Jill Ringold

Students from five different middle schools had the most wonderful day making music together with Commonwealth Youthchoirs’ Keystone State Boychoir and Pennsylvania Girlchoir.

       Philadelphia (January 21st, 2023) – The chattering of excited young voices. The shuffling of music pages. The scramble to put on the day’s special t-shirt. Enthusiastic energy flooded the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill last Saturday as Commonwealth Youthchoirs (Keystone State Boychoir, Pennsylvania Girlchoir, Find Your Instrument) hosted Voices Together. More than 100 middle schoolers’ voices harmonized with a group of singers from Commonwealth Youthchoirs (CY) and sang out during the inaugural middle school choral invitational.

Clinicians Dr. Lynnel Joy Jenkins and Dr. Dustin Cates were joined by CY co-artistic directors, Dr. Elizabeth C. Parker and Mr. Frank J. Van Atta, leading an interactive day of workshops for singers and their teachers. Dr. Jenkins’ worked with the whole group on a selected piece, “Shine the Light,” by Raymond Wise, which was presented by the full Voices Together choir to close out the day at a sharing attended by families and friends. Music educators and their students attended from schools including Murray Avenue School, Girard Academic Music Program, Cedarbrook Middle School, Germantown Friends School, and Antonia Pantoja Charter School. 

“It was so inspiring to see so many younger people that love singing and making music together as much as I do,” said Suha Koliwad, a high school senior in Pennsylvania Girlchoir. “I remember the impact choir had on me as a middle school student and I’m so glad that I could be part of that for others.” The gathering was Commonwealth Youthchoirs’ way to support the music teachers by creating an event for their professional development and their students’ growth. The nonprofit, non-denominational choral organization provides an unparalleled outlet for music-making, expression, and youth development for almost 600 children annually, ages 7-18, from across 98 schools and 95 zip codes in the Greater Philadelphia region. CY’s commitment to empowering diverse voices and ensuring every singer feels valued shined throughout the Invitational. “The day had outstanding educators and was very inspiring. I got several ideas about how I might run my middle school choral classes. There were so many excellent ideas stuffed into the sessions – the students were engaged and so was I,” commented Director of Choral Music at Abington Friends School, Justin Solonynka, who came to observe the Invitational.

“When you learn to sing, you also learn the power of your voice in this world,” says CY Artistic Director, Dr. Elizabeth Parker. “At Voices Together, young people’s voices were encouraged, embraced, and appreciated for their contributions. As an organization, we help build positive futures for our young people, and Voices Together embodied that 100%.” In addition to singing, the Voices Together students had rotating clinics in vocal health, musicianship, and team building and also received constructive feedback from music educators. Each attendee was able to connect with choral peers at other schools by making music, and singers who arrived as strangers that morning left as friends in the afternoon.

To view a clip of the Voices Together choirs’ day-end performance of “Shine the Light,” by Raymond Wise, led by Dr. Lynnel Joy Jenkins, please visit YouTube.com/CommonwealthYouthchoirs.

Top left: Dr. Lynnel Joy Jenkins working with Cedarbrook Middle School and teacher, Mr. Manny Carrera, and his students.

Top right: Voices Together participant looking at the program.

Bottom: Full Voices Together choir singing “Shine the Light” conducted by Dr. Lynnel Joy Jenkins.