American Boychoir School
Encyclopedia
The American Boychoir School is a music boarding school
located in Princeton
, New Jersey
. It is one of only two boychoir boarding schools in the United States, the other being Saint Thomas Choir School
in New York City
. The school serves boys in grades 4-8 who come from across the United States as well as many international countries.
, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra
, The St. Olaf Choir, cellist Yo-Yo Ma
, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis
, and several opera singers including Jessye Norman
, Frederica von Stade
and Kathleen Battle
. The choir has had numerous television appearances on NBC
's Today show and is featured on sixteen recordings. One of its members in 1951-1952, Chet Allen was cast as Amahl in Gian Carlo Menotti
's first ever opera
for television, Amahl and the Night Visitors
on the Hallmark Hall of Fame
, then on NBC.
In the 2004-2005 season, the boychoir performed at the 77th annual Academy Awards
with pop diva Beyoncé Knowles
and with Jessye Norman
before the United States Open (tennis) women's singles final. Other highlights included tours across the United States
and into Canada
, an appearance in Boston
and at Carnegie Hall
in celebration of James Levine
’s inaugural season as Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
, as well as six performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra
.
The American Boychoir is subdivided into two choirs: the Concert Choir and the Training Choir. The Concert Choir, currently conducted by Fernando Malvar- Ruiz, performs and tours regularly while Training Choir, currently conducted by Fred Meads, is made up of first year students that receive training in order to move up to the Concert Choir when they are ready. Boys join the choir by auditioning while visiting the school, or auditioning after Boychoir performances at concert sites or after school programs. An alumnus may join the Alumni Chorus, conducted by music director emeritus, James Litton
. Auditions are required for enrollment into The American Boychoir School.
2010
Albemarle Records AR 1007
The American Boychoir,
Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Litton-Lodal Music Director
ACDA concert
other choirs
Oklahoma city,OK
2009
St. Mathews Passion
Kurt Masur, West Minister Choir College and the New York Philharmonic
2008
Harmony: American Songs of Faith
2007
Albemarle Records AR 1006
The American Boychoir, St. Olaf Choir, and Alumni Chorus of the American Boychoir School
Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Litton-Lodal Music Director; Anton Armstrong
, Conductor; James Litton
, Music Director Emeritus
Columbus~American Boychoir
2007
70th Anniversary Compilation
A Princeton Christmas for the Children of Africa
2007
The American Boychoir, Princeton Day School
Choir Madrigal Singers, The Princeton Girlchoir, The Princeton High School Choir, The Princeton University
Chapel Choir, the Tartantones of Stuart Country Day School
of the Sacred Heart, The Westminster Choir, and the Westminster Concert Bell Choir of Westminster Choir College
All proceeds benefit the UN World Food Program
Messe Basse
2004
Albemarle Records AR1005
The American Boychoir
James Litton
, Conductor; Scott Dettra, Organ
Voices of Angels
2004
Albemarle Records AR1004
The American Boychoir
James Litton
and Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Conductors
The Lost Christmas Eve
2004
Lava/Atlantic Records
93146-2 distributed by Atlantic Records
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
(The American Boychoir is heard on Track 5, Remember)
Gold sales of this album were certified by the Recording Industry Association of America
in 2005
Benjamin Britten
: A Ceremony of Carols
2003
Albemarle Records 1003
The American Boychoir
Vincent Metallo, Conductor; John Charles Schuker, Organ; Barbara Ann Biggers, Harp
Lullaby, Music for the Quiet Times
2002
Albemarle Records 1002
The American Boychoir
James Litton
, Music Director
Soothing lullabies for children and adults in many languages and from many lands
American Songfest
2002
Albemarle Records 1001
The American Boychoir
Vincent Metallo, Music Director
A musical overview of American composers throughout the 20th century
Kurt Masur
at the New York Philharmonic
(special edition)
2001
The American Boychoir with the New York Choral Artists
The Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.; Kurt Masur
, Music Director
Litton Live! – The Farewell Concert
2002
American Boychoir 103
The Concert Choir, the Training Choir, and the Alumni Chorus
James Litton
, Music Director
Mass & Vespers for the Feast of Holy Innocents
2000
LINN Records CKD 152
James Litton
, Music Director; Members of the New York Collegium
The Prayer Cycle by Jonathan Elias
1999
Sony
SK60569
The American Boychoir with Alanis Morissette
, James Taylor
, Salif Keita
, Perry Farrel and Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn
Fast Cats and Mysterious Cows (Songs from America)
1999
Virgin Classics 7243 5 45368 2 3
The American Boychoir
James Litton
, Music Director; Patricia Petibon
, Soprano; Catherine King
, Mezzo-Soprano
Christmastime
1998
Reunion Records
02341 0015 2, Michael W. Smith
The American Boychoir is featured on Track 3 Christmastime; Track 6 Medley: Sing We Now of Christmas; O Come O Come Emmanuel, Emmanuel; and Track 11 Carols Sing.
Wide Awake
1998
Miramax
Original motion picture soundtrack composed by Edmund Choi
Grace
1997
Sony Classical SK 62035
The American Boychoir with Kathleen Battle
The American Boychoir performs with Ms. Battle on Track 3, Mozart's Laudate Dominum.
Sing!
1997
ABS Recordings E-2200
The American Boychoir
James Litton
, Music Director
Carol
1996
EMI CDC 7243 5 56180 2 3
The American Boychoir with the Albemarle Consort of Voices and orchestra
James Litton
, Conductor
In the Spirit
1996
Phillips 454 985-2
The American Boychoir with Jessye Norman
David Robertson, Conductor
The American Boychoir is heard on Away in a Manger, Of the father's Love Begotten and Mary Had a Baby.
By Request
1996
EMI CDC 7243 5 55247
The American Boychoir
James Litton
, Music Director
A collection of the most popular selections from The American Boychoir’s tour programs performed either a capella or with piano.
Hymn
1995
EMI CDC 55064 2 9
The American Boychoir with Stephen Curtis Chapman, Twila Paris
, the Albemarle Consort of Voices, and the St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble
James Litton
, Music Director
Orchestrated and arranged by Ron Huff and Tom Mitchell
In Search of Angels
1994
Windham Hill Records
01934 11153-2
The American Boychoir featuring Patty Larkin
, Jane Siberry, k.d. lang
, Tim Story, and others
Soundtrack from PBS Special. Choir sings Jesus Christ, the Apple Tree.
