Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy Inc

BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS IS A GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING COLLECTIVE OF YOUNG VOICES LED BY VISIONARY FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DIANNE BERKUN MENAKER. THE CHORUS HAS COLLABORATED WITH AN IMPRESSIVE RANGE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS INCLUDING IN THIS SEASON ALONE, POP SUPERSTAR STING, MACARTHUR FELLOW CECILE MCLORRIN SALVANT, AND ACCLAIMED BASS-BARITONE DAVONE TINES AND IN PAST SEASONS THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC, LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC, LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, BARBRA STREISAND, ARCADE FIRE, SIR ELTON JOHN, THE NATIONAL, AND GRIZZLY BEAR.

CHORAL MUSIC EDUCATION AND PERFORMANCE:FOUNDED IN 1992, THE GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS ACADEMY (BYC) IS DEDICATED TO OFFERING MUSIC TRAINING AND CHORAL PERFORMANCES TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF ITS STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY. THROUGH MUSIC STUDY AND PROFESSIONAL-LEVEL PERFORMANCES, BYC UNITES CHILDREN OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND HELPS THEM DEVELOP INTO CONFIDENT AND EXPRESSIVE MUSICIANS AND INDIVIDUALS. BYC STRIVES TO ADVANCE THE ARTISTIC ROLE OF YOUTH CHORUSES THROUGH INNOVATIVE CONCERTS, COMMISSIONS AND ARTISTIC COLLABORATIONS.IN 2021-2022, BYC PROVIDED COMPREHENSIVE MUSIC EDUCATION WITH PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCEOPPORTUNITIES THROUGH OUR TRADEMARKED CROSS-CHORAL TRAINING(R) PROGRAM TO A DIVERSE POPULATION OF OVER 300 NYC STUDENTS AGES 5-18. IN AUGUST OF 2021 BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS WAS THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON TEACHING AFTER GOING COMPLETELY VIRTUAL IN MARCH OF 2020. BYC ALSO CONTINUED TO PROVIDE VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING FOR ALL AGES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF AS MANY FAMILIES AS POSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY AS COVID-19 VACCINATIONS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE FOR YOUNGER SINGERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON. IN THE FALL, BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS RETURNED TO A ROBUST IN-PERSON PROGRAM OF WEEKLY CHORAL MUSIC INSTRUCTION TO SEVEN LEVELS GROUPED BY AGE, SKILL, AND EXPERIENCE: FOUR TRAINING DIVISIONS AND THREE PERFORMING ENSEMBLES. IN ADDITION TO CHORAL INSTRUCTION FOR ALL SEVEN DIVISIONS, WEEKLY AFTER-SCHOOL CLASSES INCLUDED INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE LESSONS IN VOICE AND PIANO AND A RANGE OF SPECIAL WORKSHOPS INCLUDING COLLEGE PANELS AND VOCAL MASTERCLASSES. IN JANUARY 2022 BYC ADDED AN EIGHTH LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION, EXPANDING ITS PROGRAMMING TO WELCOME 5-6 YEAR OLDS INTO A NEW PRE-PREPARATORY DIVISION AIMED AT ACTIVATING EACH CHILD'S MUSICAL POTENTIAL IN A CREATIVE, PLAY-BASED SETTING WHILE BUILDING FOUNDATIONAL MUSIC SKILLS.THE FULL SCHOOL OF CHORISTERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON PERFORMING INCLUDING TWO SETS OF ANNUAL SELF-PRODUCED CONCERTS, FIRST LIVE THAN VIRTUAL IN DECEMBER/JANUARY AND MAY/JUNE. THE CHORUS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN EXCITING PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING A NUMBER OF RECORDING AND FILM PROJECTS IN COLLABORATION WITH PHILIP GLASS, LARA DOWNES, TYONDAI BRAXTON, JULIAN ROSEFELDT, BANG ON A CAN, AND MORE. THE CHORUS CONTINUED ITS GROUNDBREAKING CREATIVE ARTISTRY, GIVING THE LIVE PREMIERES OF FOUR COMMISSIONED WORKS BY COMPOSERS OLGA BELL, TANIA LEN, NATHALIE JOACHIM, AND PAOLA PRESTINI AT THE BANG ON A CAN LONGPLAY FESTIVAL IN MAY 2022. THE CHORUS WAS ALSO FINALLY ABLE TO MAKE ITS SAN DIEGO OPERA DEBUT PRESENTING PAOLA PRESTINI'S AGING MAGICIAN, POSTPONED FROM THE ORIGINAL TOUR SCHEDULED FOR MARCH OF 2020, WHICH WAS WRITTEN FOR BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS. THE BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS HAS AN ACTIVE AND ENGAGED BOARD OF TRUSTEES WHO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND OVERSIGHT AND PARTICIPATE IN A NUMBER OF COMMITTEES TO HELP SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE FOR THE ORGANIZATION. AS PART OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES THE BOARD REGULARLY REVIEWS COMPENSATION FOR THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.

