What's the Youth Choral Academy about?  It's about the most fun you could possibly have while challenging yourself as a singer!

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Oregon
Bach
Festival



© Copyright
  OBF 2001

YCA Quick Facts:

  • Takes place June 26-July 6 in Eugene, Oregon as part of the 2004 Oregon Bach Festival.
  • Open by audition to high school students. Up to 80 singers accepted each year. Auditions take place Jan.-March at live sites and via recordings. For any questions please call or e-mail obfyca@oregon.uoregon.edu
  • Open to high school singers everywhere.
  • Directed by Anton Armstrong of the St. Olaf College Choir.

What You'll Do:

 Be a Better Singer
YCA singers participate in 11 days of workshops and rehearsals, gaining experience in such important areas as voice control, diction, phrasing, movement, healthy singing, and stage presence.

Appear in Concert

Each year the YCA is featured in a headline concert in Silva Hall in the beautiful Hult Center for the Performing Arts. This year, it's July 5, with guest conductor Maria Guinand of Venezula.


In previous years the YCA has sung with vocalist Bobby McFerrin, the Cuban choir Entrevoces, the Moran Choir of Israel, and the phenomenal choral group Cantus.


See the World's Best
Part of your Festival experience is admission to major concerts at the Grammy-winning Oregon Bach Festival, called "a musical enterprise virtually without equal" by the Los Angeles Times.

Make New Friends
You'll live and work alongside talented singers who share your love for making music. With all the joy, hard work, and triumphs, you'll make friends for life!

 

YCA Faculty

Anton Armstrong  has been the conductor of the Youth Choral Academy since its founding in 1998.

Helmuth Rilling is the Oregon Bach Festival's artistic director and principal conductor. One of the world's Bach experts, He was artistic director of the "Edition Bachakademie," the ultimate Bach's set-more than 1,000 works of music on 172 CDs, released on the Hänssler label.

Richard Clark is the Academy Director. He's Associate Professor Emeritus of Choral Music at the University of Oregon, but don't let that academic title fool you. Dr. Clark is a great guy who does whatever it takes to make your experience memorable.

Andrea Brock is our fabulous pianist, in rehearsals, in concert, and on recordings.

Therees Hibbard of London, England is a member of the Festival chorus and an internationally regarded movement specialist.

Chris Aaspaas of Mount Holyoke College is a member of the Festival chorus and leads YCA rehearsals and workshops.

Dr. Shannon Chase is the new Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education at the University of Oregon in Eugene.