Interview with the Vampire
1994
Geffen GEFD 24719
Original motion picture soundtrack, composed by Elliot Goldenthal
Lost in the Stars
1992
MusicMasters Classics 01612-67100-2
American Boychoir Chorister Jamal Howard sings the role of Alex in this recorded revival of the passionate musical based on Alan Paton
’s Cry, the Beloved Country
.
Julius Rudel, Conductor of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert
1992
SONY
Classical SK 48235
The American Boychoir featuring Kathleen Battle
, Frederica von Stade
, Wynton Marsalis
Andre Previn
, Conductor of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s
Trumpets Sound, Voices Ring
1991
MusicMasters 523153F
The American Boychoir with the Atlantic Brass Quintet
, William Trafka, Organ; Thomas Goeman, Piano and Harpsichord
James Litton
, Music Director
Trumpets Sound, Voices Ring (single CD version)
1991
MusicMasters 01612-67076-2
The American Boychoir
James Litton
, Music Director
Dixit Dominus
1991
MusicMasters 01612-67084-2
The American Boychoir with the Albemarle Consort of Voices, and the Eighteenth Century Ensemble
James Litton
, Music Director
Hymnody of Earth
1990
MusicMasters 01612-67058-2
A ceremony of songs for choir, hammer dulcimer and percussion composed and arranged by Malcolm Dalglish
(b. 1953) with inspiration and lyrics from Wendell Berry
The American Boychoir On Tour
1990
Ocaso HR006CD
The American Boychoir; Thomas Goeman and Wallace Hornady, Piano
James Litton
, Conductor
Selections from The American Boychoir tour repertoire
Leonard Bernstein
, Chichester Psalms
; Charles Davidson
, I Never Saw Another Butterfly
1988
Music Heritage Society MHC 312514Y
The American Boychoir with The American Symphony Orchestra
The American Boychoir with Jessye Norman
– Christmastide
1987
Philips 420 180-2, released on video
The American Boychoir with the New York Choral Society and the Empire Chamber Ensemble
Robert De Cormier
, Conductor
On Christmas Day
1987
Ocaso HR002
The American Boychoir with the Cathedral Symphony Orchestra and the New York Vocal Consort
James Litton
, Conductor
Go West Young Man, Michael W. Smith
1986
The American Boychoir and other choirs
Reunion Records
Britten Ceremony of Carols
1983
Pro Arte Digital
The American Boychoir with Ruth Negri, Harp; Harriett Wintergreen, Piano; Paul-Martin Maki, Organ
John Kuzma, Music Director
This is my Country
1983
Pro Arte Digital
The American Boychoir
John Kuzma, Music Director
Messiah
1981
Smithsonian Collection
The American Boychoir with Smithsonian Chamber Players and Normal Scribner Chorus, conducted by James Weaver. Soloists: Carole Bogarde (soprano), Elvira Green (alto), Jeffrey Gall (counter-tenor), Charles Bressler
(tenor), and Leslie Guinn (bass).
Performed on original instruments; the only American men-and-boys recording of Handel’s Messiah
Benjamin Britten War Requiem
1975
Kalvier Records
The American Boychoir with The William Hall Chorale and Vienna Festival Symphony Orchestra, William Hall, Conductor
First American recording
Felix Mendelssohn
Elijah
1970
RCA Red Seal
The Columbus Boychoir with The Philadelphia Orchestra
, Shirley Verrett
, Soprano; Richard Lewis, Bass; Eugene Ormandy, Conductor.
Robert Haley, Director
Recorded April 8–9, 1969. Released September 1970.
Leonard Bernstein
Kaddish Symphony
Private Label
1966
The Columbus Boychoir
Donald Bryant, Music Director
Columbus Boychoir School 25th Anniversary Concert, June 5, 1965
1965
Private issue
The Columbus Boychoir
Donald Bryant, Music Director
Live concert recording, Westminster Choir College
Columbus Boychoir Christmas Concert, December 1964
1964
Private issue
The Columbus Boychoir
Donald Bryant, Music Director
Live concert recordings, Alexander Hall (Princeton)
12-inch LP recordings of excerpts from Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah (+Hallelujah)
10-inch LP recording of Christmas carols
Firestone presents Your Favorite Christmas Carols
1963
Columbus Boychoir with the Rise Stevens, Brian Sullivan, and the Firestone Orchestra and Chorus
Donald Bryant, director
Family Christmas Favorites
ca. 1962
Decca
The Columbus Boychoir with Bing Crosby
Donald Bryant, Conductor
The Columbus Boychoir
ca. 1962
Donald Bryant, Music Director
Christmastime
ca. 1960
Decca
The Columbus Boychoir with other choirs
Donald Bryant, conductor
Singing for the Joy of It
1961
Decca DL 74135
The Columbus Boychoir
Donald Bryant, Music Director
Joy to the World
ca. 1960
Decca DL 78920
The Columbus Boychoir
Donald Bryant, Music Director
The Columbus Boychoir
ca. 1960
Gothic
The Columbus Boychoir with the Princeton Chamber Orchestra, Nicholas Harsanyi, Conductor; Joanna Richard, Soprano; Rachel Armstrong, Alto
Donald Bryant, Conductor
Festival of Song
1955
Decca DL 8106
The Columbus Boychoir
Herbert Huffman, Music Director
Arrigo Boito Mephistofele “Prologue”
1954
RCA
The Columbus Boychoir with the NBC Symphony Orchestra
, Arturo Toscanini
, Conductor; Nicola Moscona, Bass.
Herbert Huffman, Conductor
Taken from the broadcast of March 14, 1954
Amahl and the Night Visitors
Original Cast of the NBC telecast
1951
RCA 6485-2-RG
American Boychoir chorister Chet Allen
The Lord’s Prayer; O Holy Night
ca. 1950
RCA Victor
The Columbus Boychoir
Herbert Huffman, conductor
Favorite Christmas Carols
ca. 1947
The Columbus Boychoir
Herbert Huffman, Music Director
The Columbus Boychoir – May 6, 1947 concert
Herbert Huffman, Music Director
The school offers some intramural sports
in which most boys participate, including soccer, basketball
, cross-country running, tennis
, flag football
, and ultimate
. Special interest clubs and outings organized by the Parents Association provide evening and weekend fun.
Graduates of The American Boychoir School go on to high schools around the country – public and private.
The school is a fully accredited member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools
. and Middle States Association.
The American Boychoir School is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization. The School welcomes does not discriminate in its admissions, scholarship programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin or religion.
education as well as extensive music training. The academic curriculum of The American Boychoir School is structured so that the boys gain their education not only in the classroom, but also during their touring and travel experiences, and their musical performances.
