed for the American Choral Directors Association Convention in New York. They were the only American boys' choir selected for this event. While in New York they performed at Carnegie Hall, at the Lincoln Center, and at Riverside Church.
In 2007 the choir took high honors from the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in its inaugural year. The festival took place in Vienna, Austria, in the Goldener Saal of the Musikverein. The choir won first place in the Treble category and second in the Mixed category. The second place award was shared with The Christ's College Chapel Choir from New Zealand.
In 2011 the choir sang with the Munich Symphony and Pacific Choral under the leadership of Maestro Ludwig Wicki in the Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring In Concert with Columbia Artist Management.