The Detroit Children’s Choir-- A Partner Song
Lauri Hogle
Consider the elements of a partner song: two distinct and independent melodies, but with similar harmonic structures and lengths so that, together, they produce a beautiful harmony. The partner song comes to mind immediately as I consider the Detroit Children’s Choir (DCC) and its rich structure of partnership.
DCC’s
mission is to use the power and discipline of choral singing to bring together Detroit metro area children, ages 8-14.
The children, repre-
senting a wide range of ethnicities, religious beliefs and socio-economic levels, perform to- gether and create “melodies” of team building, creativity, social interaction, understanding and connection to each other and their environment.
Founded in 2006 by director, Carol Schoch, and a group of dedicated volunteers, the DCC introduced a new concept of making an excel- lent choral experience available to all children of metro Detroit.
to children in grades 2-8. School principals ini- tiate requests for a DCC choir, then obtain fund- ing through the DPS central office or their own charter school budget.
Once a school has requested a choir, DCC cho- ral directors actively recruit singers from the student body. Parental permission, written reg- istration, and teacher recommendation enable entrance into the choir. Criteria for acceptance are primarily desire, attitude and work ethic. DCC children are responsible for making up any work missed while attending rehearsal and are required to maintain solid grades in their academic work as well as to display model citi- zenship.
Modeled after the Chicago
Children’s Choir in-school and neighborhood choir program, DCC is the only community- wide, inclusive choral music education program proudly emanating from Detroit. By bringing our choral educators into the schools and neigh- borhood centers, students have easier access to high quality learning, ensuring that every child who wants to sing finds a place in a choir.
DCC now has a talented staff of choral educa- tors, accompanists, and administrators to sup- port its mission and has introduced over 1500 children to the joys and rigors of choral mu- sic in its 7 seasons.
The curriculum, which is
aligned with state and Common Core standards, is Kodály-based, incorporates a wide range of genres from all American traditions, empha- sizes healthy vocal technique, focuses on fluent reading and musicianship, and is authentically multi-cultural.
Since its inception DCC has served twelve of Detroit’s public and charter schools while op- erating in four neighborhood choir locations within the city of Detroit. These in-school and neighborhood choirs are located in accessible and targeted areas across the city and are open
A collegial and harmonious partner song with principal, teachers, and parents is fostered by frequent contact with DCC directors, a staff liai- son from the school, and a DCC administrative program assistant.
city charter school student into the DCC fam- ily is integral to the mission of the Detroit Chil- dren’s Choir, as many students would not sing their song without DCC.
Neighborhood and in-school choirs perform for their peers and local school community in addi- tion to participating in the mass choral experi- ences provided for all DCC ensembles. A small auditioned touring choir, established in 2008, performs at special local events. All of these choirs provide children with opportunities to reach out to their communities and connect with others through the power of song. In doing so, these children are learning to become leaders and ambassadors for their communities and the city of Detroit, a central mission of the DCC.
Premiering September 2013, a new partner song featuring the DCC and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Civic Youth Ensembles (CYE) will expand our horizons. Children from all DCC programs will experience the grandest of partner songs as we combine all in-school and neighborhood choirs, the touring choirs and the newly formed Concert Chorale, in the 8th an-
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Bringing a DPS or Detroit
Choral
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