The boys enjoy the advantage of small classes in grades 4th through 8th. The 4th and 5th grade combination is a self-contained class where the students have regular daily periods of Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
In grades six through eight, the boys change classes for Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and Spanish.
Language Arts consists of lessons in grammar, spelling, vocabulary, literature, and an extensive writing program. Required reading is often integrated with Social Studies units and frequently coincides with an area to which the boys travel. A teacher-formulated writing process has successfully been used to expand the students’ ability to organize and express their ideas and opinions with coherence and fluency.
Math classes for each grade level are divided into sections by ability. Sixth grade is general math. Seventh grade begins the study of algebraic expressions, linear equations and reviews of percentages, decimals, and proportions. Eighth grade focuses on complex word problems, multi-step equations, and polynomials. The other section of grade eight performs quadratic functions and expressions with radicals.
Social Studies in the sixth grade includes geography and history. It is a survey of World Geography and Culture. Current events are an integral part of the program. Seventh grade focuses on American History from Early American Civilization to Reconstruction. Eighth grade continues from Reconstruction to the present, emphasizing America’s role in the Global Community.
Science classes are closely connected to the boys’ environment, working with the scientific process and the relevance it has in their lives. Sixth grade studies Life Science – the Unity and Diversity of Life. Seventh grade studies Earth Science. Eighth grade studies Physical Science, which includes Chemistry and Physics. The year culminates with an independent science project, which is developed throughout the year and displayed at the science fair.
Spanish instruction develops the students’ understanding and practical use of the language. The students learn oral structures, grammar, vocabulary, reading in context and writing skills. Their level of competency progresses with practice in speaking, conversation and composition.
Aural Training is where the boys learn games and exercises that develop their abilities to hear musical intervals, expand their tonal memory skills, recognize patterns in music, and sing in tune. Once comfortable with these skills, they learn to use them to read music at a collegiate level.
Written Theory is focused on the interpretation of a musical score. The symbols, directions, and structure of printed music are carefully studied, so that boys can intuitively read a piece in its entirety, and not just the notes and rhythms alone. In advanced classes, boys learn to analyze the structure and form of musical works, and eventually to compose basic pieces on their own.
Vocal Technique gives the boys a chance to work in small groups on the essentials of singing correctly. They must learn about correct body posture, breathing, relaxation, vowel formation, and placement of the voice. Good vocal health and voice production are stressed.
Rehearsal Technique is where boys learn how to be active participants in a choral rehearsal. They are taught how to mark their music, ask appropriate questions, and be successful through the musical learning process. These classes are alternated with time spent in the Technology Lab, where all computers are equipped with a music study program. This allows the boys to improve their skills in areas of rhythm, intervals, tonal memory, and even basic composition.
Musicianship Training Program - Participates in creative music-making utilizing the methods of Orff, Kodaly, and Gordon using Orff instruments (pitched and un-pitched percussion instruments, recorders).
Small Group Vocal Instruction Training Program - Optional for ages 12–14. Groups of four work with experienced vocal instructors to explore their vocal potential and increase confidence in singing accurately from a notated score.
All campers participate in two concerts every session. At the Friday Night Concert, campers in the Musicianship Training Program demonstrate their improved understanding of music theory on the Orff instruments.
The Saturday Morning Choral Concert showcases the Albemarle Chorus, the Albemarle Junior Chorus and Small Group Vocal Training students. The program is followed by a reception and good-byes.
Mornings between classes are filled with outdoor playground games and fun group activities. Afternoons are spent swimming, playing team sports and doing arts and crafts. In the evening, boarding campers play campus-wide games including Capture-the-flag, Mission Impossible and Stronghold, perform in lip-sync contests, go bowling and play in a live-action game of Clue. On weekends there are trips to the beach, the zoo, the movies and baseball games.
Choral Training - An opportunity to learn and perfect repertoire with Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Litton-Lodal Music Director of The American Boychoir that is consistent with that of a typical American Boychoir concert. Boys explore and improve their vocal potential in Small Group Vocal Instruction classes.
Music Theory - Campers improve their skills in sight reading and ear training based on the Kodaly Method.
Tour Bus and Media Event - Includes a trip on 'Gus', the same bus that carries The American Boychoir around the country each year. The bus trip culminates in a professional photo shoot.
As in Camp Albemarle, the mornings between classes are filled with outdoor playground games and fun group activities. Afternoons are spent swimming, playing team sports and doing crafts.
An audition is necessary to participate in The American Boychoir Experience.
in 1937, by Herbert Huffman who believed that "the experience of performing the great choral literature – and performing it at the highest professional levels – could have a profound effect on the academic, social and moral development of boys".http://www.americanboychoir.org/about_welcome.html Founded originally as the Columbus Boychoir, the group moved to Princeton in 1950. It changed its name to the American Boychoir in 1980.
From 1985 to 2001, the choir was conducted by James Litton
, an expert on children's choral techniques and vocal production. Regarded as one of America's prominent choral conductors, Litton led the boychoir in more than 2,000 concerts in 49 states and 12 nations.
In April, 2002, The New York Times
reported sexual abuse which had taken place at the Boychoir School several decades earlier. In court documents, the American Boychoir claimed that it had no duty to protect children in their care from sexual abuse by staff and that children who were abused were themselves negligent for not bringing the abuse to light. One of the students who had claimed that he was victimized was constitutional scholar Lawrence Lessig
, who has represented another student, John Hardwicke, in his lawsuit against the school. In its court filings, the school claimed that Hardwicke, then 12, had consented to sex and said that he was negligent in not reporting the incident at the time.
On August 8, 2006, the New Jersey Supreme Court
ruled against the school's appeal of a lower court decision. The school had contended that the state's charitable immunity
act protected it from liability in sexual abuse lawsuits brought by former students. The court found that the Charitable Immunity Act immunizes charities for negligence only; it does not bar statutory or common-law claims that are based on willful, wanton or grossly negligent conduct.
The school's lawyers requested the New Jersey Supreme Court to reconsider the decision, claiming the ruling represented a major extension of vicarious liability.
On January 5, 2006, then-Governor of New Jersey
Richard Codey
signed bill S540/A2512 into New Jersey law, ending the Boychoir's charitable immunity defense, and making New Jersey the 48th state to allow victims of childhood sex abuse to sue churches, schools and other non-profits for the actions of their staff.
