Grand Rapids Symphony Youth Choruses
SEAN IVORY
Sean Ivory is a choral conductor, pianist and composer living in Grand Rapids. Since 1992, Mr. Ivory has been a vocal music instructor at Forest Hills Central High School. He has served as an accompanist and conductor for St. Cecilia Music Center, the North American Choral Company, and Calvin College. Mr. Ivory attended Northwestern University, Calvin College and Michigan State University. His choirs have performed at both state and regional conventions for the American Choral Directors Association, and have toured Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, Estonia, and Ghana. Mr. Ivory has arranged and composed several published works including Go Where I Send Thee, Ani Ma'Amin, John the Revelator, and Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down. Hope for Resolution: A Song for Mandela and DeKlerk (an arrangement done in collaboration with Chicago composer Paul Caldwell) continues to be a staple of choirs all over the world, and was recently recorded on the CD/DVD A St. Olaf Christmas in Norway. His music is published by Earthsongs, GIA and Alliance.
GRAND RAPIDS SYMPHONY YOUTH CHORUSES
In 2008, the newly formed Grand Rapids Youth Choruses became an affiliate of the Grand Rapids Symphony Society. Now known as the Grand Rapids Symphony Youth Choruses, the organization has two training choirs, directed by Jackie Sonderfan Schoon, and a professional youth chorus. The Youth Chorus sings regularly with the Grand Rapids Symphony and performs frequently on its own. With the Grand Rapids Symphony this year, the Youth Chorus will perform Arvo Pärt’s Berlin Mass and John Adams’ On the Transmigration of Souls. They will also present a Christmas concert, entitled Apples in Winter, on December 21 at St. Adalbert’s Basilica. The Prelude Chorus and the Junior Youth Chorus will also perform. Visit the GRSYC website: www.grsyc.org