Mission Statement
To sustain a children's choral program of the highest quality, which accomplishes the following artistic and education goals:
- To achieve a level of artistic excellence necessary to perform in a variety of settings including symphonic works with area symphonies
- To ensure that all chorus members gain knowledge and demonstrate literacy in musical concepts and vocal skills
- To instill a sense of discipline and self-esteem among chorus members
- To provide access to the chorus for children from all cultural and economic backgrounds
- To serve as a model for choral literature and vocal training in the field of children's choral music
- To instill a sense of commitment to a team effort to achieve musical excellence as a group
Masterpieces of music from all styles and periods form the foundation for musical learning and serve as the basis for the curriculum. We believe, as the renowned Hungarian composer, scholar and educator, Zoltan Kodaly, once stated, that children should be lead to musical masterpieces by means of musical masterpieces and that for the young, only the best is good enough. Since the best experience for children are inherent in great music, the Rockwall Children's Chorus repertoire includes the music of Mendelssohn, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Faure, Britten, Kodaly, R. Vaughn Williams, Bartok, and others. Folk, music, jazz and patriotic music are also included. Major works for children's choirs and orchestra form an important part of the program. Symphonic repertory will frequently be performed and recorded with the Hubbard Chamber Orchestra, The Rockwall Youth Strings Program, and other major performing organizations in the Rockwall area.
The children are taught the systematic use of their vocal instruments through exercise, posture and breath and tone production. The essence of musical experience is based on pitch and movement as it is and heard. Because the body is the instrument in singing, musical relationships are internally experienced and are likely to be by the singer. We feel that musical re-creation through vocal performance is a way of experiencing and expressing music unlike any other activity. The ability to hear music, to conceptualize music, to perceive and respond musically develops naturally from the human voice. Singing skills and musical understanding are the essential components of the creative process and a fundamental resource basic to music education. The Rockwall Children's Chorus believes that through singing, children can experience the "inner life" of the music in a way that transcends the surface notion and words. Singing is a way of "touching" the music and a way of being "touched" by the music.
Singing is the major means of musical expression in the RCC. Singing is a powerful personal means of musical expression. We hope this experience will form the foundation of a life-long relationship with music for the singers and their families.