Pacific Boychoir Academy

Some schools have a choir, but a choir school is a school where all the students sing as part of the choir. Institutions for boy choristers date at least back to the fourth century AD. Boys have historically been trained as singers in Europe, and their musical studies coordinated with their academic studies.

The Pacific Boychoir Academy is modeled after the successful choir schools that exist around the world today, such as the Drakensberg Boys Choir School in South Africa, the American Boychoir School in New Jersey, and the Vienna Boys Choir School. Choir schools are very common in Europe, but there are choir schools around the world. While most of these are boarding schools, the PBA, however, is not a boarding school, as we know many talented singers are right here in the Bay Area.

Because boys’ voices last only until they are 13 or 14, a more intense musical program allows them to do as much as possible with their voices before it changes. The finest boys choirs in the world are those where the boys attend the same school, because the unified scheduling allows them to rehearse every day, just as one should practice anything every day to truly excel. (If you need some convincing of the value of single-sex education, click here.) When boys in the school go through voice change, they will be taught to sing tenor and bass with the other boys, and with the after school choristers.

The Pacific Boychoir Academy has developed a reputation for excellence in performance, discipline, and education. Choir schools are not conservatories. The PBA does not aim to prepare boys for a life as a professional musician, though his training will set him well on his way should be choose that path. There are currently five choirs in the Pacific Boychoir. The Minstrels is the beginning choir, followed by Intermezzi. The Cantori and Troubadors are the performing and touring groups of the Boychoir. Once a boy's voice changes, he has the opportunity to audition for the Continuum ensemble. This group of tenors and basses are known as some of the most accomplished high school singers in the Bay Area. They perform on their own and with the Troubador ensemble.

Discography

That Promised Land

I Open My Mouth Little David, Play On Your Harp All My Trials Take My Mother Home Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child Witness There Is A Balm In Gilead Ain't Got Time To Die Precious Lord I Stood On The River Of Jordan Deep River City Called Heaven Over Yonder The Storm Is Passing Over Wade In The Water Ain't That Good News Praise His Holy Name The Battle Of Jericho Hear My Prayer

The elite Troubadors of Oakland's Pacific Boychoir Academy are joined by Continuum, a group of former boy choristers whose voices have changed, and soloist Jonathon Hampton, to sing this strong collection of 19 African-American spirituals, directed by Kevin Fox. Favorites are "Ain't Got Time to Die," "City Called Heaven," "Precious Lord" and "Wade in the Water," all of which features Hampton's smooth countertenor; "Over Yonder," which features soloist Jacob Wilson; "Deep River," "The Battle of Jericho" and "Hear My Prayer." There is some light accompaniment. The soloists contrast nicely with the Troubadors' sweet, high background vocals, particularly Hampton's rich leads. A special, beautifully performed collection!

Benjamin Britten

Procession Wolcum Yule There Is No Rose That Yonge Child Balulalow As Dew In Aprile This Little Babe Interlude In Freezing Winter Night Spring Carol Deo Gracias Recession A Hymn To The Virgin A Boy Was Born Lullay Jesu Herod Jesu As Thou Art Our Saviour The Three Kings In The Bleak Mid-Winter Noel

The most accomplished choristers of Oakland, California's highly-regarded Pacific Boychoir Academy are the Troubadors, who join with The Pacific Collegium, a professional chamber ensemble that combines exceptional vocalists and instrumentalists, to perform three of Benjamin Britten's favorite Christmas pieces. The dramatic, powerful 12-part "A Ceremony of Carols" was written in the middle of WWII, the simple and fetching "Hymn to the Virgin" has been a Christmas favorite since he wrote it while ill in bed at age 16; and the 7-part "A Boy Was Born," was a student exercise by Britten published in 1934 that deals with the nature of innocence and childhood in the Nativity story. Led by director Kevin Fox, the Troubadors handle this eclectic, often difficult material beautifully, and the Collegium, directed by Christopher Kula, adds strong instrumentals and vocals to the mix. This is a lovely, very different kind of Christmas collection of pieces by a master composer.

J.S. Bach

Kyrie Gloria Gratias Domine Fili Qui tollis Cum Sancto Spiritu Kyrie Gloria Gratias Domine Deus Quoniam Cum Sancto Spiritu

In addition to the B-Minor Mass, Bach wrote four other masses. These "Lutheran" masses are from Bach's time at the Thomasschule in Leipzig. The Pacific Boychoir Academy, the only choir school on America's West Coast, has recorded two of these masses with boy sopranos and altos and an orchestra of Early Music specialists led by Kati Kyme.

Down Under

Nigra Sum (P Casals) Laudamus Te (A Vivaldi) Gloria (G Fanelli) Cujus Animam Gementem (GB Pergolesi) Ellens Swelter Gesang (F Schubert / J Brahms) Trio from the Magic Flute (WA Mozart) The Little Horses (A Copland) Simple Gifts (A Copland) I Bought Me A Cat (A Copland) Long Time Ago (A Copland) Ching-a-Ring Chaw (A Copland) Weep No More (D Childs) Call Me Irresponsible (S Cahn, J van Heusen) I've Got You Under My Skin (C Porter) I Should Care (S Cahn, A Stordahl, P Weston) Johnny One Note (R Rodgers & L Hart) Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child (arr. R de Cormier) Go Down, Moses (arr. M Hayes)

In July 2001, the Pacific Boychoir embarked on an international tour to New Zealand and Australia. This CD contains pieces performed on those programs. Their repertoire includes a variety of challenging music from sacred masterpieces to spirituals to original compositions. Selections include "Nigra Sum," by Pablo Casals, the world premier recording of the "Gloria," by member Gabriel Fanelli as well as several of the "Old American Songs," by Aaron Copland. The choir is led by Kevin Fox and accompanied by Marcia Roy.

Cantate

Cantata BWV 150 (JS Bach 1685-1750): I. Sinfonia II. Chorus: 'Nach dir,Herr, verlanget mich' III. Aria S: 'Doch bin und bleibe ich vergnugt' IV. Chorus: 'Leite mich in deiner Warheit' V. Trio ATB: 'Zedern mussen von den Winden' VI. Chorus: 'Meine Augen sehen stets zu dem Herrn' VII. Ciaconna. Chorus: 'Meine Tage in dem Leiden' Sub tuum praesidium (WA Mozart 1756-1791) Ergo interest / Quaere superna (WA Mozart 1756-1791) Cantate Domino (Isaac Posch c.1585-1622/23) Mein glaubiges Herze from Cantata 68 (JS Bach) Surrexit pastor bonus (Felix Mendelssohn 1809-1847) I. Surrexit pastor bonus II. Tulerunt Dominum III. Surrexit Christus (Alto) IV. Surrexit Christus (Chorus)

This wonderful CD features the Troubadors of the Pacific Boychoir singing works by J.S. Bach, W.A. Mozart, Isaac Posch and Felix Mendelssohn. In this ambitious project, the chorus sings Bach's Cantata BWV 150, Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich. With a small orchestra and the addition of tenors and basses, the choir performs this piece similarly to how it would have been done in Bach's time. The soprano solo "Doch bin und bleibe ich vergnugt" is skillfully sung by Julian Abelskamp. The rest of the recording is equally well performed and features motets by Mozart, Posch and Mendelssohn.

To find a specific song on any recording (or to find recordings by group name or CD title),
pick the search method and type the item you are searching for here:

By Song Title

By Group Name

By Recording Title

By Music Category Any Category Contemporary Vocal Jazz Barbershop Doo-Wop Choral Collegiate Gospel World

    or use our for more search options