Scene Magazine
Imagine a land where classical music makes teenage girls go gaga. Where Bach and Brahms rule. Where life transformation begins.
That land is the biggest city in America, those girls make up The Harlem Girls Choir, and while they may be shaken up about Ricky’s bon-bon or feverish over 98 Degrees, they’ve also been moved by music’s special, spiritual dimension.
The girls choir was organized in 1979 by Dr. Walter J. Turnbull as a unit of the Boys Choir of Harlem, of which he is founder and director. The girls were first accepted into the Choir Academy in 1993 and are “slowly, slowly emerging” from the shadows of the 30-year-old boys group, says fourth-year director Lorna Myers, a former Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano who holds two degrees from the Juilliard School of Music. She has performed vocally with the world’s leading symphonies.
“The choir seeks to help young women to transform their lives through music, build self-esteem and find positive role models,” says Myers. “They develop a strong value system of discipline and hard work.”
The group’s 40-member concert ensemble – culled from the 240 girls in grades 4-12 at the Academy – is touring for a second straight year. When they appear at Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall this weekend, they’ll add to a respectable resume that includes performances at the Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Apollo and Broadway.
Concert selections range from Bach and Brahms, to a West Indian be’le’ dance, to folk songs from Ireland, Israel, Vienna, France, Spain and Serbia. Songs of inspiration and patriotism are featured, along with a comprehensive African-American set and a jazz medley.
Exposure to a vast variety of cultures through music is an invaluable growth opportunity. Music’s natural, free-flowing ability to break down barriers – to encourage the celebration of diversity while providing a powerful unifying force – is something Myers hopes to impress upon young, mainstream music fans.
“Ricky Martin, the Backstreet Boys – these are artists that one has great respect for. Music is its own language, so, you see, we’re already on the same page as these artists. We just have another kind of music that everyone could also appreciate. If only people understood it – and it’s very easy to understand.”
So what’s in it for the Tiger Beat crowd?
“Our program is so diverse, there’s going to be something everyone can relate to,” says Myers. “It appeals to everybody. There’s enough that’s not classically oriented that would appeal to all tastes – a very nice, mixed bag.” – Jeff Woodard
The Girls Choir of Harlem will perform at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 15 at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. Remaining tickets cost $21 and are available by calling Ticketmaster at 216-241-5555 (Cleveland) or 330-945-9400 (Akron).