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Statesboro Youth Chorale celebrates 30 years of music tradition in May

The Statesboro Youth Chorale will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year. A musical staple for generations of Statesboro children, the Youth Chorale invites former members and directors to celebrate with them as they hold an anniversary concert on Saturday, May 13th.

This year, the renowned Statesboro Youth Chorale will celebrate its 30th anniversary of bringing musical joy and education to the children of Statesboro and will an anniversary concert on Saturday, May 13th. The program will pay tribute to the organization’s work and musical scores throughout its three-decade span.

The chorale was started 30 years ago by Dr. Michael Braz and Sandra McClain for musically inclined youth. Throughout its span, the choir has spread the joy of music to the community of Statesboro, while also fostering lasting connections among its members.

Dr. Braz and McClain started the chorale in 1993. Dr. Braz was teaching at Georgia Southern during that time when he met McClain, who was a voice instructor at Georgia Southern as well. Due to their shared love for music, the two forces joined together to begin recruiting talent to perform public seasonal concerts. After many seasons of success, McClain departed from the chorale’s administrative team to pursue musical opportunities in Florida before finally retiring.

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Since then, however, local musical leaders Dr. Tamara Watson Harper and Mrs. Emily Kochetta have joined Dr. Braz in continuing the Chorale’s success. Michael Roemer has also recently joined the line-up of chorale instructors. Roemer is a classically trained pianist and vocalist lending his musical gifts to the success of the choir. Each of these administrators takes no commission from their work with the Chorale. They selflessly donate their time and shared expertise for the love and joy of music. It is ultimately their passion for fostering Statesboro's local music scene that helps carry them through each season of rehearsals and performances.

The kinship of chosen family

Throughout the years, the Statesboro Youth Chorale has shepherded countless children through its musical training. Many of those members not only stayed involved throughout their childhoods but later involved their own children as well. Youth Chorale has become such a staple in the lives of its members that they have made it into a family affair! While some make it a family affair in a literal sense, there is an even greater metaphorical sense of “chosen family.”

The Youth Chorale has fostered such an inclusive and supportive environment that its members feel nostalgic kinship quite quickly. Best friends are easily found, future spouses are serendipitously spotted, and lasting memories are forever made. Furthermore, over the 30 years of the Youth Chorale, the choir has taken various musical expeditions across the country. Destinations have included Walt Disney World, musical Midwest tours, and even a European journey to immerse the group in the ancient medieval music histories.

The Youth Chorale re-launched in January 2020 with 30 local children, but once Covid began in Spring 2020, the choir had to disband for almost 2 years. But in the Summer of 2022, the committee decided to reestablish the Chorale. To the committee’s joy, 20 local children joined, as the public was overjoyed at the reinstatement of the local Chorale.

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Dr. Michael Braz, founder, and Sarah Hancock, longtime SYC director

 

SYC today

The Statesboro Youth Chorale is a regional chorus for local children aged 6 to 15 years old (with unchanged voice). Currently, it meets regularly on Monday evenings from 4:30pm-6pm. Each season holds a comprehensive musical concert at the end of the semester.

Currently, registration rates are $275 a year, but smaller fees or scholarships may be available to needs-based students. The yearly fee goes towards paying for new music for the semester and concert uniforms for the students. The chorale’s administrative team implores local parents of musically gifted youth to enroll them into the Youth Chorale as soon as possible.

"There are many musical opportunities that our students need locally, that are currently not being fulfilled in Statesboro,” Dr. Watson Harper said. "The Statesboro Youth Chorale will continue to help with filling this ongoing musical need locally. Furthermore, we will continue to grow and bring new opportunities of music to our community.”

The Statesboro Youth Chorale would like to thank the Pittman Park United Methodist Church. Pittman Park has provided the space for the chorale to hold their weekly practices. Additionally, the chorale thanks Wendy Doty, Pittman Park Church Administrator. Doty facilitates the prioritization and scheduling of the space for the chorale’s practices. The chorale would also like to thank and pay tribute to Dr. Braz’s mom, Mrs. Edna Braz. Edna did instrumental work in the chorale programs earlier years. Her spirit lives on not only through Dr. Braz’s love of music, but in the Chorale itself.

“Mike has the elegance of delivering a simple, clear presentation to kids in the chorale, Dr. Watson Harper shared. "They always respond beautifully to him and the musical scores that we present.”

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Dr. Braz leads the present day Chorale at the piano

Anniversary concert scheduled for May 13

The Statesboro Youth Chorale would love all former Youth Chorale members and directors to attend its anniversary concert on Saturday, May 13th. Additionally, they invite former members and directors to share their images of past Youth Chorale practices and performances on their Facebook Page to help celebrate the occasion. The concert will be held at Pittman Park United Methodist Church and is free to the public.

Are you interested in enrolling your student into the longstanding tradition that is the Statesboro Youth Chorale? Please contact Dr. Tamara Watson-Harper at TamaraWatsonHarper@gmail.com or (404) 918-5996.