Boston Children's Choir focuses on civic engagement and highlighting those who are different
BOSTON - When the Boston Children's Choir hits the stage this season, they will be doing so with the upcoming election in mind and channeling their voices to focus on civic engagement and collective action.
Teaching music and lessons
"When I think about the upcoming election, the inauguration, we're talking about the concerts, I think about the massive amount of Latino people here. I talk about collective action. I see these concerts as opportunities for all of us to understand the power that we have when we come together," tells BCC Executive Director Andres Holder.
Holder is from Panama, and came to the U.S. to study music. The point of the choir is not only to teach music, but to teach lessons through the choice of song. They have singers from age 7 to 18 and 60% of the singers are people of color. The younger students are focusing on building identities like, "Who am I? How are we different?" The older students are focusing on collective action and tying it into protests.
"BCC collectively is trying to highlight those voices who are truly feeling the effects of whatever issue and topic is being talked about," said singer Mariana Chango Gassett.
"While everyone has a voice, not everyone has the privilege of using it," continued fellow singer Lee Rush.
Empathy and understanding
"At the end of the day, Boston Children's Chorus exists to create people with a higher degree of empathy, a higher degree of understanding, and a higher degree of curiosity," added Holder, "It's going to paint a picture of what the United States could be if we just start understanding people for who they fully are."
Their concert at the Stewart Gardner Museum falls the day after the election, and their Symphony Hall concert is on inauguration day.
"We are lucky that both of those concerts are anchored by major political events in a world where we are exploring civic engagement. Seeing young people use their voice to actually be for themselves, and want to see for change for the future, that's what ties in so beautifully with a month that is so near and dear to my heart," says Holder, referencing Hispanic Heritage month that began on September 15.