Educational Outreach
Chicago a cappella’s Educational Outreach Program strives to promote and improve the life-long performance, understanding and appreciation of a cappella vocal music through programming, mentorship and collaboration with schools and community organizations in Chicago and beyond.
Program Offerings
Chicago a cappella’s Education Outreach Program seeks to serve singers and students of all ages and levels of experience. All of our programs are taught by Artists from Chicago a cappella’s current roster of singers and directors, many of whom have degrees in music education. All of our Artists have experience working with singers/choruses at a variety of experience levels. Each outreach program is individually planned and carefully tailored to fit the exact needs of each organization, and may include access to Chicago a cappella rehearsals and concerts. Our offerings include:
Master Classes
These workshops are administered by two or more Chicago a cappella Artists and usually last between 60-120 minutes. Repertoire can be chosen by, or in conjunction with, Chicago a cappella’s Artists. Master Classes are typically relaxed in nature and allow for questions at the end. Observers are always welcome.
Choral Residencies
These residencies with school or community choirs serve as an introduction to a cappella singing for musicians new to the genre or as a source of expert training for more experienced singers. Residencies can be either short-term (2-4 visits) or long-term (typically 8-12 visits), and often focus on specific repertoire and skill building. Each visit is sequentially designed to complement the goals of the choral director and/or school curriculum and can be during or after the school day.
High School Internship Program
This unique program gives local high school students unprecedented access to top-level professional musicians, directors and arts administrators in a broad range of settings. Chicago a cappella High School Interns gain valuable skills to help further their musical ambitions, including how to rehearse collaboratively, how to sing at a high level in a small a cappella ensemble, and how such activities are supported behind the scene by a nonprofit organization. In December 2011, Chicago a cappella held auditions for our very first High School Internship class. From an initial pool of 18 candidates from seven area high schools, 6 talented and motivated high school interns were chosen. Erica, Amanda, Kayleigh, Rex, Brian and Michael will serve as Chicago a cappella High School Interns from January-May 2012. Chicago a cappella will be auditioning high schoolers for the September 2012-May 2013 Intern Program in late spring 2012. For more information, contact Education Outreach Coordinator Susan Schober.
Youth Choral Festival
This exciting choral festival brings small ensembles from Chicago-area high schools together with Chicago a cappella's professional singers and directors for a day of workshops, singing and performing at no cost to participating schools and students. This non-competitive festival will culminate in a free informal concert for the public featuring all of the groups, including Chicago a cappella, singing alone and as a large festival choir. The 2012 Chicago a cappella Youth Choral Festival will take place on March 10, at the Athenaeum Theater in Chicago. This year's participating ensembles are Sounds of Sweetness from Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, Bazao from Evanston Township High School and Bel Canto from University of Chicago Laboratory High School. Please join us for the free Youth Choral Festival Concert at 5 pm to watch and support these talented young singers! For more information or to apply for the 2013 CAC Youth Choral Festival, contact Education Outreach Coordinator Susan Schober.
Youth Concerts
Our youth concerts bring Chicago a cappella’s unique, entertaining and informative concert repertoire to the next generation of musicians and music patrons. Youth concert programs are often based upon recent Chicago a cappella series concerts, and are tailored both to the age of the students and to the school’s curriculum. Age appropriate readings and songs entertain, engage and educate. Examples of concert topics include From Slavery to Freedom: African-American History Through Spirituals and Chicago, Chicago: The History and Culture of the City of Chicago.
Recent Outreach Programs
Chicago a cappella is proud of our past efforts to engage singers in our community, exposing them to professional choral music and mentoring the next generation of choral singers.
Whitney Young High School, Chicago, IL
Chicago a cappella was invited by Whitney Young High School in Chicago to create a long-term residency at the school in the winter and spring of 2011. Over ten weeks, Chicago a cappella Artists guided a newly-formed group of Whitney Young’s best singers from their very first rehearsal together to a successful final performance of challenging and exciting Chicago a cappella repertoire. The students, who volunteered their time to be part of this after-school program, gained invaluable experience in rehearsal technique, jazz and instrumental vocal technique, small ensemble a cappella singing and self-direction. The residency consisted of 12 after-school rehearsals as well as a field trip to observe and work with Chicago a cappella at one of our evening rehearsals.
Rocky Mountain Children’s Choir from Denver, CO
As part of their 2011 tour to Chicago, Rocky Mountain Children’s Choir of Denver, CO participated in a master class led by four Chicago a cappella Artists. This 90-minute workshop with RMCC’s 16-voice a cappella group, Altitude, addressed many aspects of a cappella small ensemble singing, including intonation, choral blend, balance, vocal timbre and self-direction (working without a conductor). The workshop concluded with a Q&A session with the Chicago a cappella Artists.
Roll, Jordan, Roll Choral Collaborations, Chicago, Oak Park, Naperville and Evanston, IL
Chicago a cappella welcomed a high school choral group as guest ensemble at each of the four performances of its February 2010 concert, Roll, Jordan, Roll: The Spiritual, Old and New. The student groups came together for a joint rehearsal in Chicago with Chicago a cappella’s singers, and were coached by Chicago a cappella’s artistic and music directors. Each student group sang several spirituals as part of the series concert in their community, and was joined by the singers of Chicago a cappella for a joint spiritual performance.
Naperville North High School, Naperville, IL
As a business partner of Naperville School District 203, Chicago a cappella worked with the choral students at Naperville North High School throughout the 2008-09 school year. In the fall, the school's Madrigal Ensemble rehearsed a piece with the women of Chicago a cappella and then performed it with them—along with several pieces from their own repertoire—at Chicago a cappella's holiday performance at Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville. Then in February, Chicago a cappella Artists worked with several of the school's choirs in sectional settings. In March, Chicago a cappella performed several pieces on the Naperville North stage as part of the school’s Choral Concert, and as part of the concert finale joined the school’s singers on stage for a special joint performance. In addition to in-school workshops and choral performances, as part of this special program students from Naperville North High School received free tickets to Chicago a cappella's concerts at Wentz Concert Hall for the entire 2008-09 concert season.
Fan Mail
"I just wanted to thank you, again, for sharing your music and talent with our singers last week. It was definitely a highlight for those kids. You and your colleagues had a wonderful way of being demanding and encouraging at the same time. I overheard several of them talking later that day about all the things they had learned from you and your group - you all really made a positive impact on them. Thank you so much!”
“My singers and I had such a fun time with you on our tour. I wish we could do a follow-up with you in the fall. We all learned so much. It was also really great that you talked to the [singers] about what it meant to be a professional singer. Many of the singers would like to take that route. All the best and thanks!”
Contact
For more information on our Education Outreach offerings or to have a program specifically designed for your school/organization, contact Education Outreach Coordinator Susan Schober.