Blog

TYC Tour 2020 Announcement!

February 7, 2019 By TYC

On Monday, February 11, we will announce the Tacoma Youth Chorus Tour 2020 details to singers (Chamber grade 8 and Chorale grades 9-12 – this year’s graduating seniors are eligible to come back in a year and be a part of the tour choir – please talk with Mrs. Herrington or Martha, if interested in this option) and families. This is going to be the “BEST TYC SUMMER TOUR EVER!” (direct quote from Martha Leonhardt, TYC Executive Director).

TYC’s international tour tradition dates back to 2003 when we first traveled “across the pond” to sing in a choir festival in Canterbury Cathedral when our singers combined with other international choirs to perform under the direction of Henry Leck and David Flood. Since then, TYC has completed 7 international tours, visiting Canterbury multiple times, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, and Canada.

Recently, a parent of two singers (two different tours) shared:

We value the wonderful friendships our daughters have made with singers and staff . . . We also value the lessons in world travel. The TYC summer tours provide the gold standard for teen travel abroad. Since both of our daughters participated in tours, we compare every other travel opportunity to what we learned from TYC — safety, supervision, teen conduct, learning opportunity, value, fun! To this day, with our college kids abroad, we refer back to lessons learned from the TYC tour experiences!

We are eager to share with families and singers not only the tour itinerary but the philosophy of TYC touring, and answer any questions about Tour 2020.

In the meantime, you may enjoy reading some of our blog from the last tour to France, Germany and England.

If you know of anyone who might be interested in this experience and isn’t presently a member of Tacoma Youth Chorus, they are welcome to join us for our meeting.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the big announcement on Monday, February 11, 7:00pm, in the CWA Lower School Commons!

Here are some photos from previous tours:

A Guest & Friend: Rod Eichenberger Visits TYC this Weekend

January 28, 2019 By TYC

This Saturday, February 2nd, friend of Tacoma Youth Chorus and influential leader in the choral community, Rod Eichenberger, will be visiting to work with Chorale, Men’s Choir, and Women’s Choir.

Mr. Eichenberger & Mrs. Herrington at a workshop in 2017.

For over 50 years, Mr. Eichenberger has taught choral conducting around the world in many conferences, workshops, seminars, as well as three universities (including our very own University of Washington). He has led more than 80 all-state honor choirs, and been a guest lecturer and clinician in all 50 states. Not only is Mr. Eichenberger an internationally renowned choral conductor, but also a great friend to Tacoma Youth Chorus. He has appeared many times as a teacher to generations of TYC singers, as well as all of the conductors who have led TYC choirs.

On Saturday, Mr. Eichenberger will be working with the high school choirs and their directors from 2:00pm – 5:30pm at the Charles Wright Academy Chapel in University Place. Teachers, Conductors, and students, please feel free to join us for this day of learning and growing! There will be a short time after the clinic for you to meet Mr. Eichenberger and ask questions. If you are interested in attending and need more information, please contact the TYC office at 253-588-1391 or [email protected]

We hope to see you there, and look forward to working with such a legendary educator.

Composer John Rutter on the Importance of Choir

January 21, 2019 By TYC

As the 2019 year begins, it is important to keep an eye and ear on the work that we are doing in Tacoma Youth Chorus and music education.

We are currently scheduling assessments for Winter/Spring 2019! If you’re interested, please contact us and check out our ensembles for all age levels!

This week, check out the following from famed British composer John Rutter as he attempts to answer the question of choral importance:

Composer John Rutter.

“Choral music is not one of life’s frills. It’s something that goes to the very heart of our humanity, our sense of community, and our souls. You express, when you sing, your soul in song. And when you get together with a group of other singers, it becomes more than the sum of the parts. All of those people are pouring out their hearts and souls in perfect harmony, which is kind of an emblem for what we need in this world, when so much of the world is at odds with itself…that just to express, in symbolic terms, what it’s like when human beings are in harmony. That’s a lesson for our times and for all time. I profoundly believe that.”

Click here for the full video.

Welcome to 2019 & a Special Announcement

January 8, 2019 By TYC

Welcome back from Winter Break! We hope you all had a relaxing few weeks off. Rehearsals will resume as normal this week and we are all looking forward to creating music for all of our performances this Spring!

At the beginning of Winter Break, you may have seen an announcement about our Founder & Artistic Director, Judy Herrington.

After 43 years, Judy will be retiring from teaching music at Charles Wright Academy. Judy’s plans are to focus on her responsibilities as Artistic Director and choir conductor at Tacoma Youth Chorus, as well as guest conducting throughout the United States and internationally, and her work as a composer.

Tacoma Youth Chorus will continue its valued relationship with Charles Wright Academy for rehearsals and performances.

In talking with Mrs. Herrington about her exciting new chapter, she said,

“I have always valued that teaching at Charles Wright Academy gave me the opportunity to learn and grow. Next fall I look forward focusing on Tacoma Youth Chorus, still learning and growing. Additionally continuing to work with honor choirs and guest conducting and finding new compositions to write.

And in there time for family, friends, a grandson and travel.

Next year in Tacoma Youth Chorus, we will plan to build on the rich tradition of excellence and music making with our singers and adding new learning experiences and community performance opportunities. Always, lots of possibilities!”

