AMERICAN YOUNG VOICES
For over two decades before extending the program to the United States, Young Voices had been invigorating a passion for music among young students through massive concerts in some of the biggest arenas in the U.K. and beyond.
In June 2015 Francisco J. Núñez, a MacArthur Fellow, conducted 3,000 children from 29 schools in the very first American Young Voices concert, which took place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Since then, with Mr. Núñez as principal conductor, AYV has continued on pace to become a full-blown American cultural phenomenon.
Now, as AYV approaches its fifth season in 2019, these extraordinary AYV experiences have inspired such widespread awareness and demand among educators, parents, and the children themselves (please see accolades below) that AYV has expanded from a single concert at the Prudential Center, to concerts in massive arenas in four additional states - Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia - quintupling the number of schoolchildren it reaches to over 15,000 eager boys and girls in Grades 2 to 8 from schools in those and surrounding states.
In preparation for these immense, fun-filled concerts, American Young Voices invites the children to master specially selected music and movement in class with their teachers, as they transform themselves into “young artists” ready and eager to display their new-found artistic skills before enthusiastic audiences in arenas bursting to overflowing, in anticipation of the youngsters’ performances. For the children, these concerts, led by Mr. Núñez and backed by a professional band of today’s top musicians, are sure to be among the most exciting and memorable events they could ever imagine, while at the same time, inspiring a love of music that will stay with them throughout their lives.
WHAT PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND PRINCIPALS ARE SAYING:
“I’ve NEVER seen my kids so excited to sing in their entire lives. Although we are from Albany, many of our students have never been to the Times Union Center, and this was a huge deal for them. A lot of my students come from extremely low income families with limited opportunities and support, so experiences like AYV give these students a reason to get excited about all of the opportunities they CAN achieve. How amazing it was to watch 3,000 children singing together—arms around each other—huge grins and screams and applause. “ I’ve had multiple students tell me that it was “the best night of their lives.” I am honored that there are people like you and the AYV team advocating for students to participate in the arts regardless of race, economic status, demographics or language. ”
“THANK YOU and the entire AYV team for providing a high-quality, unforgettable experience for my students. One amazing part about this process of asking students to learn so much music is that their parents and friends learn the music along with them. It’s the CD they have in the car on the way to school, it’s the soundtrack that accompanies their homework time, and it’s the stuff they sing in the shower! Thank you for providing an experience that brought my entire school community closer together.”
“Being a part of AYV for 3 years has made me realize how lucky I am to be a part of something this special. AYV brings out the rock star in all of our students.”
“Wow! That was an experience we will never forget. It was a chance to see and feel something magical in their lives! It’s a blessing to be united with so many people across so many cultures! I believe that my students felt for their first time the tremendous power of music, its personal spiritual experience, inspiration, and joy. I feel that they understood its importance as a universal language. It is an expression to our hearts when words are often not enough.”
“AYV created a memory of the power of music that will hopefully last them a lifetime. Thanks for ALL that you do to share the power of music with others. Our souls were fed :).”
“There is NO WAY to thank you enough for AYV!!! I teach at the most impoverished elementary school in Lowell, and you cannot imagine how much this has affected and continues to affect our students. You may never really know just how much AYV impacts the children’s lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!!”
“The music teacher helped set the kids up for great success. The incredible feedback from our guests attending showed us how powerful this student collaboration really is. They used words like “extraordinary,” “powerful,” “just great,” and “terrific” to describe how moved they were. They also thought that Mr. Núñez, the conductor, was exceptional and were excited the kids had the opportunity to work with him. I do hope the school continues to take part in this event year over year.”
“What you all did last night with the choruses from around the area was absolutely awesome. It gave students an insight into how concerts work, allowed them to be a part of the rehearsal, and actually made them a part of the performance! Thanks again…we’re already looking forward to next year!”
“I can’t begin to put my gratitude into words. Your hard work and dedication to music education and children is evident in your every move. I am so proud to have been part of the AYV phenomenon! My kids all came to school with hoarse voices and sore cheeks. They sang their hearts out and could not stop smiling. I’m all about music, and AYV fills my heart with song. Can’t wait for AYV 2018!!!!”
“My head of school came to my room this morning to tell me how much fun he had and how much he enjoyed [AYV]. He was floored and is already asking if we are going to do it again next year. Thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing this event to Lowell and organizing this entire run of events in the USA.”
“Seeing my son and the rest of the students perform among the 8,000 students gave me goosebumps! While sitting and watching, I reflected on the ways which the event and preparation taught cooperation, collaboration, and team work. AYV was a terrific venue to show our children how people from different cultures and backgrounds can come together for an uplifting music experience. I truly wasn’t prepared for the musical experience that we received on Thursday. You allowed our kids to be the stars of the show, which brought tears to my eyes watching them sing and dance. Thank you for creating such a memorable moment for both my son and myself.”
“WOW! I was blown away by this. What an incredible experience for students, chaperones and myself! I already put the date on the master calendar for next year so we will be there! I’ll definitely be sharing with all my teacher friends so we can pack that arena next year!”
