America's leading youth choral institution, the National Children’s Chorus (NCC) recently announced a partnership with UCLA. The bi-coastal organization is moving its West Coast rehearsals to Schoenberg Hall, home base for the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.
In addition to serving as a new rehearsal location, UCLA will become the venue for the organization's fall and spring showcases. The chorus's senior division will also perform a full season of concerts at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica while its East Coast contingent will perform at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York. The 2013/14 concert season, "Roots," begins in December.
The NCC executive team was searching for a larger Westside location that could accommodate the growing number of students and complex rehearsal requirements when Michael Dean, UCLA's chair of the music department, extended the invitation.
"We are so happy to support the educational mission of the National Children's Chorus, certainly one of the top institutions training young singers nationwide," said Dean. "It is our goal to work together in building aspiring musicians within the community, whether entering the NCC at the age of 5, or graduating from UCLA with a D.M.A. at the age of 27. "We are passionate about music education and couldn't be more pleased with this planned partnership."
Luke McEndarfer, NCC artistic director, said the organization was honored by UCLA's invitation. "More than the famous history surrounding the many illustrious musicians who have walked its halls, the new rehearsal rooms will provide our students with an elevated level of acoustical precision when refining their vocal technique."
