Nicole Cabell and Rollo Dilworth Join the ChoirNicole Cabell, the 2005 Winner of the BBC Singer of the World Competition and one of the most sought-after lyric sopranos, is joining Chicago Children’s Choir as its first Artist in Residence. In this role, Ms. Cabell will lead a master class for Choir singers and provide mentorship about pursuing a professional singing career. Additionally, Ms. Cabell will perform with the Concert Choir and Neighborhood Honors Choir for the 2011 Songs of the Season concert on December 11 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. Tickets are now available by visiting www.harristheaterchicago.org or by calling 312-334-7777.

Regularly seen today in lead roles at the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera and the Royal Opera House, Ms. Cabell experienced early career success in Chicago. While a member of the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists (now known as Ryan Opera Center), she sang the title-role in Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen which also featured singers from Chicago Children’s Choir. Additionally, Ms. Cabell was the 2002 winner of the Union League Civic & Arts Foundation Award, an honor also given to Josephine Lee in 1995. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)

Take Note Creating a better world through music since 1956 Fall 2011

A Message from Josephine Lee

Reflecting on the Choir’s 55 years, I am humbled by the impact of Reverend Chris Moore’s vision to bring music to children throughout Chicago. In that spirit, we look forward to a year committed to service and building community. In addition to having our singers participate in days of service beyond their performances and rehearsals, the Choir is hosting several events to engage the public in the experience of singing.

The first is a Community Sing, in which the Choir will lead the public in song at Navy Pier on October 5. Later in the year, we encourage our Alums to gather together for the annual Vespers Service. Chocolate is Love, our annual fundraiser for Neighborhood Choir tuition assistance and Concert Choir tour scholarships, will be a family Valentine’s Day celebration. In May, the Choir will hold its annual Paint the Town Red event during which we invite all of you to join us in song again this year as we return to Millennium Park.

Focusing on our roots, we turn to you, our families, friends, alums and supporters, to advocate the importance of arts education, in order to help us bring more programs to Chicago Public Schools and serve more children through our Neighborhood Choirs.

Sincerely,

President & Artistic Director

5Neighborhood Choirs Anticipate Enriching Year

5Choir Performs at Mayor Emanuel’s Inauguration

5Residencies Established with Nicole Cabell and Rollo Dilworth

During the April 2011 tour, Concert Choir singers inspired audiences as they performed with Bobby McFerrin in Finland and Latvia.

PHOTO BY STEVE KAGAN

On May 16, 2011, Chicago Children’s Choir held another successful Paint the Town Red event—bringing the Choir’s singers from all three program levels together in song at Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion. This year was particularly special because Choir singers also participated in the inauguration ceremony of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago City Council.

Paint the Town Red marked the beginning of a Choir initiative to expand arts learning experiences to students and schools most in need. For the first time in the Choir’s history, principals of Chicago Public Schools were invited to apply for a free In-School Program, and more than 30 schools throughout the city applied. Principal Dina Everage of Wentworth Elementary School, this year’s free program recipient, said it best: “I feel that ‘the arts’ is the key component that is missing from our students’ learning experience. It triggers magic in the hearts of children and it sparks an enthusiasm unlike any other medium. The opportunity to add the Chicago Children’s Choir’s In-School Program to the culture I am building at Wentworth is like a dream come true.” Paint the Town Red and the free In-School Choir Program initiative were made possible by generous support from Target.

Through this intiative and advocacy efforts in partnership with Ingenuity Incorporated, the Choir will serve more than 50 schools this year, an increase of 25% over 2010-2011.

Dr. Rollo Dilworth, Associate Professor of Choral Music Education at Temple University and a nationally recognized conductor, educator and clinician, is joining the Choir as Resident Director of Choral Methods. For Choir singers, families and

fans, Dr. Dilworth might be best known as the composer of Freedom Train, the often-performed work commissioned by Chicago Children’s Choir in 2007 honoring the 50th Anniversary. In this new role, Dr. Dilworth will lead fall and winter conductor workshops and provide observation and evaluation for the Choir’s programs and curriculum. Starting in 2012, these professional development opportunities offered to Choir conductors will be open to interested Chicago Public School music teachers as part of the Choir’s new Music Educators Institute made possible by a grant from the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation.

The expertise and reputation of Nicole Cabell and Dr. Rollo Dilworth will help deepen the music education experience for the Choir’s singers and conductors while raising the profile of the Choir’s programs nationally.

Fall Benefit Honors Jim and Ginger Meyer

On October 21, 2011, the Choir will celebrate a very special Red Jacket Optional honoring our board member Jim Meyer and his wife Ginger. The Meyers go beyond generous financial support in their love of the Choir by shadowing international tours and even supporting individual singers as they graduate and pursue higher education. Jim and Ginger are passionate about maintaining singer involvement as our graduating seniors transition into Alumni and have led efforts to reengage Alumni from years past. This spring, Jim and Ginger presented the 2011 class of Concert Choir graduates with a “Lifetime Member of Chicago Children’s Choir” pin to remind them that while they eventually must leave the Choir, they will always be part of our family.

We are thrilled to celebrate the Choir’s 55th Anniversary by honoring Jim and Ginger for their incredible service to the Choir and dedication to arts education. For more information or to purchase tickets to Red Jacket Optional, please contact Emily Hallock at 312-849-8300 x*23 or ehallock@ccchoir.org.

Chicago Children’s Choir Welcomes New Board Members

Chicago Children’s Choir is thrilled to welcome two distinguished individuals to our Board of Directors: Diane Pearse and Chrysa Moster.

