The Australian Youth Choir (AYC) provides singing lessons in a choral setting for school aged boys and girls.
As Australia’s pre-eminent co-educational children’s choir, AYC is committed to providing young singers of school age with vocal tuition, performance and learning experiences that encourage the enjoyment of singing and good musicianship. Membership to the choir also develop teamwork and communication skills promoting healthy self-esteem.
The Australian Youth Choir was established in 1975 by founding Music Director Peter McKenna. It has a rich tradition in choral music education and performance, educating thousands of choristers throughout Australia and travelling and performing on the world stage.
For many years the Australian Youth Choir has featured at cultural events that shape our nation. The Centenary of Federation reenactment at the Royal Exhibition Buildings in Melbourne, Carols by Candlelight, the Opening of The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Queensland (CHOGM); at the Duke of Edinburgh Awards in Sydney before His Royal Highness, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and the opening of the Ghan Railway South Australia. The choir continues to be invited to perform at major sporting events and has performed at many Australian Football League Grand Finals, the Australian Tennis Open finals at Melbourne Park, the Davis Cup Challenge rounds in Washington D.C. and Sydney, the Australian Formula One Grand Prix and the National Basketball League finals. The choir has recorded for both radio and television.
For over twenty five years the Choir has undertaken international concert tours, fostering new friendships and cultural relationships with many other choral groups and ensembles including the Vienna Boys Choir, The Keystone State Boychoir, the Philadelphia Boys Choir, the New York Youth Orchestra, the Newark Boys Chorus and The All-American Boys Chorus.
Both at home and overseas, the Choir has had exceptional performance opportunities which have included performances before before Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11, His Royal Highness, Prince Edward; the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, Crown Prince Frederick and Princess Mary of Denmark and at Papal audiences in Rome.
Recitals have been given in the world's finest cathedrals and Concert Halls; the Duomo Florence, St. Mark's Venice, Sacre Coeur and Notre Dame Paris, St Peter's Bascillica Rome, Royal Albert Hall, St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey London, Carnegie Hall and St Patrick's Cathedral New York, and in the Rathaus, Augarten Palace and Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. In 1990 the choir was the first Australian children's choir to perform at the distinguished Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest. In 2005, Aled Jones joined the Choir at Royal Albert Hall, London, in a Gala concert to celebrate its 30 year Anniversary.