The lawsuit from 35 years ago has been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties. Both parties agreed, as part of the resolution, not to comment on the details.
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
located in Princeton
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. It is one of only two boychoir boarding schools in the United States, the other being Saint Thomas Choir School
Saint Thomas Choir School
Saint Thomas Choir School is a church-affiliated boarding choir school in Manhattan, New York. It was founded in 1919 and is supported by the nearby Saint Thomas Church, an Episcopal church continuing the Anglican tradition of all-male choral ensembles...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The school serves boys in grades 4-8 who come from across the United States as well as many international countries.
The Choir
The American Boychoir is regarded as one of the nation's premier choral groups, performing in many concerts across the United States and at international venues. On average, the choir makes over 200 appearances in four to five major tours annually. In its history, the choir has performed with the New York PhilharmonicNew York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
, The St. Olaf Choir, cellist Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma is an American cellist, virtuoso, and orchestral composer. He has received multiple Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts in 2001 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011...
, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
, and several opera singers including Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman is an American opera singer. Norman is a well-known contemporary opera singer and recitalist, and is one of the highest paid performers in classical music...
, Frederica von Stade
Frederica von Stade
Frederica von Stade is an American mezzo-soprano. Born in Somerville, New Jersey, she acquired the nickname "Flicka" in her childhood. Von Stade attended the Mannes College of Music in New York City. She made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in 1970 and in 1971 appeared as Cherubino in The...
and Kathleen Battle
Kathleen Battle
Kathleen Battle , is an African-American operatic soprano known for her agile and light voice and her silvery, pure tone. Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performances with major orchestras during the early and mid 1970s. She made her opera debut in...
. The choir has had numerous television appearances on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Today show and is featured on sixteen recordings. One of its members in 1951-1952, Chet Allen was cast as Amahl in Gian Carlo Menotti
Gian Carlo Menotti
Gian Carlo Menotti was an Italian-American composer and librettist. Although he often referred to himself as an American composer, he kept his Italian citizenship. He wrote the classic Christmas opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors, among about two dozen other operas intended to appeal to popular...
's first ever opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
for television, Amahl and the Night Visitors
Amahl and the Night Visitors
Amahl and the Night Visitors is an opera in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti with an original English libretto by the composer. It was commissioned by NBC and first performed by the NBC Opera Theatre on December 24, 1951, in New York City at NBC studio 8H in Rockefeller Center, where it was broadcast...
on the Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City based greeting card company. The second longest-running television program in the history of television, it has a historically long run, beginning in 1951 and continuing into 2011...
, then on NBC.
In the 2004-2005 season, the boychoir performed at the 77th annual Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
with pop diva Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
and with Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman is an American opera singer. Norman is a well-known contemporary opera singer and recitalist, and is one of the highest paid performers in classical music...
before the United States Open (tennis) women's singles final. Other highlights included tours across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and into Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, an appearance in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in celebration of James Levine
James Levine
James Lawrence Levine is an American conductor and pianist. He is currently the music director of the Metropolitan Opera and former music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Levine's first performance conducting the Metropolitan Opera was on June 5, 1971, and as of May 2011 he has...
’s inaugural season as Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
, as well as six performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
.
The American Boychoir is subdivided into two choirs: the Concert Choir and the Training Choir. The Concert Choir, currently conducted by Fernando Malvar- Ruiz, performs and tours regularly while Training Choir, currently conducted by Fred Meads, is made up of first year students that receive training in order to move up to the Concert Choir when they are ready. Boys join the choir by auditioning while visiting the school, or auditioning after Boychoir performances at concert sites or after school programs. An alumnus may join the Alumni Chorus, conducted by music director emeritus, James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
. Auditions are required for enrollment into The American Boychoir School.
Discography
Journey On...Passport to a World of Music2010
Albemarle Records AR 1007
The American Boychoir,
Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Litton-Lodal Music Director
ACDA concert
other choirs
Oklahoma city,OK
2009
St. Mathews Passion
Kurt Masur, West Minister Choir College and the New York Philharmonic
2008
Harmony: American Songs of Faith
2007
Albemarle Records AR 1006
The American Boychoir, St. Olaf Choir, and Alumni Chorus of the American Boychoir School
Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Litton-Lodal Music Director; Anton Armstrong
Anton Armstrong
Dr. Anton Armstrong is the conductor of the St. Olaf Choir as well as the Harry R. and Thora H. Tosdal Professor of Music at St. Olaf College of Northfield, Minnesota in the USA. Armstrong became only the fourth director of the St. Olaf Choir in 1990, continuing the tradition begun by the choir's...
, Conductor; James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Music Director Emeritus
Columbus~American Boychoir
2007
70th Anniversary Compilation
A Princeton Christmas for the Children of Africa
2007
The American Boychoir, Princeton Day School
Princeton Day School
Princeton Day School is a private coeducational day school located in Princeton Township, New Jersey, serving students in grades pre kindergarten - 12. The largest division is the Upper School , with an enrollment of approximately 400...
Choir Madrigal Singers, The Princeton Girlchoir, The Princeton High School Choir, The Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
Chapel Choir, the Tartantones of Stuart Country Day School
Stuart Country Day School
Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart is an independent all-girls Catholic country day school located in Princeton Township, New Jersey, that serves students from pre-school through grade 12...
of the Sacred Heart, The Westminster Choir, and the Westminster Concert Bell Choir of Westminster Choir College
Westminster Choir College
Westminster Choir College is a residential college of music, part of Rider University, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States.Westminster Choir College educates men and women at the undergraduate and graduate levels for musical careers in music education, voice performance, piano...
All proceeds benefit the UN World Food Program
Messe Basse
2004
Albemarle Records AR1005
The American Boychoir
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Conductor; Scott Dettra, Organ
Voices of Angels
2004
Albemarle Records AR1004
The American Boychoir
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
and Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Conductors
The Lost Christmas Eve
The Lost Christmas Eve
-References to other media:"Back to a Reason " is a sequel to the Savatage song "Back to a Reason", on their 2001 release Poets and Madmen....
2004
Lava/Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
93146-2 distributed by Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Trans-Siberian Orchestra is an American progressive metal band founded in 1993 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to form the core of the creative team. Since then, TSO sold nearly 8...
