Well, I couldn’t help but dig a little deeper into the phenomenon that is the PS22 Chorus and (of course) the more I read and listened, the more intrigued I became, and the deeper I went into the rabbit hole.
One amazing thing I learned is that the teacher, Gregg Breinberg, founded the PS22 chorus way back in 2000! How did it take me so long to find them?!?
Here are a few words from an interview that blogger, Beth Hopkins, did with Mr. B (as his students call him) that I believe captures the essence of what makes this chorus so special:
“Not only are their voices beautiful; they are a delight to watch. Every single member of the Chorus dances and smiles, clapping their hands; their enthusiasm is reckless and palpable.
As someone passionate about creative expression, whether mine or that of others, PS-22 Chorus inspires me. They are artists. They are completely engaged in their performances. And their cooperative spirit and unabashed joy is something we could all use.” — Beth Hopkins
I think many adult singers could learn a lot about making music from these young people.
I could go on and on, but instead I’ll just share the links to a few of the articles and a podcast about the chorus and Mr. B. There’s been a ton written about them over the past twenty-four years — especially when they were invited to sing for the Academy Awards ceremony in 2011 (one of the links below is a video of their live performance)!
I hope you enjoy discovering them as much as I have.
Take Five: an interview with Gregg Breinberg
A Bit of Relief: The Long Distance Chorus (podcast)
Behind the music: How a teacher led his chorus to internet fame