Commonwealth Youthchoirs

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Founded in 2001 by Joseph P. Fitzmartin and Steven M. Fisher, Commonwealth Youthchoirs is a non-profit organization that administers member choirs Keystone State Boychoir, Pennsylvania Girlchoir and Find Your Instrument! (FYI!), a school outreach program at the John Wister Elementary School in Philadelphia.

Under the leadership of Executive Director Susan S. Ashbaker, Commonwealth Youthchoirs is committed to providing superior choral music education and performance opportunities for young people from diverse economic, racial and ethnic backgrounds and to pursuing artistic excellence that inspires performers and audiences alike.

Membership in the two choirs has grown to over 300 singers, young men and women between the ages of seven and 18, and represents five counties in the greater Philadelphia region. The choirs' rehearsal homes are located in the northwest section of Philadelphia. The choirs have performed hundreds of concerts, enchanting audiences with their joyful music-making and polished sound. They continue to serve as musical ambassadors for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, both at home and internationally.

Keystone State Boychoir

Under the direction of Music Director Joseph P. Fitzmartin and Associate Music Director Steven M. Fisher, Keystone State Boychoir (KSB) consists of more than 150 young men between the ages of eight and 18 who sing an enthralling repertoire from the classical to the contemporary. KSB has sung with the region’s most distinguished ensembles, and has performed internationally on all seven continents. The KSB experience centers on its truly joyful music-making. The vibrant sound of the choir is enhanced by its compelling and energetic stage presence.

Pennsylvania Girlchoir

Under the direction of Music Director Vincent Metallo, Pennsylvania Girlchoir (PG) maintains a repertoire steeped in the classical tradition and enhanced by music from many cultures and time periods. In its six years PG has grown to include over 150 young women singing in five choirs. The choirs of PG have collaborated with many important Philadelphia arts and culture organizations and performed in Iceland, the Pacific Northwest, the Czech Republic, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, Uruguay and Argentina.

Find Your Instrument! (FYI!)

Now in its fifth year at the John Wister Elementary School in Germantown, Find Your Instrument! (FYI!), the choral outreach program of Commonwealth Youthchoirs, seeks to bring choral music education to students who otherwise would not have an opportunity to sing during the school day. The program engages 80-85 children via weekly singing and music-reading sessions over the course of the school year. Find Your Instrument! has expanded from serving one Third Grade class in Year 1 to serving all classes of the Third Grade plus engaging continuing Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grade students via launching a school chorus. It also offers to the larger student body, through musical assemblies and sharings, the wonder and joy of discovering one’s singing voice.

Commonwealth Youthchoirs, Inc.
35 West Chelten Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19144
215.849.1762
contact@cychoirs.org