An Ode to YPC (Dec 2022)

In the Fall of 2015, I went to an audition suggested by my voice teacher at the time. “It is a very cool chorus, and they treat their choristers as professional young musicians”, she exclaimed.  “You have the discipline and the talent to be a part of it. You should go for the audition”, she said. So I dressed up in my Sunday best and went to their New York City office with my mother. They called me inside a big rehearsal studio hall and I was asked to sing my favorite song. I sang “Tomorrow” from Annie and “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music. They tested me for voice pitch and scale and two days later emailed my parents that I had been accepted. I still remember the excitement I felt on that happy day so vividly! 

I have been a part of the YPC (Young People’s Chorus of NYC) for more than 8 years now, and I still leave every recital,concert, or chorus event with such pride and gratitude. This is the beauty of choir music. We are not competing, we are creating something wonderful and joy-inspiring. That’s why I don’t mind making an hour-long journey from my home in New Jersey to my YPC home in New York City for rehearsals. I have rehearsal 3x/week directly after school. This has taught me the importance of effective time management and organization. The YPC experience has made me more efficient in prioritizing my tasks in every aspect of life, including in my academic endeavors. 

YPC has given me a space to express myself, make new friends from different schools and towns, whom I might not be able to meet otherwise. Because of YPC, I have been able to perform at hallowed locations such as the Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center, have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of singing alongside Andrea Bocelli, participate in a performance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, travel to cities such as Toronto and Denver with my friends, and sing music from all parts of the world!