Appalachian Children's Chorus

This season, ACC celebrates 26 years of transforming children’s lives through the medium of music. Our mission is to develop artistic excellence, quality music education and extraordinary opportunities while having a positive effect on the lives of West Virginia’s youth. ACC hosts multiple events throughout the year to keep children in grades kindergarten through 12 involved in music education. Major activities include: a holiday concert with the Martin Luther King Jr. Male Chorus in Charleston’s state-of-the-art Clay Center; a spring concert; the Appalachian Festival of Young Voices concert; and, a choral camp to encourage school children to get excited about music and the arts. The Appalachian Children’s Chorus was named the “Official Ambassadors of Music” and the “Official Children’s Chorus of the State of West Virginia.” The chorus represents West Virginia at many events throughout the city, state, nation and world; most recently, on a tour in Canada in June of this year where they were the only international choir performing in their 150th Sesquicentennial celebration in Ottawa. The choirs performance pedigree includes performances in 17 famous cathedrals throughout Europe as well as the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. In addition, the choir performed at the Vatican in St. Peters Basilica during a Papal Mass and at a Bishop’s celebration in Venice’s famous St. Marks. Additional performances in Rome included the Coliseum. Other noted performances were Disney World, The Pacific Rim Celebration in Hawaii, New York City’s Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and United Nations General Assembly. The choir routinely performs for state performances for the Governor and Legislature. There are almost 200 children in the Appalachian Children’s Chorus. Needs-based financial aid is available to all children who qualify. No one is ever turned away from the program because of inability to pay. Approximately 35% of our children receive financial assistance for the $500 yearly tuition fee. Furthermore, all of our children receive financial assistance as the yearly tuition is a fraction of what it actually costs to participate in the program.