At Brooklyn Youth Chorus, performance is the vibrant culmination of dedicated training, artistic discovery, and profound collaboration. Our choristers don't just sing; they captivate audiences, inspire critics, and co-create groundbreaking art.
Every season is filled with extraordinary moments, showcasing the exceptional talent and versatility that defines our Grammy Award-winning ensemble. From iconic venues to world premieres, our singers consistently deliver unforgettable artistic experiences.
Visionary Original Productions
Brooklyn Youth Chorus is renowned as a bold commissioner and producer of new music, pushing the boundaries of what youth choral artistry can achieve. We believe in giving our singers a voice in creation, leading to truly innovative works.
Our recent landmark production, Port(al), transformed the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard into a vibrant canvas for site-specific choral theater. This ambitious, critically acclaimed work, co-created by Founder & Artistic Director Dianne Berkun Menaker, composer Paola Prestini, radio host Jad Abumrad, and multidisciplinary director Jessica Grindstaff, was hailed as "Sprawling, ambitious, innovative" by Vogue and "a marvelous, moving, epic work!" by Laurie Anderson. Port(al) brought history and contemporary themes to life through song, movement, and immersive storytelling, solidifying its place as a truly significant artistic achievement.
Beyond Port(al), our legacy as arts producers includes impactful original productions like the inclusive, social justice-oriented Silent Voices: Lovestate (Off-Broadway at The New Victory Theater), Black Mountain Songs (BAM Next Wave Festival), and Tell the Way (St. Ann's Warehouse). We have commissioned over 120 original works and world premieres from leading contemporary composers, including Pulitzer Prize-winners Caroline Shaw, Tania León, and David Lang, and visionary composer Philip Glass.
Appearances & Collaborations
Our choristers shine on the world's most renowned stages, regularly collaborating with an impressive roster of iconic artists and prestigious organizations. This past season alone, we graced the stage three times at Carnegie Hall!
Recent and ongoing highlights include:
Performing at Carnegie Hall alongside Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, for Bernstein’s Symphony No.3 “Kaddish,” and with Aoife O’Donovan & The Knights.
Performing Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki with Joe Hisaishi at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and the Tokyo Dome.
Showcasing our voices on a global stage at the United Nations for the Summit of the Future.
Concerts with the Philip Glass Ensemble at Town Hall.
Performing Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King at Radio City Music Hall.
Collaborations with the New York Philharmonic, The National, David Byrne, Davóne Tines, London Symphony Orchestra, Barbra Streisand, and Sir Elton John.
Performances for dignitaries, including U.S. Presidents.
Critically Acclaimed Recordings
The Brooklyn Youth Chorus extends its artistic reach into the recording world, bringing our distinctive sound to new audiences and genres through high-profile collaborations and solo albums.
Our choristers lent their voices to Djo's latest release, The Crux, and joined forces with the acclaimed band Blonde Redhead on their new album, The Shadow of the Guest.
Our recordings have been featured in major motion pictures, commercials, and live events, including several tracks on The National’s concept album I Am Easy To Find, a new work by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke for rag & bone, a Chanel campaign featuring Pharrell Williams, and Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s OTR II World Tour.
In 2005, the Chorus won a Grammy Award for its debut recording with the New York Philharmonic in John Adams’s On the Transmigration of Souls. We have also released two critically acclaimed solo albums through New Amsterdam Records: Silent Voices (2018) and Black Mountain Songs (2017).
Beloved Annual Concerts
Beyond these grand stages and recording projects, all singers across our divisions come together twice a year for our cherished annual concerts: Holiday Harmonies (December) and Spring Sings (May).
These performances are a magical opportunity for choristers to showcase their growth, inspire each other, and celebrate the collective joy of music-making for friends, family, and our wider community. They truly embody the spirit and artistry cultivated throughout the season.