We are very thrilled for this opportunity for Mrs. Herrington and look forward to continuing to make music with her for years to come!

Candlelight Concert Invitation

December 13, 2018 By TYC

A beloved tradition in Tacoma Youth Chorus, the Candlelight Concert features the Chorale, Men’s Choir, Women’s Choir, and the alumni Legacy Choir. Held on Monday, December 17th at 7:30pm at Mason United Methodist Church Tacoma, please join us in an evening of choral music, readings, and carols (with an opportunity for you to sing as well!). If you need to purchase tickets, you can get them at the door or on this link to Brown Paper Tickets.

Beginning December: Choirs, Orchestra, and Ballet!

December 3, 2018 By TYC

A big “thank you” to Dr. Geoffrey Boers, Symphony Tacoma, and Symphony Tacoma Voices for another wonderful Sounds of the Season concert this past weekend! TYC Chorale, Chamber Choir, and Concert Choir all enjoyed working with so many wonderful musicians in our Tacoma community.

Looking ahead to next weekend, the Tacoma Youth Chorus Women’s Choir is collaborating with the Metropolitan Ballet of Tacoma on Sunday, December 9th. Last year we collaborated with one of the dancers and this year it’s extended to an ensemble of dancers for the beautiful Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day by John Rutter. Similar to our other collaborations, it gives the performers and audience a deeper way of experiencing the music. We are appreciative of the opportunity to work with Damaris Caughlan and the dancers of the Metropolitan Ballet of Tacoma.

TYC at Sounds of the Season

November 28, 2018 By TYC

Haul out the holly . . . it’s almost time for holiday music!

Tacoma Youth Chorus is honored and absolutely delighted to take part in Holiday Favorites – Sounds of the Season, Symphony Tacoma’s annual collage of seasonal delights!

Performing in the newly renovated Pantages Theater, more than 160 TYC singers will join with Symphony Tacoma, Symphony Tacoma Voices, and special guest artist Marlette Buchanan. An accomplished performer of opera, musical theater, and other genres of music, Ms. Buchanan has been described as a “soprano of extended range, flexibility, warmth, color . . . and beauty.”

Under the baton of Dr. Geoffrey Boers, this festive program will feature Gospel and spiritual favorites, classics from cherished Christmas television programs and movies, moving choral masterpieces, and the ever-popular carol sing-along – there is truly something for everyone!

Our young people have been rehearsing since September on music that will be presented at Tacoma Youth Chorus concerts throughout the month of December. If you can’t make it to the concert on Sunday, we hope you’ll join us at Gift of Song and/or Candlelight Concert – information available on our Events Page at tacomayouthchorus.org.

Holiday Favorites – Sounds of the Season is this Sunday, December 2, 2018; 2:30 pm, at the Pantages Theater. Tickets are available at Tacoma Arts Live Box Office (formerly known as the Broadway Center Box Office).

Throwback Tuesday!

November 13, 2018 By TYC

Here’s a photo from 2009-2010. Some current singers and many alumni are in this photo! How many can you find/name? Good luck!

TYC Choirs with Guest Conductor Dr. David Flood.

Why I Sing: Chris Hampson

November 6, 2018 By TYC

Chris is our new accompanist, working with Music Makers, Choristers, and Men’s Choir. As the first installment of our “Why I Sing” series, we wanted to ask Chris some questions related to his experiences with choral singing, TYC, and music in general.

TYC: What are some of your earliest memories of singing in choirs/listening to choral music as a young student in Oxford, England?
CH: My first experiences of choral music were at school singing an English version of selections from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (I remember that I had some short solo as part of a recitative). The first choral listening that completely changed my life was listening to a Naxos highlights CD of Bach’s Matthew Passion. I immediately wanted to purchase the full 3-CD set and also attended a local choral society performance (that while it was probably not of the highest standard, but good enough that the musical fabric became seared into my very being!).

TYC: What has drawn you to singing? What do you enjoy about it?
CH: My earliest singing memory is of my mum singing nursery rhymes to me. Also, my brother and I used to record songs onto a cassette deck as part of our “radio” shows. I think these experiences combined with playing organ in church, finding an inspirational singing teacher at sixteen, and subsequently attending the Eton Choral Course directed by Ralph Allwood gave me a platform to want to pursue singing and choral directing as a major part of my musical career. Honestly, it just feels good to have access to an instrument that one can carry around (unlike a large pipe organ or grand piano)!

TYC: Through your eyes (and ears), what makes TYC different than other choirs you have sung with or worked with?
CH: TYC feels about as close to the English tradition of choir schools as I have found in the Pacific Northwest. On the East coast, I look to somewhere like St Thomas’, 5th Avenue, New York City but for secular choral opportunities, TYC stands with the very best. I appreciate the care given to detail at the same time as making rehearsal time enjoyable. I think the professionalism from the top downwards (including high expectations of the individual members of the choirs) is key.

TYC: Anything else you want to share about your experiences with choral music?CH: Choral music can be both frustrating (when you are sick with little or no voice!) but it can also give some of the greatest pleasure. There’s something really special about using your body to make sound as part of a large group of diverse people. The term “universal language” is used a lot when discussing music but I see more and more that it has a power to bring people together and break down the walls we seem to want to construct around ourselves…

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, Chris! We look forward to continuing to work with you throughout the year!

Search