This month, the GRAMMY® Award-winning National Children's Chorus (NCC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Luke McEndarfer and Associate Artistic Director Dr. Pamela Blackstone, commences Season 2024/25 entitled Kaleidoscope. This season launches a new era in the NCC’s 120-year history, introducing a revitalized curriculum and innovative programming designed to enhance artistic growth, self-discovery, and human connection. Encouraging audiences to “see music in a new light,” Kaleidoscope will offer a dynamic range of musical styles and perspectives, celebrating diversity and transformation, while honoring the NCC’s rich traditions through a fresh lens with masterworks by Bach, Handel, Rachmaninov, Duruflé, Fauré, Palestrina, Orff and Whitacre.
With chapters in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Austin, Dallas, Boston, and Chicago, the NCC offers numerous performance appearances this season, both locally and internationally, for the 1400 students it serves in 39 ensembles nationwide. Following a successful summer tour to Denmark and Norway, including a collaboration with composer Ola Gjeilo at the Oslo Opera House, and the release of Broadway actor Aaron Lazar’s album "Impossible Dream" in support of ALS featuring the NCC and other Broadway stars, the 2024/25 season Kaleidoscope commences this month with back-to-back performances.
- On Sep. 21 and 22, students from Washington, D.C. perform Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Washington Bach Consort, conducted by Dr. Dana Marsh (former Artistic Director of the NCC under its previous name, The Paulist Choristers). The St. Matthew Passion is renowned for its use of double choir and orchestra, creating a dynamic and intricate narrative that displays unique structure and expressive depth.
- On Dec. 21, a holiday program entitled Stella Angeli brings together NCC students from across the country for a large-scale concert celebration with chamber orchestra, including an anticipated presentation of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah (Part the 1st) performed by NCC’s Scholars (a high school-aged College-Prep SATB ensemble), at St. Paul the Apostle in Los Angeles. This venue holds great significance for the NCC, as it is where the organization was founded singing many acclaimed Messiah performances over the years with Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra. The program also features holiday favorites, including selections from the NCC’s recent album "Illumine", recorded by over 250 choristers with the London Symphony Orchestra at AIR and Abbey Road Studios. The popular record has received nearly 1 million streams and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Classical Crossover chart.
- On Mar. 16, the National Children's Chorus, LA Master Chorale, and LA Children’s Chorus perform Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Carmina Burana, known for its dramatic and evocative choral and orchestral scoring, explores themes of fate, fortune, and the human experience. The three organizations last collaborated with the Pacific Chorale, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Gustavo Dudamel on the 2022 GRAMMY®-winning album (Best Choral Performance) “Mahler: Symphony No. 8”.
- In April, NCC students across the country come together to sing and march in the nationally televised Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington, D.C.—an annual spring event celebrating culture and community.
- On May 3, a multi-sensory concert presentation entitled Chromatic Odyssey marks the NCC’s third consecutive annual appearance at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium, featuring young vocalists from all eight of the chorus’ chapter cities. Chromatic Odyssey highlights each student’s uniqueness. “Just as pieces of glass in a kaleidoscope feature atypical shapes and varying colors that generate brilliant and ever-changing reflections, NCC students will discover the distinct potential within themselves to contribute something beautiful and meaningful to the world,” says Associate Artistic Director Dr. Pamela Blackstone. “Our team is so excited!”
- In July, the NCC journeys to Switzerland and France for its 9th international tour. Students will start in Geneva, Switzerland, and continue to Lyon and Paris, France, with additional details on collaborations and concerts to be announced. The experience provides students with invaluable cultural learning, allowing them to engage with diverse traditions and build global connections, all reflecting the unifying spirit of the Kaleidoscope season.
- In August, the NCC launches the National Youth Opera Academy (replacing the former Vail Opera Camp), led by NCC alumnus and GRAMMY® nominee, Johnathan McCullough, who serves as the organization's Opera Academy Director. Young opera participants who are drawn from across the country study acting, stagecraft, prop making, vocal pedagogy, and opera history, culminating in a fully-staged opera performance—a one-of-its-kind summer program for advanced high school singers.
- During the 2024/25 season, all 39 NCC ensembles are scheduled to sing in two seasonal concert appearances within each chapter city, showcasing the talents developed through the organization’s 7-level, tiered educational structure. Featuring children as young as 5 through the college level, these events are celebrated for their intimate and supportive atmosphere, making them cherished highlights within the NCC community and beyond.
With Season 2024/25’s Kaleidoscope, the NCC is poised to embark on an unparalleled journey of musical discovery and transformative experiences for its gifted students. “From seasonal concerts to the international tour, every moment of Kaleidoscope is designed to foster deep artistic growth, collective harmony, and personal transformation,” says Artistic Director & CEO Luke McEndarfer. “Being a powerful source of light in the lives of NCC students and families is our ultimate goal in every initiative we create.” Accordingly, the Kaleidoscope season sets out to redefine what is possible in youth music education, and mark a bold new chapter in the NCC’s storied legacy.
The National Children’s Chorus is currently holding auditions for children ages 5 to 18 during the fall season, and offers scholarship funding to every family that qualifies. The organization is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation and all charitable gifts are fully tax-deductible. For more information, visit https://nationalchildrenschorus.com
About the National Children's Chorus
The GRAMMY® Award-winning National Children’s Chorus, under the leadership of Artistic Director Luke McEndarfer and Associate Artistic Director Dr. Pamela Blackstone, has quickly become one of the world’s leading children’s choirs. Among the most exciting and fastest-growing music institutions for youth in the nation, the chorus provides its unparalleled training to more than 1,400 students, comprising 39 choirs based in the chapter cities of Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Austin, Dallas, Boston and Chicago. The NCC’s groundbreaking Season 2024/25, entitled Kaleidoscope, focuses on the impact of the chorus’ artistry and features an array of stunning repertoire that demonstrates the organization’s firm commitment to new music, world culture, and extraordinary collaborations.