(The American Boychoir is heard on Track 5, Remember)
Gold sales of this album were certified by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
in 2005
Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
: A Ceremony of Carols
2003
Albemarle Records 1003
The American Boychoir
Vincent Metallo, Conductor; John Charles Schuker, Organ; Barbara Ann Biggers, Harp
Lullaby, Music for the Quiet Times
2002
Albemarle Records 1002
The American Boychoir
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Music Director
Soothing lullabies for children and adults in many languages and from many lands
American Songfest
2002
Albemarle Records 1001
The American Boychoir
Vincent Metallo, Music Director
A musical overview of American composers throughout the 20th century
Kurt Masur
Kurt Masur
Kurt Masur is a German conductor, particularly noted for his interpretation of German Romantic music.- Biography :Masur was born in Brieg, Lower Silesia, Germany and studied piano, composition and conducting in Leipzig, Saxony. Masur has been married three times...
at the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
(special edition)
2001
The American Boychoir with the New York Choral Artists
The Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.; Kurt Masur
Kurt Masur
Kurt Masur is a German conductor, particularly noted for his interpretation of German Romantic music.- Biography :Masur was born in Brieg, Lower Silesia, Germany and studied piano, composition and conducting in Leipzig, Saxony. Masur has been married three times...
, Music Director
Litton Live! – The Farewell Concert
2002
American Boychoir 103
The Concert Choir, the Training Choir, and the Alumni Chorus
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Music Director
Mass & Vespers for the Feast of Holy Innocents
2000
LINN Records CKD 152
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Music Director; Members of the New York Collegium
New York Collegium
The New York Collegium was an ensemble of players and singers dedicated to the music of the Baroque era, featuring historically authentic instruments and performance techniques. The artists of The New York Collegium were some of America’s best-known historic music specialists, and were featured...
The Prayer Cycle by Jonathan Elias
Jonathan Elias
Jonathan Elias is a U.S. composer and record producer, known for his movie soundtracks, production for several pop and rock acts, and his award-winning advertising music including the PBS logo instrumental from October 1, 1984 to October 1, 1989....
1999
Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
SK60569
The American Boychoir with Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
, James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
, Salif Keita
Salif Keita
Salif Keïta is an internationally recognized afro-pop singer-songwriter from Mali. He is unique not only because of his reputation as the Golden Voice of Africa, but because he has albinism and is a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita...
, Perry Farrel and Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn
Fast Cats and Mysterious Cows (Songs from America)
1999
Virgin Classics 7243 5 45368 2 3
The American Boychoir
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Music Director; Patricia Petibon
Patricia Petibon
Patricia Petibon is a French coloratura soprano who has been acclaimed for her interpretations of French Baroque music.-Biography:...
, Soprano; Catherine King
Catherine King (mezzo-soprano)
Catherine King is an English mezzo-soprano, best known for her performances and recordings of mediaeval, renaissance and baroque music and also very active in performing classical oratorio, opera and contemporary music. She is the only female member of Gothic Voices and has made over 30...
, Mezzo-Soprano
Christmastime
1998
Reunion Records
Reunion Records
Reunion Records is a Christian music record label based in Brentwood, Tennessee and operating under the Provident Label Group. The label was founded in 1982 by Dan Harrell and Mike Blanton.-History:...
02341 0015 2, Michael W. Smith
Michael W. Smith
Michael Whitaker Smith is a Billboard top ten Billboard Hot 100 recording artist and Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. Smith also has achieved a considerable amount of...
The American Boychoir is featured on Track 3 Christmastime; Track 6 Medley: Sing We Now of Christmas; O Come O Come Emmanuel, Emmanuel; and Track 11 Carols Sing.
Wide Awake
1998
Miramax
Original motion picture soundtrack composed by Edmund Choi
Grace
1997
Sony Classical SK 62035
The American Boychoir with Kathleen Battle
Kathleen Battle
Kathleen Battle , is an African-American operatic soprano known for her agile and light voice and her silvery, pure tone. Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performances with major orchestras during the early and mid 1970s. She made her opera debut in...
The American Boychoir performs with Ms. Battle on Track 3, Mozart's Laudate Dominum.
Sing!
1997
ABS Recordings E-2200
The American Boychoir
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Music Director
Carol
1996
EMI CDC 7243 5 56180 2 3
The American Boychoir with the Albemarle Consort of Voices and orchestra
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Conductor
In the Spirit
1996
Phillips 454 985-2
The American Boychoir with Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman is an American opera singer. Norman is a well-known contemporary opera singer and recitalist, and is one of the highest paid performers in classical music...
David Robertson, Conductor
The American Boychoir is heard on Away in a Manger, Of the father's Love Begotten and Mary Had a Baby.
By Request
1996
EMI CDC 7243 5 55247
The American Boychoir
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Music Director
A collection of the most popular selections from The American Boychoir’s tour programs performed either a capella or with piano.
Hymn
1995
EMI CDC 55064 2 9
The American Boychoir with Stephen Curtis Chapman, Twila Paris
Twila Paris
Twila Paris Wright is a Contemporary Christian Music songwriter, author, vocalist and pianist.-Musical career:Since 1980, Twila Paris has released 22 albums, amassed 33 number one Christian Radio singles, and was named the Gospel Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year three years in a row...
, the Albemarle Consort of Voices, and the St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Music Director
Orchestrated and arranged by Ron Huff and Tom Mitchell
In Search of Angels
1994
Windham Hill Records
Windham Hill Records
Windham Hill Records is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment specializing in Acoustic, New Age and Folk music. Originally founded in 1976 as an Independent record label by guitarist and carpenter William Ackerman and his then-wife Anne Robinson, Windham Hill was a successful and well-respected...
01934 11153-2
The American Boychoir featuring Patty Larkin
Patty Larkin
Patty Larkin is a Boston-based singer-songwriter. redefines the boundaries of folk-urban pop music with her inventive guitar wizardry and uncompromising vocals and lyrics...
, Jane Siberry, k.d. lang
K.D. Lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
, Tim Story, and others
Soundtrack from PBS Special. Choir sings Jesus Christ, the Apple Tree.
Interview with the Vampire
1994
Geffen GEFD 24719
Original motion picture soundtrack, composed by Elliot Goldenthal
Elliot Goldenthal
Elliot Goldenthal is an American composer of contemporary classical music. He was a student of Aaron Copland and John Corigliano, and is best known for his distinctive style and ability to blend various musical styles and techniques in original and inventive ways...
Lost in the Stars
1992
MusicMasters Classics 01612-67100-2
American Boychoir Chorister Jamal Howard sings the role of Alex in this recorded revival of the passionate musical based on Alan Paton
Alan Paton
Alan Stewart Paton was a South African author and anti-apartheid activist.-Family:Paton was born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province , the son of a minor civil servant. After attending Maritzburg College, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Natal in his hometown, followed...
