History of the Chattanooga Boys Choir
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Founded in 1954, the Chattanooga Boys Choir (CBC) is the oldest continuously boys choir in the southeastern United States. What began as a single ensemble of thirty boys under the leadership of local music educator Caroline Brown has grown into one of the region's premier youth arts organizations.
Today, more than 100 boys in grades 3–12 participate in the Chattanooga Boys Choir's progressive training program. Choristers come from over thirty public, private, parochial, and homeschool communities throughout southeast Tennessee and northwest Georgia, creating a diverse community united by a love of singing, learning, and serving others. More Than a Choir The Chattanooga Boys Choir is dedicated to helping young men grow as musicians, leaders, and confident young people. Through high-quality choral training, music literacy instruction, performance opportunities, and meaningful friendships, boys develop skills that last a lifetime. Our educational program emphasizes:
Performing Near and Far The Chattanooga Boys Choir proudly serves as one of Chattanooga's premier cultural ambassadors. The choir performs regularly throughout the Chattanooga region while also representing our community across the United States and around the world. Over its history, the CBC has toured throughout the United States and in more than twenty countries on six continents. International performance tours have included destinations such as England, Germany, Australia, Mexico, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Cuba, Canada, and most recently Costa Rica. The choir has performed in venues ranging from magnificent European cathedrals and concert halls to the White House, Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry, and Major League Baseball stadiums. In 2013, the Chattanooga Boys Choir became the first children's choir from the United States to perform in Cuba in more than fifty years through an invitation from the Cuban Ministry of Culture. Whether singing for local audiences or international festivals, CBC choristers proudly represent Chattanooga as true "Ambassadors of Goodwill." Collaborating with Outstanding Artists The Chattanooga Boys Choir regularly collaborates with many of the region's finest arts organizations, including the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, Chattanooga Youth Symphony, Ballet Tennessee, Chattanooga Ballet, Metropolitan Bells, several university and college choirs, and numerous community ensembles. The choir has also welcomed and performed alongside nationally and internationally recognized ensembles, including the American Boychoir, Maryland Boychoir, St. Olaf Choir, Black Jacket Symphony, the Varna Choir of Men and Boys (Bulgaria), and many distinguished collegiate choirs. CBC singers have also appeared on several commercial recordings, including projects by Casting Crowns and Steven Curtis Chapman, and were featured on the GRAMMY®-nominated recording of Maurice Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges with the Nashville Symphony. Serving the Community Service has always been central to the Chattanooga Boys Choir's mission. Each season, choristers share their music through performances at schools, senior living communities, neighborhood centers, hospitals, festivals, civic events, and charitable organizations. The choir also partners with local nonprofits through benefit concerts and outreach initiatives that use music to strengthen the Chattanooga community. In addition, the CBC proudly hosts two annual educational festivals at no cost to participants: the Chattanooga Tenor-Bass Festival and Middle School Choral Festival. These events provide hundreds of young singers from throughout the region with opportunities to learn, perform, and grow together, and are presented at no cost to participants. The CBC has also been invited to share its musical gifts to contribute to the experiences of vsitiors to the Scenic City, including meetings of the National Association of State Arts Agencies, the National Medal of Honor Convention, the American Choral Directors Association, and the THRIVE Regional Partnership. Investing in the Next Generation The Chattanooga Boys Choir believes every child deserves the opportunity to experience the joy and discipline of great music-making. Through a carefully sequenced curriculum—including music literacy instruction, music theory, ear training, and performance experience—boys gain musical skills that prepare them for success in school, college, church, community ensembles, and beyond. The choir also serves as a training site for future music educators and frequently presents workshops and clinics for teachers, universities, churches, and professional music organizations. Join the Tradition For more than 70 years, the Chattanooga Boys Choir has helped thousands of young men discover their voices, develop lifelong friendships, travel the world, and grow into confident leaders. Whether a young singer dreams of performing on great stages, making new friends, traveling internationally, or simply discovering the joy of singing, the Chattanooga Boys Choir offers an experience that will enrich his life for years to come. The Chattanooga Boys Choir is proud to receive support from the Tennessee Arts Commission and ArtsBuild, helping ensure that exceptional musical opportunities remain available to young people throughout our community. |