The world-renowned Young People’s Chorus of New York City has announced the world-premiere of We Came to America, an inspirational new composition for chorus and orchestra by Rob Kapilow that celebrates the American experience. Commissioned by the Thurnauer School of Music, home to the Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer, a YPC affiliate choir founded by YPC alum Emma Brondolo, YPC will perform the work with YPC @ Thurnauer, Ember Choral Arts and the New Jersey Symphony on Saturday, January 20, 2024 at 8 pm at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark and on Sunday, January 21, 2024 at 3 pm at Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown.
“As a son of immigrants, this performance is immensely personal and meaningful for me,” says Francisco J. Núñez, artistic director and founder of YPC. “This innovative and collaborative musical work honors the history and experience of immigrating to America. It is a love letter to immigrants across our nation who dared to dream of a better life—for them and their children—in America.”
The project is inspired by Faith Ringgold’s 2016 children’s book, “We Came to America,” and by the spirit of her words: “We came to America, every color, race, and religion, from every country in the world.” The breadth of this project integrates community outreach, explores and celebrates diversity, and strives to promote inclusive and equitable educational opportunities through the transformative power of music.
“Learning the piece, We Came to America, has been exciting and thought provoking for our singers,” said Emma Brondolo. “It feels very special to them, as specific movements were directly inspired by their own family’s journey to America. In addition to the piece, our singers and several schools in the area are participating in a 5-lesson curriculum that combines the music of We Came to America with the history of immigration in this country. The curriculum and video of the performance will be available to schools nationwide in the spring.”
Proceeds from the performances will support the Thurnauer School of Music’s major, annual fundraising event of the year, and will go toward the school’s mission to make high-quality music education available to all who wish to study music. Support for this project will expand the school’s outreach in elementary schools, middle schools and high schools to inspire a nationwide conversation about the value and place of immigrants in the country’s past, present, and future.
For more information on the concert, please visit Click Here. For more information about YPC, visit www.ypc.org.