On June 13th the National Children’s Chorus will perform Handel’s Messiah at The Broad Stage. As he busily prepared to lead his charges through their program, Artistic Director Luke McEndarfer, took the time to chat with us about children and music.
The National Children’s Chorus, formerly known as Paulist Choristers, has been working with musically gifted children from all areas and all walks of life in Los Angeles and environs. Students spend up to six hours each week working with the professionals The Chorus has appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Master Chorale, and Los Angeles Opera Company.
McEndarfer clearly enjoys his job and listed many things about teaching music to youngsters as he believes in its value in his students’ lives. “Introducing children to music of quality, and creating a space where they may excel, grow and develop as artists is surely one of the greatest joys that I have experienced,†said McEndarfer.
“At the National Children’s Chorus, one of the things that motivates our performers is that they are not just aspiring to produce high quality music at some indefinite point in the future; rather, they know that they are producing the finest possible sound right now,†said McEndarfer as this mother-of-a-five-year-old nodded in hearty agreement knowing the value of instant gratification for tykes – and adults too, frankly.
When I queried McEndarfer when to start music classes for the aforementioned, kid, McEndarfer reiterated that there is no time like the present – not even for my one-year-old, “It is never too young to introduce music into a child’s life, “Mozart symphonies, Bach cantatas, chant, traditional music of India, folk music of Ireland and The Beetles are just some of the examples of the eclectic choices parents can make in conditioning a child’s ear to perceive pitch, rhythm, texture and style,†suggested McEndarfer. As for formal music training my daughter’s time has come; “at the National Children’s Chorus, the youngest students we accept are 5 years of age at the “Prelude Level,†where they are first introduced to bel canto vocal technique, and making music as part of a group,†said McEndarfer
For more information: www.nationalchildrenschorus.com