’s Cry, the Beloved Country
Cry, The Beloved Country
Cry, the Beloved Country is a novel by South African author Alan Paton. It was first published in New York City in 1948 by Charles Scribner's Sons and in London by Jonathan Cape; noted American publisher Bennett Cerf remarked at that year's meeting of the American Booksellers Association that there...
.
Julius Rudel, Conductor of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert
1992
SONY
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
Classical SK 48235
The American Boychoir featuring Kathleen Battle
Kathleen Battle
Kathleen Battle , is an African-American operatic soprano known for her agile and light voice and her silvery, pure tone. Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performances with major orchestras during the early and mid 1970s. She made her opera debut in...
, Frederica von Stade
Frederica von Stade
Frederica von Stade is an American mezzo-soprano. Born in Somerville, New Jersey, she acquired the nickname "Flicka" in her childhood. Von Stade attended the Mannes College of Music in New York City. She made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in 1970 and in 1971 appeared as Cherubino in The...
, Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
Andre Previn
André Previn
André George Previn, KBE is an American pianist, conductor, and composer. He is considered one of the most versatile musicians in the world, and is the winner of four Academy Awards for his film work and ten Grammy Awards for his recordings. -Early Life:Previn was born in...
, Conductor of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s
Trumpets Sound, Voices Ring
1991
MusicMasters 523153F
The American Boychoir with the Atlantic Brass Quintet
Atlantic Brass Quintet
The Boston-based Atlantic Brass Quintet is a five-piece chamber music ensemble which was founded in 1985, by John Manning, Joseph Foley, John Faieta and Bob Rasmussen...
, William Trafka, Organ; Thomas Goeman, Piano and Harpsichord
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Music Director
Trumpets Sound, Voices Ring (single CD version)
1991
MusicMasters 01612-67076-2
The American Boychoir
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Music Director
Dixit Dominus
1991
MusicMasters 01612-67084-2
The American Boychoir with the Albemarle Consort of Voices, and the Eighteenth Century Ensemble
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Music Director
Hymnody of Earth
1990
MusicMasters 01612-67058-2
A ceremony of songs for choir, hammer dulcimer and percussion composed and arranged by Malcolm Dalglish
Malcolm Dalglish
Malcolm Dalglish is an American hammered dulcimer player and builder, composer, and choral director.A virtuoso performer on the hammer dulcimer, he is a former member of the folk/Celtic trio Metamora and has performed frequently with the percussionist Glen Velez...
(b. 1953) with inspiration and lyrics from Wendell Berry
Wendell Berry
Wendell Berry is an American man of letters, academic, cultural and economic critic, and farmer. He is a prolific author of novels, short stories, poems, and essays...
The American Boychoir On Tour
1990
Ocaso HR006CD
The American Boychoir; Thomas Goeman and Wallace Hornady, Piano
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Conductor
Selections from The American Boychoir tour repertoire
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
, Chichester Psalms
Chichester Psalms
Chichester Psalms is a choral work by Leonard Bernstein for boy treble or countertenor, solo quartet, choir and orchestra...
; Charles Davidson
Charles Davidson
Sir Charles William Davidson KBE was an Australian politician. He attended Townsville Grammar School in 1912 and 1913. He served in World War I and on his return was a dairy farmer and later grew sugar cane. During World War II, he served in the 42nd Battalion of the Australian Army in New...
, I Never Saw Another Butterfly
I Never Saw Another Butterfly
I Never Saw Another Butterfly is a collection of works of art and poetry by Jewish children who lived in the concentration camp Theresienstadt. This book is named after a poem by Pavel Friedman, a young adult who was incarcerated at Theresienstadt and was later killed at Auschwitz. Where known, the...
1988
Music Heritage Society MHC 312514Y
The American Boychoir with The American Symphony Orchestra
The American Boychoir with Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman is an American opera singer. Norman is a well-known contemporary opera singer and recitalist, and is one of the highest paid performers in classical music...
– Christmastide
1987
Philips 420 180-2, released on video
The American Boychoir with the New York Choral Society and the Empire Chamber Ensemble
Robert De Cormier
Robert De Cormier
Robert DeCormier is an American musical conductor, arranger, and director, and a graduate of the Juilliard School. He has arranged music for many singers and groups, including Harry Belafonte and Peter, Paul, and Mary, and has worked with Milt Okun. DeCormier is perhaps most famous for his...
, Conductor
On Christmas Day
1987
Ocaso HR002
The American Boychoir with the Cathedral Symphony Orchestra and the New York Vocal Consort
James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, Conductor
Go West Young Man, Michael W. Smith
1986
The American Boychoir and other choirs
Reunion Records
Reunion Records
Reunion Records is a Christian music record label based in Brentwood, Tennessee and operating under the Provident Label Group. The label was founded in 1982 by Dan Harrell and Mike Blanton.-History:...
Britten Ceremony of Carols
1983
Pro Arte Digital
The American Boychoir with Ruth Negri, Harp; Harriett Wintergreen, Piano; Paul-Martin Maki, Organ
John Kuzma, Music Director
This is my Country
1983
Pro Arte Digital
The American Boychoir
John Kuzma, Music Director
Messiah
1981
Smithsonian Collection
The American Boychoir with Smithsonian Chamber Players and Normal Scribner Chorus, conducted by James Weaver. Soloists: Carole Bogarde (soprano), Elvira Green (alto), Jeffrey Gall (counter-tenor), Charles Bressler
Charles Bressler
Charles Bressler was an American tenor.He was born in Kingston, Pennsylvania and studied at Juilliard. He became a founding member of the New York Pro Musica, with which he toured from 1953-1963...
(tenor), and Leslie Guinn (bass).
Performed on original instruments; the only American men-and-boys recording of Handel’s Messiah
Benjamin Britten War Requiem
1975
Kalvier Records
The American Boychoir with The William Hall Chorale and Vienna Festival Symphony Orchestra, William Hall, Conductor
First American recording
Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
Elijah
1970
RCA Red Seal
The Columbus Boychoir with The Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
, Shirley Verrett
Shirley Verrett
Shirley Verrett was an African-American operatic mezzo-soprano who successfully transitioned into soprano roles i.e. soprano sfogato...
, Soprano; Richard Lewis, Bass; Eugene Ormandy, Conductor.
Robert Haley, Director
Recorded April 8–9, 1969. Released September 1970.