Diane Pearse is the Chief Financial Officer of Redbox Automated Retail, LLC. With more than 27,800 locations—and renting more than 1.5 billion discs nationwide—Redbox is a fully automated video rental store. Prior to joining Redbox in May 2010, Diane was the Chief Financial Officer of Crate and Barrel. Diane holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois-Urbana and an M.B.A. from DePaul University.

Chrysa Moster is the Choir’s new Parent Representative and the proud parent of Alexa Moster, a Concert Choir singer. Her role as Parent Representative is to ensure that the parents have a voice in the organization. For seven years, Chrysa worked for Ernst & Young, most recently as a senior manager of Global Human Resources. Chrysa holds an undergraduate degree from Purdue University and an M.B.A from the University of Dallas.

Our Board of Directors is a major reason we are able to provide our services to more than 2,600 children throughout Chicago. We are very grateful for their continued support and dedication.

Board of Directors Michael A. Nemeroff, Chair Anne Kritzmire, Vice Chair James P. Meyer, Vice Chair Robert J. Musur, Treasurer Randy L. Holgate, Secretary

Keith Cardoza Nim Chinniah Kristen P. Freund Rose Ann Grundman Carrie L. Hedges, First Unitarian Rep Ellee Pai Hong Melissa Kibler Knoll Ann Marie Lipinski Micah Materre Chrysa Moster, Parent Rep Diane Pearse William C. Ruffin Brenda A. Russell James F. Schott Carol W. Schroeder Christina Sciotto Joe Shanahan Rita Stols Andres Torres, Alumni Rep Brian D. Vandenberg Monica Walker Ron Weiss Kathleen Wilson-Thompson Bernie Woytek Rev. Nina Grey, Ex Officio

Staff Kandis Allgood Crystal Bowyer Evan Bruno Misho Ceko Youna Cho Whitney Covalle Nicki Denofrio Danielle Enriquez-Fowler John Goodwin Kyle Grace Emily Hallock Judy Hanson Cece Hill Aaron Hurt Lauren Issert Bryan Johnson Don Klimovich Denise Knowlton Josephine Lee Davin Peelle Vivian Rainey Jessica Ramirez Pam Shortall Jocelyn Smith Mollie Stone Colette Unger Danny Wallenberg

Residencies Established with Nicole Cabell and Rollo Dilworth (continued) PHOTO BY DEVIN CASS

Neighborhood Choirs Anticipate Enriching Year

As a new Choir season begins, it is inspiring to look back on the incredible experiences Neighborhood Choir singers had during 2010-2011, including opportunities to perform and collaborate both locally and throughout the country. Some of the year’s highlights included: joining the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under Maestro Riccardo Muti for performances of Verdi’s Otello, tours to Philadelphia and the San Francisco Bay Area, collaborations with Chicago music institutions and exchanges with a number of visiting choirs.

This coming year will be just as thrilling. Neighborhood Choir singers will be performing in the Lyric Opera’s production of Boris Godunov, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Carmina Burana and in tours throughout the United States.

Children who are interested in joining one of the Choir’s eight after-school Neighborhood Choir programs — located in Albany Park (North Park University), Beverly (Beverly Arts Center), Garfield Park (Off The Street Club), Humboldt Park (Casa Central), Hyde Park (First Unitarian Church), Lincoln Park (DePaul Community Music), Pilsen/Little Village (Rauner Family YMCA) and Rogers Park (St. Scholastica Academy) — have opportunities to audition throughout September. Fall recruitment efforts culminate in All Sing Day the last week of September, when prospective singers are encouraged to attend an open rehearsal at each Neighborhood location. For more information about joining a Neighborhood Choir program, or to schedule an audition, please call 312-849-8300 x*10.

Choir performs at Mayor Emanuel’s Inauguration

Choir Alumni: Stay in TouchVisit www.ccchoir.org/alumni to submit your updated contact information in order to receive your lifetime member pin and to subscribe to the new Alumni e-newsletter. Thank you to Jim and Ginger Meyer for their generosity.

PHOTO BY TODD ROSENBERG

PHOTO BY STEVE KAGAN

PHOTO BY KENNY KIM

78 East Washington Street, 5th Floor Chicago, Illinois 60602 312.849.8300 www.ccchoir.org

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Chicago, IL Permit No. 256

Upcoming EventsRed Jacket Optional Friday, October 21, 2011, 6:30pm

The Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Court

To purchase tickets and RSVP to the event, contact Emily Hallock at

312-849-8300 x*23 or ehallock@ccchoir.org The annual Fall Benefit will mark the Choir’s 55th Anniversary of shaping the lives of children through musical excellence, and the Choir will honor Jim and Ginger Meyer for their service and support of the Choir’s mission throughout the years.

Target Community Concert Series – Free!

PRESENTED BY

Concert Choir’s Songs of the Season Sunday, December 11, 3:00pm

Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.

Tickets: $15-$65

www.harristheaterchicago.org or 312-334-7777 Experience the infectious joy and excellence of the Emmy Award-winning Chicago Children’s Choir. The Concert Choir is joined by the Neighborhood Honors Choir and will welcome the 2005 winner of the BBC Singer of the World Competition, Nicole Cabell.

These are but a few of our upcoming events. For more information visit www.ccchoir.org or call 312-849-8300. If you receive duplicate mailings, or wish to be removed from our mailing list, please contact Emily Hallock at ehallock@ccchoir.org or 312-849-8300 x*23.

Holiday Harmony: Give the gift of the Choir

Share the studio recording featuring the Concert Choir with special guest Alumni soloists singing Christmas, Chanukah and seasonal music in the range of genres for which the Choir is renowned. Hear select tracks at www.ccchoir.org.

Available from Amazon.com, iTunes and through the Choir.

Beverly – December 6, 7:30pm Rogers Park – December 15, 7:30pm

Hyde Park – February 14 Garfield Park – April 24 Canto Latino – May 3