The Chicago Children’s Choir, a William Blair community partner, has jumped online to lift spirits and show the way to working together to cope with COVID-19.
The choir, founded 64 years ago in direct response to the civil rights movement to inspire and unite diverse youth, now includes 140 choirs across Chicago serving more than 5,200 students.
CCC turned to Zoom this spring for virtual gatherings—rehearsals, performances, music theory classes, fireside chats. All programs will remain online until at least January 2021.
“We’ve embraced the cloud and this digital platform—it’s been a blessing and a challenge. But it’s what we need to do,” Josephine Lee, CCC’s president and artistic director, said during an online performance for William Blair employees this spring.
The choir’s performance marked the launch of William Blair’s cultural business resource group for employees, One Alliance. Chicago Children’s Choir performs “We Are” by W. Mitchell Owens, a choir alumnus and composer in residence.