Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Branahl.
Amy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have been teaching music in the North Shore of Chicago for the past 15 years. I have also within that time I got married and am the mother of three beautiful boys. I found that my time with my family was becoming more and more limited in my previous position and wanted to investigate my options. Youth Choral Theater of Chicago was at the time looking for a new Artistic Director to replace their AD of almost 15 years. They hired me last year and this is my second year with Youth Choral Theater of Chicago. I love working with the most talented students in the North Shore of Chicago.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Youth Choral Theater of Chicago (YCT) is in a bit of a transition as we are re-branding our organization and trying to provide excellent instruction to all our singers. Through this transition, we saw this as an opportunity for us grow as an organization and transform into a choir that students would be excited to sing in. In our first year at YCT, we doubled enrollment throughout the season to include almost 100 students. That is something we are particularly proud of. We are always looking for ways to support the music programs in the schools and providing an opportunity for younger singers to be in a chorus and sing in a healthy way.
Youth Choral Theater of Chicago – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Youth Choral Theater of Chicago is a youth choir in the North Shore of Chicago that specializes in top quality vocal training to students ages 3-18. Through our four ensembles, each with a specified age range for targeted teaching techniques, students learn group singing, solo singing, music theory, rhythm, listening, cooperation, and teamwork. Because YCT has been around since the 1980s, we have developed a reputation as a choir that not only sounds good, but produces singers that continue with music, in some way, for the rest of their lives. We have alumni of the program that are involved in community music groups, studying music in college, and are even professional musicians. Something that sets YCT apart from other organizations is our mission to provide our top quality vocal training to all students, no matter their economic background. Our scholarship program is a large part of the fundraising that we do throughout the year for just that reason. This mission also gives YCT a larger diversity of students, something that not all youth choirs in the area can say. We pride ourselves on our ability to allow all students to participate in YCT programs because of the amazing benefits that music provides. As stated earlier, musical training does not only provide students will vocal skills in pitch and rhythm. Musical training also provides students with the opportunity to learn listening skills, counting, cooperation and teamwork that they can apply to far more in their life than just singing. As a musician myself, I have experienced firsthand these benefits and it is very important to me, in particular, that all students have access to this training that will help them throughout the rest of their lives, whether they go into music or not.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is when you find joy in completing a project that you have been working hard to accomplish. In Youth Choral Theater of Chicago, we emphasize the process more than the product knowing that if we put in the work needed in the process, that the product will naturally result in a joyous performance at our concerts.
We strive for excellence in every performance by hiring professional musicians to enhance our performances.
Contact Info:
- Website: youthchoraltheater.org
- Phone: (847) 535-9873
- Email: info@youthchoraltheater.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yctchicago/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yctofchicago/
- Twitter: @yctofchicago
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/user/youthchoraltheater
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