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
Kaddish Symphony
Private Label
1966
The Columbus Boychoir
Donald Bryant, Music Director
Columbus Boychoir School 25th Anniversary Concert, June 5, 1965
1965
Private issue
The Columbus Boychoir
Donald Bryant, Music Director
Live concert recording, Westminster Choir College
Westminster Choir College
Westminster Choir College is a residential college of music, part of Rider University, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States.Westminster Choir College educates men and women at the undergraduate and graduate levels for musical careers in music education, voice performance, piano...
Columbus Boychoir Christmas Concert, December 1964
1964
Private issue
The Columbus Boychoir
Donald Bryant, Music Director
Live concert recordings, Alexander Hall (Princeton)
12-inch LP recordings of excerpts from Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah (+Hallelujah)
10-inch LP recording of Christmas carols
Firestone presents Your Favorite Christmas Carols
1963
Columbus Boychoir with the Rise Stevens, Brian Sullivan, and the Firestone Orchestra and Chorus
Donald Bryant, director
Family Christmas Favorites
ca. 1962
Decca
The Columbus Boychoir with Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
Donald Bryant, Conductor
The Columbus Boychoir
ca. 1962
Donald Bryant, Music Director
Christmastime
ca. 1960
Decca
The Columbus Boychoir with other choirs
Donald Bryant, conductor
Singing for the Joy of It
1961
Decca DL 74135
The Columbus Boychoir
Donald Bryant, Music Director
Joy to the World
ca. 1960
Decca DL 78920
The Columbus Boychoir
Donald Bryant, Music Director
The Columbus Boychoir
ca. 1960
Gothic
The Columbus Boychoir with the Princeton Chamber Orchestra, Nicholas Harsanyi, Conductor; Joanna Richard, Soprano; Rachel Armstrong, Alto
Donald Bryant, Conductor
Festival of Song
1955
Decca DL 8106
The Columbus Boychoir
Herbert Huffman, Music Director
Arrigo Boito Mephistofele “Prologue”
1954
RCA
The Columbus Boychoir with the NBC Symphony Orchestra
NBC Symphony Orchestra
The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra established by David Sarnoff of the National Broadcasting Company especially for conductor Arturo Toscanini...
, Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor. One of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th and 20th century, he was renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory...
, Conductor; Nicola Moscona, Bass.
Herbert Huffman, Conductor
Taken from the broadcast of March 14, 1954
Amahl and the Night Visitors
Original Cast of the NBC telecast
1951
RCA 6485-2-RG
American Boychoir chorister Chet Allen
Chet Allen
Chet Allen was an American child actor of the 1950s known for his role as Amahl in Gian Carlo Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors, the first opera written for television, which he made with the NBC Opera Theatre....
The Lord’s Prayer; O Holy Night
ca. 1950
RCA Victor
The Columbus Boychoir
Herbert Huffman, conductor
Favorite Christmas Carols
ca. 1947
The Columbus Boychoir
Herbert Huffman, Music Director
The Columbus Boychoir – May 6, 1947 concert
Herbert Huffman, Music Director
The school
The American Boychoir School is located on a 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) campus in Princeton. Classes, rehearsals and meals all take place in a large brick Georgian mansion known as Albemarle. Three stories high, with 50-odd rooms. The mansion was once the summer home of Gerard Lambert, the founder of Warner-Lambert, a chemical company. On the campus there are two dormitories named Ettl and Cottage, a soccer field, outdoor swimming pool as well as a fenced, multipurpose tennis court with basketball hoops.The school offers some intramural sports
Intramural sports
Intramural sports or intramurals are recreational sports organized within a set geographic area. The term derives from the Latin words intra muros meaning "within walls", and was used to indicate sports matches and contests that took place among teams from "within the walls" of an ancient city...
in which most boys participate, including soccer, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, cross-country running, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, flag football
Flag football
Flag football is a version of Canadian football or American football that is popular worldwide. The basic rules of the game are similar to those of the mainstream game , but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier to end...
, and ultimate
Ultimate (sport)
Ultimate is a sport played with a 175 gram flying disc. The object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to a player in the opposing end zone, similar to an end zone in American football or rugby...
. Special interest clubs and outings organized by the Parents Association provide evening and weekend fun.
Graduates of The American Boychoir School go on to high schools around the country – public and private.
The school is a fully accredited member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools
New Jersey Association of Independent Schools
The New Jersey Association of Independent Schools serves independent elementary and secondary schools throughout the state of New Jersey. The Association consists of 70 member schools with a total enrollment of approximately 26,000 students...
. and Middle States Association.
The American Boychoir School is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization. The School welcomes does not discriminate in its admissions, scholarship programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin or religion.
Academic Curriculum
Students at the American Boychoir School receive a normal, middle schoolMiddle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
education as well as extensive music training. The academic curriculum of The American Boychoir School is structured so that the boys gain their education not only in the classroom, but also during their touring and travel experiences, and their musical performances.
The boys enjoy the advantage of small classes in grades 4th through 8th. The 4th and 5th grade combination is a self-contained class where the students have regular daily periods of Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
In grades six through eight, the boys change classes for Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and Spanish.
Language Arts consists of lessons in grammar, spelling, vocabulary, literature, and an extensive writing program. Required reading is often integrated with Social Studies units and frequently coincides with an area to which the boys travel. A teacher-formulated writing process has successfully been used to expand the students’ ability to organize and express their ideas and opinions with coherence and fluency.
Math classes for each grade level are divided into sections by ability. Sixth grade is general math. Seventh grade begins the study of algebraic expressions, linear equations and reviews of percentages, decimals, and proportions. Eighth grade focuses on complex word problems, multi-step equations, and polynomials. The other section of grade eight performs quadratic functions and expressions with radicals.
Social Studies in the sixth grade includes geography and history. It is a survey of World Geography and Culture. Current events are an integral part of the program. Seventh grade focuses on American History from Early American Civilization to Reconstruction. Eighth grade continues from Reconstruction to the present, emphasizing America’s role in the Global Community.
Science classes are closely connected to the boys’ environment, working with the scientific process and the relevance it has in their lives. Sixth grade studies Life Science – the Unity and Diversity of Life. Seventh grade studies Earth Science. Eighth grade studies Physical Science, which includes Chemistry and Physics. The year culminates with an independent science project, which is developed throughout the year and displayed at the science fair.
Spanish instruction develops the students’ understanding and practical use of the language. The students learn oral structures, grammar, vocabulary, reading in context and writing skills. Their level of competency progresses with practice in speaking, conversation and composition.
