The Los Angeles Master Chorale is finally ready to launch Youth Chorus LA (YCLA). The program — which began in pilot form in March, serving students in grades three through five in Huntington Park — is now set to give its first public performance on Monday, Dec. 16, as part of “Carols on the Plaza,” the Master Chorale’s free holiday sing-along at The Music Center’s Jerry Moss Plaza.
An after-school education program open to all young people regardless of musical background or financial means, YCLA went from pilot to “official” in October, with participants currently meeting for weekly rehearsals at two satellite locations, Lucille Roybal-Allard and Soto Street Elementary Schools. Reaching communities in East Los Angeles as well as Huntington Park, YCLA provides young singers with vocal instruction from professional teaching artists, breaking down barriers that often keep these students within their own neighborhoods.
“This is a watershed moment in the history of the Master Chorale and choral music in Los Angeles,” said longtime Artistic Director Grant Gershon. “Creating a joy-filled, holistic choral program accessible to all young people in the Los Angeles metropolitan area has been a dream of mine for years.”
YCLA Director Sarah Gonzalez added: “Many YCLA students don’t have access to a general music program at their schools. To fill that need, we’re not only offering them a comprehensive music curriculum but also a nurturing environment where they can enjoy singing alongside peers from different communities across Los Angeles.”
In addition, YCLA can offer its singers experiences unique to the Master Chorale, including being able to rehearse and perform at venues throughout Los Angeles.
YCLA aims to reach more communities going forward, establishing itself as an educational hub for students in grades three through 12. Through a structured curriculum and an emphasis on communication and inspired problem-solving, the program will also work to cultivate a new generation of audiences and artists with a lasting connection to the joys of choral music and communal singing.
