Spring 2025 Newsletter

JACKSONVILLE CHILDREN’S CHORUS 62 N MAIN STREET JACKSONVILLE, FL 32202

Tray

904.353.1636

WWW.JAXCHILDRENSCHORUS.ORG

JACKSONVILLE CHILDREN’S CHORUS NEWSLETTER Name Address City, State Zip

Dear Friends of the Chorus,

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WOW–30 years! It’s incredible to think that what started in 1995 with just 16 voices has grown into a vibrant organization reaching 1,200 young musicians each year. This milestone isn’t just about the music, it’s about the passion, dedication, and joy that has shaped our journey; and we couldn’t have done it without you. Our singers, families, supporters, and community have been the heart of this organization, lifting us up and making it possible for young voices to be heard. Thank you for being part of our story!

This spring, our annual “Lift Ev’ry Voice & Sing” concert featured a powerful performance from the Morehouse College Glee Club. It was a shining moment that celebrated the power of music to bring people together, inspire change, and uplift our community.

FOR FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND TICKET INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT WWW.JAXCHILDRENSCHORUS.ORG.

UPCOMING EVENTS

As we celebrate 30 years of song, we’re also looking ahead to the next 30–and beyond! To ensure that JCC’s legacy continues for generations, we’re launching an Endowment Fund with an ambitious goal: three million dollars in three years. This fund will provide lasting support for our programs, scholarships, and artistic excellence, no matter what challenges come our way.

The JCC is more than a chorus; it’s a place where children find confidence, belonging, and their own voice. With a strong foundation, we can dream bigger, reach more children, and make an even greater impact in our community.

We invite you to be part of this exciting future. Every gift, big or small, brings us closer to our three million dollar goal and ensures that young singers will continue to feel the joy of music for generations to come.

With gratitude,

Darren Dailey President & Artistic Director

DONATE TO JCC’S ENDOWMENT FUND TODAY! JACKSONVILLE CHILDREN’S CHORUS 1

Join us for a week of singing, music, and endless fun! On the final day of our singers’ week–long interactive workshops, they’ll have the opportunity to showcase everything they’ve learned in a free recital at the JCC Headquarters.

LEARN MORE ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS!

JCC HEADQUARTERS | 9AM-4PM

JUNE 2-6 · JUNE 23-27 · JULY 14-18 · JULY 28-AUGUST 1 Local leaders are partnering with professional ballroom instructors to learn to dance, compete for the mirror ball trophy and raise money for the children of the JCC.

Join us in celebrating 30 years of song with the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus, featuring a performance of John Rutter’s “Magnificat” with members of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra!

UNF LAZZARA PERFORMANCE HALL 6:30PM

RIVERSIDE PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | 3:00PM

SATURDAY APRIL 12, 2025

SATURDAY APRIL 26TH, 2025

ARTISTIC STAFF:

2025 SENIOR SINGER HIGHLIGHT

Darren Dailey President & Artistic Director

Where will she go from here?

Melissa Barnes Primary, Training, & Intermezzo Choir Conductor

Maggie Trull Member of Touring Choir

Katherine “KT” Boling Choreographer

“Self-comparison is the thief of joy”

Susanne Dailey Training Choir Conductor

• • Maggie, 2024

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JCC member for 11 years Not sure what she wants to study yet, leaning towards music education Wants to stay local to Jacksonville

Virginia Dickert Primary & Training Choir Conductor Sachiko Frampton Collaborative Pianist Rebecca Minor Vocal Exploration Class & Voice Instructor

“I first decided to join the JCC when my mom was on the couch with a flyer she found. I had always loved music so I thought it might be fun and I’m eternally grateful I decided to audition.

Assistant Primary & Training Choir Conductor

The Chorus has provided me with so many opportunities to see the world, find friends, learn valuable life skills, and has shaped are like a second family to me and I love getting to learn more about something I love: singing!”

I Maggie , 2016

Jessye Russom Preschool Class Instructor Dr. Julie Myung Song Cantate Choir Conductor Kaitlynn Tobias Primary & Training Choir Conductor

DID YOU KNOW? • Singing in groups has been found to increase self-confidence, empowerment, wellbeing and interpersonal skills, instill a sense of joy and accomplishment, lower feelings of social isolation, depression and anxiety, and create denser social networks.1 • Singing appears to reduce stress. A 2017 study measuring hormones indicated that 20 minutes of either choir or solo singing is sufficient to increase happiness and decrease sadness and worry.2 • Group singing can help you grieve. Weekly singing in a choir was found to support stability in mental health and well-being as well as increasing self3

FULL-TIME STAFF: Kiera Bates Recruitment, Marketing, & Special Events Coordinator Katherine “KT” Boling Director of Operations Joyanne Goronal Business Coordinator Sarah Leitch Program & Volunteer Coordinator

Citations 1.

Gridley, H., Astbury, J., Sharples, J., & Aguirre, C. (2011). Benefits of group singing for community mental health and wellbeing: a survey and literature review. Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) Carlton, Australia, 28.

2.