Music curriculum
The professionalism of The American Boychoir is dependent on the boys being truly well-rounded musicians. This means carefully learned vocal technique coupled with a very high level of music literacy. To achieve this, the boys attend Music Theory classes four days a week, encompassing four specific areas of training.Aural Training is where the boys learn games and exercises that develop their abilities to hear musical intervals, expand their tonal memory skills, recognize patterns in music, and sing in tune. Once comfortable with these skills, they learn to use them to read music at a collegiate level.
Written Theory is focused on the interpretation of a musical score. The symbols, directions, and structure of printed music are carefully studied, so that boys can intuitively read a piece in its entirety, and not just the notes and rhythms alone. In advanced classes, boys learn to analyze the structure and form of musical works, and eventually to compose basic pieces on their own.
Vocal Technique gives the boys a chance to work in small groups on the essentials of singing correctly. They must learn about correct body posture, breathing, relaxation, vowel formation, and placement of the voice. Good vocal health and voice production are stressed.
Rehearsal Technique is where boys learn how to be active participants in a choral rehearsal. They are taught how to mark their music, ask appropriate questions, and be successful through the musical learning process. These classes are alternated with time spent in the Technology Lab, where all computers are equipped with a music study program. This allows the boys to improve their skills in areas of rhythm, intervals, tonal memory, and even basic composition.
Summer Music Programs
The American Boychoir has two distinct music programs: Camp Albemarle and The American Boychoir Experience.Camp Albemarle
Choruses - Explores the fundamentals of healthy and artistic singing techniques and performs music of many different cultural traditions spanning an entire millennium.Musicianship Training Program - Participates in creative music-making utilizing the methods of Orff, Kodaly, and Gordon using Orff instruments (pitched and un-pitched percussion instruments, recorders).
Small Group Vocal Instruction Training Program - Optional for ages 12–14. Groups of four work with experienced vocal instructors to explore their vocal potential and increase confidence in singing accurately from a notated score.
All campers participate in two concerts every session. At the Friday Night Concert, campers in the Musicianship Training Program demonstrate their improved understanding of music theory on the Orff instruments.
The Saturday Morning Choral Concert showcases the Albemarle Chorus, the Albemarle Junior Chorus and Small Group Vocal Training students. The program is followed by a reception and good-byes.
Mornings between classes are filled with outdoor playground games and fun group activities. Afternoons are spent swimming, playing team sports and doing arts and crafts. In the evening, boarding campers play campus-wide games including Capture-the-flag, Mission Impossible and Stronghold, perform in lip-sync contests, go bowling and play in a live-action game of Clue. On weekends there are trips to the beach, the zoo, the movies and baseball games.
The American Boychoir Experience
For boys ages 9–12 only. Provides the experience of one week in the life of an American Boychoir student without the academic classes. This professional experience in choral training culminates in a Tour Bus event in addition to traditional summer activities.Choral Training - An opportunity to learn and perfect repertoire with Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Litton-Lodal Music Director of The American Boychoir that is consistent with that of a typical American Boychoir concert. Boys explore and improve their vocal potential in Small Group Vocal Instruction classes.
Music Theory - Campers improve their skills in sight reading and ear training based on the Kodaly Method.
Tour Bus and Media Event - Includes a trip on 'Gus', the same bus that carries The American Boychoir around the country each year. The bus trip culminates in a professional photo shoot.
As in Camp Albemarle, the mornings between classes are filled with outdoor playground games and fun group activities. Afternoons are spent swimming, playing team sports and doing crafts.
An audition is necessary to participate in The American Boychoir Experience.
History
The choir and school were founded in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
in 1937, by Herbert Huffman who believed that "the experience of performing the great choral literature – and performing it at the highest professional levels – could have a profound effect on the academic, social and moral development of boys".http://www.americanboychoir.org/about_welcome.html Founded originally as the Columbus Boychoir, the group moved to Princeton in 1950. It changed its name to the American Boychoir in 1980.
From 1985 to 2001, the choir was conducted by James Litton
James Litton
James Litton directed the American Boychoir from 1985 to 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of the day.-Overview:...
, an expert on children's choral techniques and vocal production. Regarded as one of America's prominent choral conductors, Litton led the boychoir in more than 2,000 concerts in 49 states and 12 nations.
In April, 2002, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported sexual abuse which had taken place at the Boychoir School several decades earlier. In court documents, the American Boychoir claimed that it had no duty to protect children in their care from sexual abuse by staff and that children who were abused were themselves negligent for not bringing the abuse to light. One of the students who had claimed that he was victimized was constitutional scholar Lawrence Lessig
Lawrence Lessig
Lawrence "Larry" Lessig is an American academic and political activist. He is best known as a proponent of reduced legal restrictions on copyright, trademark, and radio frequency spectrum, particularly in technology applications, and he has called for state-based activism to promote substantive...
, who has represented another student, John Hardwicke, in his lawsuit against the school. In its court filings, the school claimed that Hardwicke, then 12, had consented to sex and said that he was negligent in not reporting the incident at the time.
On August 8, 2006, the New Jersey Supreme Court
New Jersey Supreme Court
The New Jersey Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It has existed in three different forms under the three different state constitutions since the independence of the state in 1776...
ruled against the school's appeal of a lower court decision. The school had contended that the state's charitable immunity
Charitable immunity
Charitable immunity is a legal doctrine which holds that a charitable organization is not liable under tort law. It originated in 19th century Britain....
act protected it from liability in sexual abuse lawsuits brought by former students. The court found that the Charitable Immunity Act immunizes charities for negligence only; it does not bar statutory or common-law claims that are based on willful, wanton or grossly negligent conduct.
The school's lawyers requested the New Jersey Supreme Court to reconsider the decision, claiming the ruling represented a major extension of vicarious liability.
On January 5, 2006, then-Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Richard Codey
Richard Codey
Richard James Codey is an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 53rd Governor of New Jersey from November 2004 to January 2006. He has served in the New Jersey Senate since 1981 and served as the President of the Senate from 2002 to January 2010. He represents the 27th Legislative...
signed bill S540/A2512 into New Jersey law, ending the Boychoir's charitable immunity defense, and making New Jersey the 48th state to allow victims of childhood sex abuse to sue churches, schools and other non-profits for the actions of their staff.
The lawsuit from 35 years ago has been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties. Both parties agreed, as part of the resolution, not to comment on the details.
External links
- American Boychoir School
- Lawrence Lessig and the American Boychoir School - May 2005 article