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About the Winston-Salem Youth Chorus

Our Mission & Vision

The mission of the Winston-Salem Youth Chorus is to engage and develop youth from diverse backgrounds and enrich their lives by inspiring excellence in choral music.

Our vision is to be the premiere youth choral organization in our region, where all interested youth have the opportunity to engage.

The Opportunity

The Winston-Salem Youth Chorus is dedicated to educating the talented and diverse youth of our community in music and choral skills while offering them abundant opportunities to share their talents locally and beyond.  We offer a wide range of programs throughout the year to suit the learning needs and interests of every student, from our main choirs to our summer camp.  Our members learn music theory, sight reading, proper vocal technique, choral style, and music in many languages within its unique cultural perspective.  A variety of performance opportunities are available, including an average of five concerts per semester, collaborations with other choirs, Piedmont Opera, the Winston-Salem Symphony, and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.  Solo performance opportunities are also available.  All of these activities help our singers gain a music experience unlike any other that prepares them for a lifetime of music enrichment.  Most importantly, the chorus brings together children from many backgrounds who learn teamwork and build lasting friendships, all centered around the universal language of music.  Our singers truly represent the diversity and the excellence of our community.

Brief History

Founded in 1993 by current Artistic and Executive Director, Barbara C. Beattie, the Winston-Salem Youth Chorus has impacted the lives of hundreds of children and youth through music education and performance experiences for sixteen years.  The WSYC began as the Stevens Center Children’s Chorus, with children aged 8 to 13 making up the membership.  The group continued to evolve, growing in size and stature, and they became the Winston-Salem Children’s Chorus in 1997 with Bud Beattie as Administrator.   Thanks to strong community support and interest, along with the passion and efforts of Barbara and Bud Beattie, the WSCC eventually added on high school youth in the Young Women’s and Young Men’s Ensembles.  It was only natural for the WSCC to progress forward with a new name and image, the Winston-Salem Youth Chorus in 2009, to reflect the diversity in membership and age ranges, not to mention the mature sound and professional quality of the group.  The WSYC now has over seventy members in four ensembles, ranging from grades 3-12 and representing over forty schools in Forsyth and surrounding counties. The chorus also recently added on two new music programs and a summer camp (see below for details).

Programs

The four core ensembles of the WSYC are:

Rehearsals take place at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church (located at 2575 Parkway Drive in Winston-Salem).

A student's acceptance and ensemble assignment are based on his or her age, vocal ability, and musical experience. A love of singing and enthusiasm for music are the most important requirements. All chorus members are reevaluated annually to assess their progress and determine their readiness for promotion to more advanced ensembles.

Follow this link for information on the audition process.

Additional programs offered by the WSYC:

Fall Forward and Spring Forward: for boys and girls in grades 2-4. This low cost program is an introduction to choral music and offers children the chance to perform with the main WSYC ensembles in the Winter Celebration Concert or Mother's Day Concert. The program is generally a five-week session of 45-minute rehearsals per week. One session is offered in the fall, and one in the spring. No audition is required.

Connections Camp: for boys and girls in grades 3-6. Held Every Summer, Campers receive an introductory singing and music learning experience. The camp also includes daily dance routines in different styles, percussion playing, and visiting a different downtown arts venue every day.  Campers learn about the wide variety of opportunities available in the arts in Winston-Salem for children as well as adults.  Campers even parade through the heart of the city, showcasing their musical talents.

JumpStart: This outreach program enables the Winston-Salem Youth Chorus to go out into the community and involve underserved children in singing. A fall session and a spring session are offered in partnership with the Best Choice Center Afterschool Program and Green Street UMC Kid's Cafe. JumpStart is made possible through the generous gifts of The Arts Council, The Blessings Project Foundation, and The Wachovia/Wells Fargo Foundation.

Please contact 336-703-0001 for more information about these programs.

Choral & Music Festivals

The WSYC has participated in many prestigious music festivals, such as the Windy City Youth Choral Festival in Chicago under the direction of Francisco Nunez (June 23-27, 2010). The WSYC has also performed in the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina (May 2008, May 2002), the Shenandoah Conservatory Youth Choral Festival in Winchester, Virginia (March 2008), the Magnolia Baroque Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (June 2006), the International Music Festival in Salzburg, Austria (July 2004), the Second Mid-Winter Children's Choir Festival at Carnegie Hall (February 2001), the Massed Children's Choirs Festival in Winchester, Virginia (March 2000), and the North Carolina School of the Arts and Salem College 25th Annual Summer Organ Academy (June 1999).

In July 2011, members of the WSYC participated in the Wintergreen Summer Music Festival in Wintergreen, Virginia.

Collaborations

Our members are frequently invited to perform with regional arts groups and professional musicians. Upcoming collaborations include performing with the UNCSA Cantata Singers directed by Jamie Allbritten, and performing for the Garrison Keillor appearances at the Stevens Center. Past collaborations have most recently been Turandot and Hansel & Gretel with Piedmont Opera, Lenny's Spiritual Side and John Williams Returns concerts with the Winston-Salem Symphony, John Rutter's Mass of the Children with the Piedmont Chamber Singers, and Voices United with the Winston-Salem State University Choirs directed by D'Walla Burke.

Travel & Tours

Our most recent chorus tour was in July 2011 when we participated in the Wintergreen Summer Music Festival in Wintergreen, Virginia.

WSYC trips are planned on a three year cycle.  On year one of the cycle, the WSYC does not tour (except within the region/weekend trips). On year two, the Touring Chorus and members of the Young Women's & Men's Ensembles embark on an international tour (generally 10-12 days).   On year three, a regional/national tour is taken (generally 4-5 days). This cycle allows choristers and their families the opportunity to raise money to pay for the large trips by having a year without travel before the year of the major trip.

Past international tours have included Italy (2007) and Austria (2004).

Testimonials

“Auditioning (for WSYC) was one of the best things I have ever done.  Singing in that group was a large part of my childhood, providing me with not only the fundamentals of music and performing but also some of the best friends and experiences I have ever had… I am sure that my participation in the Winston-Salem Youth Chorus helped lead me to where I am today.”
— Miriam Schildkret, 2002 WSYC alumna, Junior in Vocal Performance, Ithaca College

“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to each of you for the first-rate World Premiere that you gave my The Gift of Music…in every way you made the piece your own.  The performance was solid technically, had excellent diction and was expressively sung.  You truly brought the piece to life in a magnificent way!  Barbara Beattie deserves huge accolades for the superb training that she gives all of you in the Winston-Salem Youth Chorus on a weekly basis.  With her brilliant leadership, David Pulliam’s sensitive accompanying….and solid parental support all contribute to make your ensemble a treasured resource of our community.”
— Dan Locklair, Nationally-recognized composer and Professor of Music, Wake Forest University

“I just bought a copy of your fine CD with WSYC (Hear the Angels Sing).  The title is certainly apt as the choir does indeed sound angelic!  Congratulations to you and all the WSYC members for splendid, gorgeous, and sumptuous sound!”

— Scott Carpenter, Organist and Coordinator of Music Programs, Old Salem Museums & Gardens

                                                               
“WSYC embraced not only my love for music, but allowed me to be myself.  As I matured through the years that I was a member of the Youth Chorus, I learned so much about music, my voice, friendships and myself.  It was a turning point in my life that has made me into the person I am today, and for that, I am extremely grateful.”

— Ellen Bryan, 2005 WSYC alumna, Junior in Acting & Musical Theatre, Webster University Theatre Arts Conservatory