Children’s Festival Chorus celebrates 30 years

The Children’s Festival Chorus will celebrate 30 years this spring with a concert and gala that, says Executive Director Edwina French, will also honor the legacy of the chorus’s artistic director, Christine Jordanoff, retiring after 28 years.

“It is a long stretch,” says French about her organization’s three decades; French herself has led the choir for a mere six months so far. “I think it’s lasted so long because it’s been such a high-quality organization and that’s been in a large part due to the work of Christine, who wanted to emphasize choral education.”

Education as a priority

In fact, says French, choral education for choir members has always comes first.

The group is composed of 8- to 16-year-old singers from the greater Pittsburgh area, and from as far away as Ohio and West Virginia. To audition, prospective members need to demonstrate basic musical competencies, the sort kids get in their schools’ music classes.

“They also need to be able to sing,” French says, laughing. There are three choir levels: the entry-level group, called Troubadour Choir, the mid-level Talisman and top level Bel Canto. The Children’s Festival Choir performs two major concerts a year – a winter concert held traditionally at East Liberty Presbyterian Church, and a spring concert to be held May 3 this year at the Hillman Center for Performing Arts at Shadyside Academy for the first time.

The chorus has also performed in local churches and schools. Pittsburgh Opera has used choir members for voices in its performances, and the choir has sung with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. This year they will also be performing with the Three Rivers Young People’s Orchestra in partnership with Duquesne University’s chorus and orchestra.

“The camaraderie the children develop as they go through the choral education is quite unique,” French says. “The opportunities the children get as participants are pretty extraordinary.” This April, Bel Canto is performing at Carnegie Hall as part of a children’s choir program.

Summer music day camps at Duquesne University

The organization’s summer music day camps at Duquesne are very popular, open not just to choristers but to all kids.

It also runs the 1-2-3 Music program for kids in first, second and third grades. “It’s designed to develop in children the skills we’re actually looking for in our choristers,” French says.

Writer: Marty Levine

Source: Edwina French, Children’s Festival Chorus