The Grammy Award-winning Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (LACC) will unite more than 400 young singers from across Southern California in their 2024 winter concert series themed “Joy.”
The two-night celebration, on Saturday, Dec. 7 at First United Methodist Church, and Sunday, Dec. 8 at Pasadena Presbyterian Church, showcases the organization’s distinctive approach to combining professional artistry with youth education. Both shows begin at 7 p.m.
“We believe that by having fun our young singers can create better art,” said Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus.
The concerts, featuring approximately 200 performers each evening, will bring together young vocalists from more than 60 communities, with 80 percent representing the Pasadena area.
Malvar-Ruiz emphasizes that the organization’s success stems from prioritizing the journey over the destination in musical education and performance preparation.
“If they love the process, then the end result is going to be better,” he said. “The goal of LACC is not necessarily the concerts that are going to happen this weekend. The goal is what happens leading up to that, all of the rehearsals. That is the key of the LACC experience.”
The performances will showcase multiple ensembles, including the Apprentice Choir, Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, and Chorale, demonstrating the organization’s comprehensive musical training program.
Founded in 1986, the LACC has evolved into a renowned organization that won a 2022 Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance and regularly performs with prestigious groups including Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Los Angeles Master Chorale.
The chorus maintains a comprehensive training program incorporating musicianship classes and weekly rehearsals, with repertoire spanning classical, jazz, spirituals, and folk music traditions.
“I just don’t believe that competition should be part of choral music,” Malvar-Ruiz said.
“I think it’s a much more rewarding experience because you don’t have to worry about competing with other choirs. I think competition should be left to sports.”
The organization has toured more than 20 countries across six continents and participated in notable works like Mahler’s Third Symphony.
Looking ahead, the LACC has announced significant projects for 2025, including two collaborations with Los Angeles Master Chorale, a performance of “Carmina Burana,” the premiere of “Dream Requiem” by Rufus Wainwright, and a British Isles tour culminating in the Choir of the World Event in Wales.
Tickets for LACC’s Winter Concerts range from $29 to $51 and can be purchased through lachildrenschorus.org or by calling (626) 793-4231.