Schladt, T. M., Nordmann, G. C., Emilius, R., Kudielka, B. M., de Jong, T. R., & Neumann, I. D. (2017). Choir

Silas Lewis Interim Development Assistant Dale Patrick Program & IT Coordinator

neuroscience, 11 (Art. 430), 1-9. doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00430 3. org/10.1136/bmjspcare-2018-001642

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KEEPING THE MUSIC ALIVE: MARLYN’S STORY Marlyn Ogburn Finance Director from 2000-2013 My journey with the Chorus began in 1998 when my daughter Annie joined as a 4th grader under director Jim Taylor. When he announced his departure, Twila Miller, an experienced choral director, stepped in. She quickly rounded up a group of parents to take up the cause and we all got to work.

My job was purely administrative, as I was no singer!

We faced many challenges: securing non-profit status, organizing financials, finding rehearsal space, funding, and recruiting singers. For the first headquarters. Administrative assistants and volunteers worked out of my Riverside.

For the first year, I did not take a salary. It seemed more important to pay Marlyn’s Daughter, Annie,

received a few thousand dollars, but the benefit that the Chorus provided to children motivated me to keep going. Singing was transformational; it was a great way for children to bond and have experiences like travel and gain confidence.

1998

During Jim Taylor’s tenure, Board members would sometimes provide tuition for a child who could not population.

Without prior experience, I was thrilled when the first grant I wrote for the Chorus resulted in an award from the State of Florida! Grants from the City of Jacksonville and the Jaguars Foundation became a crucial part of funding our programs and scholarships.

After Mrs. Miller’s departure in 2005, the Board kept JCC operating until Darren Dailey was named Artistic and Executive Director in 2006. When I retired in 2013, I knew JCC would continue to thrive because there are children who were born to sing!

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BRAVO! - Spring 2025 ISSUE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Susana Cruz, Chair Allison Hollander, Vice Chair Arend Dorsett, Treasurer Ryan Hesser, Secretary Amanda Hegeman Jesse Shimp John Thompson

THE EARLY YEARS OF THE JACKSONVILLE CHILDREN’S CHORUS

ADVISORY BOARD:

Dr. Jim Taylor

Richard Hadden, Chair Jackie Cornelius Marsha Oliver Craig Smith Amanda Warford Videll

Founder and Artistic Director from 1995-2000 My love for working with children began in the late 1980s as a full-time church musician in West Central Florida. Shortly after, I was introduced to the Toronto Children’s Chorus and was awed by the sound that Jean Ashworth-Bartle drew from the children; I had met Henry Leck, founder of the Indianapolis Children’s Chorus, at various events; and my mentor, Roger McMurrin, had a fine boy choir in Ft. Lauderdale. The community children’s choir movement was becoming strong nationally.

In 1994, I moved to Jacksonville and was surprised to find a city of a million people without a community children’s chorus. I came to know Dr. Jon Carlson at Jacksonville University, and with his support we launched the Jacksonville University Children’s Chorus. I was even able to recruit on-air during rush hour, thanks to my good friend, Madge Bruner, at WJCT. 16 eager young singers and our accompanist, Gavin Taylor, shaped those early rehearsals.

A LETTER OF SUPPORT Diana Donovan Executive Director Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville As a vibrant and inspiring organization, Jacksonville Children’s Chorus (JCC) is transformative opportunities to young people and fostering a deep appreciation for the arts across the city.

The JCC embodies a commitment to excellence and community resiliency, creating a space where children from all walks of life can unite in the shared pursuit of musical artistry. Through rigorous training and a focus on personal growth, the JCC has instilled confidence, discipline, and a pipeline of talent to Jacksonville’s future creative workforce. These values ripple beyond the rehearsal space, shaping well-rounded, empathetic leaders who are invested in their communities.

The impact of the JCC on Jacksonville cannot be overstated. Their performances–whether in local venues, national stages, or international arenas–are a testament to their exceptional artistry and their ability to represent the vibrancy of Jacksonville on a global scale. By nurturing talent and creating moments of beauty and inspiration, JCC has positioned Jacksonville as a city where the arts thrive and where young voices can shape a brighter future.

DONATE TO JCC’S ENDOWMENT FUND TODAY!

Our numbers grew quickly–from 16 to over 50 singers in just a few years.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

spaces from Jacksonville University to Landon Middle School, and later to St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Finally, Christ Presbyterian Church in Mandarin became our home base, with its leadership seeing the Chorus as a ministry to the city. By this time the JCC had performed at the Jaguar stadium, Terry Concert Hall, Disney World, and the Florida ACDA conference. We even had the thrill of performing live on WJCT and taking part in Carnegie Hall children’s choir festivals in 1997, 1998, and 1999.

In 2000, I felt called to a new role in Colorado Springs. In a providence clearly of divine making, I met Ty Miller, a woman recently moved to Jacksonville from Indiana, where she had directed the Ft. Wayne Children’s Choir for 10 years. I passed the baton to her, with 100 singers in two sections, and thus began the next chapter in the history of the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus.

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BRAVO! - Spring 2025 ISSUE

Delores Barr Weaver Staff Giving Fund Endowment

Sharon & John C. Myers, III

JoAnn Tredennick & Jack Meeks

Laura Lee Pattillo Norquist Charitable Foundation

Towe Family Fund

David Shankman

Terry Family Foundation

Patrick Ahern

Jesse Shimp The Gooding-Bell Endowment

Stephanie & Tim Cost

Emily & Lawrence Lisska

Julia Holden-Davis

Henry & Lucy Gooding Endowment

The Haskell Foundation

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