CHORAL MUSIC EDUCATION AND PERFORMANCE:FOUNDED IN 1992, THE GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS ACADEMY (BYC) IS DEDICATED TO OFFERING MUSIC TRAINING AND CHORAL PERFORMANCES TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF ITS STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY. THROUGH MUSIC STUDY AND PROFESSIONAL-LEVEL PERFORMANCES, BYC UNITES CHILDREN OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND HELPS THEM DEVELOP INTO CONFIDENT AND EXPRESSIVE MUSICIANS AND INDIVIDUALS. BYC STRIVES TO ADVANCE THE ARTISTIC ROLE OF YOUTH CHORUSES THROUGH INNOVATIVE CONCERTS, COMMISSIONS AND ARTISTIC COLLABORATIONS.IN 2021-2022, BYC PROVIDED COMPREHENSIVE MUSIC EDUCATION WITH PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCEOPPORTUNITIES THROUGH OUR TRADEMARKED CROSS-CHORAL TRAINING(R) PROGRAM TO A DIVERSE POPULATION OF OVER 300 NYC STUDENTS AGES 5-18. IN AUGUST OF 2021 BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS WAS THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON TEACHING AFTER GOING COMPLETELY VIRTUAL IN MARCH OF 2020. BYC ALSO CONTINUED TO PROVIDE VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING FOR ALL AGES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF AS MANY FAMILIES AS POSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY AS COVID-19 VACCINATIONS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE FOR YOUNGER SINGERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON. IN THE FALL, BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS RETURNED TO A ROBUST IN-PERSON PROGRAM OF WEEKLY CHORAL MUSIC INSTRUCTION TO SEVEN LEVELS GROUPED BY AGE, SKILL, AND EXPERIENCE: FOUR TRAINING DIVISIONS AND THREE PERFORMING ENSEMBLES. IN ADDITION TO CHORAL INSTRUCTION FOR ALL SEVEN DIVISIONS, WEEKLY AFTER-SCHOOL CLASSES INCLUDED INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE LESSONS IN VOICE AND PIANO AND A RANGE OF SPECIAL WORKSHOPS INCLUDING COLLEGE PANELS AND VOCAL MASTERCLASSES. IN JANUARY 2022 BYC ADDED AN EIGHTH LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION, EXPANDING ITS PROGRAMMING TO WELCOME 5-6 YEAR OLDS INTO A NEW PRE-PREPARATORY DIVISION AIMED AT ACTIVATING EACH CHILD'S MUSICAL POTENTIAL IN A CREATIVE, PLAY-BASED SETTING WHILE BUILDING FOUNDATIONAL MUSIC SKILLS.THE FULL SCHOOL OF CHORISTERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON PERFORMING INCLUDING TWO SETS OF ANNUAL SELF-PRODUCED CONCERTS, FIRST LIVE THAN VIRTUAL IN DECEMBER/JANUARY AND MAY/JUNE. THE CHORUS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN EXCITING PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING A NUMBER OF RECORDING AND FILM PROJECTS IN COLLABORATION WITH PHILIP GLASS, LARA DOWNES, TYONDAI BRAXTON, JULIAN ROSEFELDT, BANG ON A CAN, AND MORE. THE CHORUS CONTINUED ITS GROUNDBREAKING CREATIVE ARTISTRY, GIVING THE LIVE PREMIERES OF FOUR COMMISSIONED WORKS BY COMPOSERS OLGA BELL, TANIA LEN, NATHALIE JOACHIM, AND PAOLA PRESTINI AT THE BANG ON A CAN LONGPLAY FESTIVAL IN MAY 2022. THE CHORUS WAS ALSO FINALLY ABLE TO MAKE ITS SAN DIEGO OPERA DEBUT PRESENTING PAOLA PRESTINI'S AGING MAGICIAN, POSTPONED FROM THE ORIGINAL TOUR SCHEDULED FOR MARCH OF 2020, WHICH WAS WRITTEN FOR BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS. THE BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS HAS AN ACTIVE AND ENGAGED BOARD OF TRUSTEES WHO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND OVERSIGHT AND PARTICIPATE IN A NUMBER OF COMMITTEES TO HELP SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE FOR THE ORGANIZATION. AS PART OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES THE BOARD REGULARLY REVIEWS COMPENSATION FOR THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.