Do you catch your child singing along to their favorite TV show or song on the radio? Or does your teen have a passion for the choral arts? Joining one of the choirs at Chicora Voices may be the next step to take to encourage your little vocalist.
What is Chicora Voices?
The non-profit choir program is geared towards children from ages seven all the way through high school. Chicora Voices is based in historic downtown Greenville and was conceived in 2005 after combining the two established regional choirs – the Boy Choir of the Carolinas and the Furman Children’s Choir.
Since then, Chicora Voices and their students have thrived under the direction of Alan Reed and Laura Jean Reed, both of whom have exceptional experience in the music making business with both adults and children. Alan Reed directed the music program at Trinity Lutheran Church of Greenville for 20 years before moving to the Director of Music position at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Taylors (from personal experience, their music program is incredible). He also has extensive experience with musical programs for children.
Laura Jean (Jeanie) Reed is a specialist in younger choral ensembles and was formerly the Music Specialist and Chair of the Fine Arts Team at Greenville’s Stone Academy of Communication Arts.
Before starting Chicora Voices, Alan Reed was the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Boy Choir of the Carolinas and Jeanie Reed was the Artistic Director of the Furman Children’s Choir – so they combined their love of music and the arts and merged the two established choirs into Chicora Voices. Children from all over the Upstate and Western North Carolina are involved in Chicora Voices.
The non-profit program is inspirational and exciting as they offer a full program of rehearsals (which are generally once a week), concerts, social events and travel. They have even performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC.
Chicora Voices aims to not only provide excellent instruction in order to perfect the voices of their students but also to strengthen their character, build confidence, promote discipline and leadership and develop the types of skills that transfer from the music room to every other aspect of their lives.
The program offers six choirs: the Cadet Choir (for younger boys ages seven and up) and the Prelude Choir (for younger girls ages seven and up) both build foundational skills, the Boys Choir (for elementary and middle school boys) and the Girls Choir (for elementary and middle school girls) work on a variety of singing styles, and the Chicora Young Men (older middle school, high school boys) and the Chicora Young Women (older middle school, high school) focus on more advanced repertoires.
Want to get your child involved with Chicora Voices?
Auditions for the choirs are being held on August 9th and 23rd. The Chicora Voices audition application can be found on their website or Facebook page.
Visit the Chicora Voices website here.
Visit the Chicora Voices Facebook page here.
Would your child love to be in a choir just for kids?
Kristina Hernandez is a mom of two girls, freelance writer and photographer and New Jersey native who is thrilled to call the Upstate her new home. She loves cooking, trying new foods, and checking out all that Greenville has to offer. 