Last Wednesday, with unbounded energy and excitement, 38 young men from the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, along with Founder/Artistic Director Francisco Núñez, Assistant Conductor Sonny Willis, and several other conductor/chaperones, scrambled onto their chartered bus to take them all to Kennedy Airport for a flight to their destination: the Savannah Sings! Invitation Choral Festival, where the Young Men were the festival’s chorus in residence.
Elizabeth Núñez, Mark Shapiro, Francisco J. Núñez, Rollo Dilworth, and Johnny Rabe join in for “Hey Jude”
The YPC travelers were warmly welcomed by their host, festival coordinator John Tisbert, and the families who would be hosting the boys in home-stays.
Hundreds of New Yorkers gather for YPC’s first-ever community sing-along
Hundreds of New Yorkers gather for YPC’s first-ever community sing-along
Over the next several days not only did YPC’s young men have the pleasure of rehearsing, singing, and making friends with teens their own age specially selected from 19 schools in the Savannah area, but also seeing the sights of Savannah’s downtown historic district and experiencing the city’s well-known reputation for hospitality and southern charm.
Hundreds of New Yorkers gather for YPC’s first-ever community sing-along
Hundreds of New Yorkers gather for YPC’s first-ever community sing-along
Friday evening’s two-part concert at the Yamacraw Center for the Performing Arts was a great success. It opened with performances by all of the Savannah Sings participants and culminated with an extraordinary Festival Men’s Chorus Showcase comprising 150 male voices conducted by Mr. Núñez, the festival’s artist in residence, highlighted by a 20-minute set by YPC’s Young Men and a standing ovation.
Elizabeth Núñez, Mark Shapiro, Francisco J. Núñez, Rollo Dilworth, and Johnny Rabe join in for “Hey Jude”
Mr. Tisbert called YPC’s Young Men a “terrific role model” for the students and said that their contributions to the 2019 Savannah Sings Festival, “really made the entire festival special and helped to generate excitement through the community for the entire event.” Regarding their performance? “Musically speaking,” he said, “Wow!”
YPC photos by Sophia Papoulis
Rehearsal photos by Someria Benson-JaJa