Boys Choir of Hampton Roads Observes Its 25th Anniversary

HAMPTON ROADS
The Boys Choir of Hampton Roads recently celebrated the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the existence of the organization. The occasion, a dinner celebration, was held at the Swan Terrace-Founders Inn located in Virginia Beach, Virginia on June 10, 2022.

Special guests for this historic occasion were: Dr. Walter R. Swan, Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities at Elizabeth City State University-guest soloist extraordinaire; The Honorable Carlos Clanton, Vice President of Organization Development for STOP, Inc.; and Kamron Blue-LCSW. Also, two former members of the Boys Choir of Hampton Roads, offered thought-provoking insight to the current BCHR members.

The Boys Choir of Hampton Roads (BCHR) was established in 1997 by Geraldine T. Boone following the receipt of a grant to visionaries, Yvette Shephard and Steven Kolb to organize a boys choir in the Park Place community of Norfolk, Virginia. Throughout the choir’s twenty-five years of existence, many boys joined the choir and performed until they were ready to attend college or to serve in the military. As members they experienced comprehensive and quality vocal music training coupled with extensive performance experiences.

The BCHR is an active member group of the Tidewater Area Musicians (TAM) Inc. branch of the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM); and an active member group of NANM. The NANM is an historic organization found in 1919 for the preservation and promotion of the music of Black Americans. Its first scholarship award recipient was famed contralto, Marian Anderson.

Over the years, the BCHR has performed with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Af’ram Fest cultural celebration, Granby Street Meet and Greet, Norfolk’s Pre-Illumination Parades,  M.L. King Memorial Breakfasts, Nauticus, community organization luncheons, school events, church services and more. Julius E. McCullough is the Artistic Director of the choir.  Geraldine T. Boone is the accompanist. Dr. Brynda E. Parker is the BCHR Board Chairman.

The BCHR is presently recruiting choir members for its 2022-2023 performance year for boys ages 7 through high school.

For further information and/or to enroll your boys(s) in the choir, please visit the choir’s website at: www.boyschoirhr.org  or call (757) 589-0586. 

PIC

The Boys Choir of Hampton Roads