Brews with Benefits
Over the years Kalamazoo has been know for lots of things - from Gibson guitars to Checker Cabs. Today, our community has earned a reputation for producing craft beer of exceptional quality. This week marks the 6th annual Kalamazoo  Beer Week and KCC has come up with a great way to celebrate. Join Mr. Sang and friends TONIGHT at Arcadia Ale at 5:01 pm on Friday, January 22 for the Brews with Benefits bus tour to benefit the Kalamazoo Children's Chorus - because four exceptional Kalamazoo brew houses have joined together to support Kalamazoo's exceptional kids! In collaboration with West Michigan Beer Tours, the KCC fundraising brewery tour will raise money for scholarships and concert tours. Your participation will go towards advancing the artistic journey for all KCC kids. "This is a great opportunity to share a love of beer and music in a relaxed setting," said Mr. Sang. "I'm looking forward to making new friends and catching up with alumni and old friends while enjoying some of the best brews in the country right here in West Michigan." Tickets are just $40 and the bus tour will include visits to Arcadia Brewing Co. Kalamazoo, Gonzo's Biggdog, One Well Brewing, and Boatyard Brewing Co. Hobnob with the brew masters, sample suds, get an exclusive access to a canning run of Gonzo's Vanilla Porter- buy a four pack of the Vanilla Porter and $1 of the purchase will go to KCC!, and bid on great auction items such as summer camp at Van Buren Youth Camp and items from Van Sweden's Jewelers. Hope to see you there!
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2015-2016 Music of Life Concert Season
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Visit Our Season Sponsors
The Kalamazoo Children's Chorus sing the praises of Dr. Chaundi Wang and Dr. Thomas Kwong! Sponsoring the Kalamazoo Children's Chorus for a second season, their support goes a long way to keep several KCC programs going. Of course if you ask the kids, they'll tell you that Dr. Wang and Dr. Kwong get everyone a Season T-shirt and a tote bag. They'll also tell you that this super cool pair treat the kids to a pizza party the day before the Holiday concert, just before the kidd sing for the residents at Friendship Village.
 | Thanks for the party Dr. K!
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Annual Fund Goal: $7,000
Help make our 35th Anniversary Season a great one!
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This has been a long time coming! Leona and I have been waiting to send you this message. Welcome to the first issue of Stay Tuned, the new Kalamazoo Children's Chorus biannual e-newsletter for KCC alumni, friends and family! We hope you will share Stay Tuned with people you think will be interested in hearing about KCC - whether its a former singer or a new neighbor - we hope you'll spread the word about a great organization.
Twice a year you'll find news and information we think you'll enjoy. We'll share stories from former KCC kids to find out what they're doing now, you'll get concert information, an inside look at new programs, invitations to reunions, and a forum in which to share your fondest KCC memories.
Thirty six years of music making, friendships, concerts, rehearsals, fund raising, uniform fittings, trips, and great memories. That is what KCC has meant to thousands of choristers and hundreds of families. Whether you began in KCC with Jeanne Frey wearing khaki and blue vests, converted to the blue plaid skirts, grey pants and red, white and blue ties or wore the black and red tartan with black vest, black pants and red ties, you have been a part of a river of song that has impacted the lives of thousands of listeners over the years. Performances with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, traveling to Numazu, Japan and singing with the children's choir there, travel to New York to sing at Carnegie Hall, to Toronto sharing a concert with the Bach Children's Chorus, singing at Canterbury Cathedral, Notre Dame and other venues on our first European trip, welcoming the Bloemfontaine Children's Chorus from South Africa with home stays and lasting friendships, The Schola Cantorum de Mexico from Mexico City for our Petoskey Festival, our performances and travels in Austria, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, singing with every major musical organization in and around Kalamazoo, recording three albums, commissioning new works and always... the friendships and the family. What a legacy you have provided for your community and your families! Making beautiful music is what helps define us. So is community and outreach.
Two years ago we began the Eastside Choir. With 9 children we stepped off the edge to see if we could make a difference in the lives of the members of the Eastside community. Now, 20 strong this choir is becoming an organization around which the community can rally with pride and commitment. We are exploring opportunities for a program for special needs children grades 3-6. We are also hoping to expand our presence in other neighborhoods in Kalamazoo as we live up to our motto: "Building our community, one voice at a time.".
In this inaugural newsletter it is my hope that we can establish an ongoing relationship with you and your family. We encourage you to send us stories and photographs and we hope you'll continue to support the Chorus with a donation of time, money or idea. It is always exciting to have the children of former members join us, even grandchildren! We want you to know how much your involvement helped to shape KCC into what we are today; an organization dedicated to world class choral training in a supportive and nurturing environment. I think that Jeanne would be proud.PLANNING AHEAD: The 2016-2017 is our 36th Anniversary Season and we hope you'll join in our celebration! As we gear up for a great year, we invite everyone to pitch in and give us some ideas to make it extra special. A reunion concert? A video documentary? Oral histories? We're family - so all ideas are welcome! Tell Us Your Story |
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| Alumni join the Chorus to sing in 2014
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Join us for a concert
Do you remember the goosebumps you got when you stepped out on the Chenery Stage? Come to a concert and you may find yourself standing on that very stage once again!
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| KCC Alumni Spotlight
The Kalamazoo Children's Chorus has seen a great many singers go through the organization since Jeanne Frey founded the Chorus in 1980. Many have grow up to be professional artists performing on Broadway, cruise ships, opera houses, professional ensembles, as well as those who become prominent music educators. Some have gone on to be religious leaders, social workers, engineers, scientists, political figures, and much more. Some have even gone on and come back to us!
Taylor Gudbrandson is our Bella Voce Choir Director, but some of you may know her better as Taylor Stevens - a KCC alumni who joined the Chorus in 10th grade. Taylor sang with us in the 2008 Concert Tour of Austria and the Czech Republic.
"The Kalamazoo Children's Chorus has been good to me. It has led me places I never imagined I could be," Taylor wrote on her blog. "I am composed of a great many things I learned there. Passion, Music, Friendship, Love, Kindness, Generosity, Family. The list goes on forever."
After graduating from Constantine High School, she went on to pursue a degree in music education from Central Michigan University. Her memories and experiences are genuine and heartfelt, she is a success all her own, doing what she loves for all the right reasons.
KCC is proud of all its members and we hope to continue fulfilling our mission of enhancing the state of the world one song at a time.
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On behalf of all of us at the Kalamazoo Children's Chorus, we hope that you will join us for a concert this season and continue to renew and strengthen your ties to KCC - where serious music means serious fun.
Sincerely,
Fred Sang
Artistic Director
Kalamazoo Children's Chorus |
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