Lawrence Community Girl Choir: Where Girls Find Their Voice
Est. 1991
The Lawrence Community Girl Choir program is the only non-profit girl choir in the Fox Valley region. Through the study and performance of diverse repertoire for treble singers, the Lawrence Community Girl Choirs model curiosity, compassion, creativity, and collaboration. Singers learn to respect the uniqueness of all people, to take risks that foster individual growth, and to find their voice as they grow into confident adults.
Choirs
The Girl Choir program is made up of six auditioned choirs for singers in grades 3-12. Click on the choir names below for more information on each choir.
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“My involvement with Girl Choir was the single most defining experience of my youth. I would not be who I am today—as a community member, as a teacher, as a musician—without my experience in Girl Choir. It showed me what can happen when you intentionally create a space that fosters connection, growth, and learning.”
-Allison Shinnick, Girl Choir alum (10 years)About
In a typical year, approximately 300 singers are enrolled in the Girl Choir program. They represent more than 50 schools throughout Northeast Wisconsin. Singers are expected to participate in their school music program; Girl Choir should not substitute for curricular music class.
The Girl Choir program gives four public performances annually, held in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel in December and March. Older choirs enjoy additional performances in the wider community and with other youth ensembles as opportunities arise. Past experiences have included exchanges with children’s choirs in Minneapolis, Rochester, Chicago, and Madison. Girl Choirs have been guest artists on local performances with newVoices (formerly White Heron Chorale), Fox Valley Symphony, Fox Valley Youth Symphony, Makaroff Youth Ballet, Appleton Boychoir, Lawrence University choirs and orchestra, Fox Valleyaires, and Monteverdi Chorale (Stevens Point). Girl Choirs have appeared on Wisconsin Public Television, were featured in the grand opening of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, sang for the Governor’s Cultural Congress, performed at “The Event” of the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, and were invited to represent Fox Cities youth at the Governor’s Inaugural Kids’ Gala with a performance. Girl Choirs have been selected, by anonymous audition, to perform at state and regional conferences of music educators and earned second place in the national American Prize competition.
Click here to learn more about the history of the Girl Choir program.
Curriculum
Girl Choir teacher-conductors are trained in vocal development and teach singers how to use their voices in an efficient and healthy manner. The curriculum for the Girl Choir program is based on the philosophy of music educator Zoltan Kodály, who believed in using the best quality age-appropriate music for children. The curriculum is also strongly based on the principles of the Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP) Project, which stresses the thorough understanding of a musical selection while creating a personal and emotional response to the music. Finally, our conductors are all trained in vocal pedagogy to ensure healthy vocal production before, during, and after the voice change. Rehearsals are the heart of the Girl Choir program and enable girls to notice, wonder, discuss, learn, create, and sing as individual members of one community.
Click here for more information on our teaching philosophy.
Girl Choir Empowerment Fund
In 2016, the Girl Choir Empowerment Fund was established in celebration of the program's 25th birthday. This fund helps support student scholarships for Girl Choir singers of limited financial means. If the Girl Choir made a difference in your life, please consider a gift to the program. Your donation will help spark the souls and build the confidence of the next generation.