Special to the Record
Recently, 41 Chelsea Public Schools chorus students were honored by a resolution from the Chelsea City Council for performing at Boston Symphony Hall with the Boston Children’s Chorus (BCC). The leadership team at BCC and CPS staff were also recognized in the resolution for their partnership that created this opportunity for students in Chelsea.
CPS Superintendent Dr. Almi G. Abeyta presented the resolution, acknowledging by name every student who sang at the concert. City Council President Leo Robinson commented that, to his knowledge, this group of students joined Chick Corea as the only other Chelsea residents to perform at Boston Symphony Hall. Other city councilors shared perspective on how impactful this moment was for the city.
The performance happened on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 16, at BCC’s annual MLK Tribute Concert. This group of singing sensations, who represent all four elementary schools in Chelsea, became the inaugural CPS-Boston Children’s Chorus group to sing at this concert that featured students from across the Greater Boston area that participate in the BCC program. The daylong experience at Boston Symphony Hall was one the kids will remember forever.
A first-of-its-kind partnership between Chelsea Public Schools and the Boston Children’s Chorus created an opportunity for 41 students to perform at the MLK Tribute Concert. Students from the Berkowitz, Hooks, Kelly and Sokolowski Schools comprised the chorus, who rehearsed for the first time on Thursday, December 1. It was the first of six rehearsals before the concert. BCC staff travelled to the Mary C. Burke Complex weekly to practice with the kids after school to prepare the chorus for their debut show.
MLK Day was a busy one for the Chelsea kids. Students arrived at Boston Symphony Hall at 11:00 a.m. to ensure they had plenty of time to rehearse and prepare for the 4:00 p.m. concert. Students received their BCC concert t-shirts upon arrival, and rehearsed for about three hours before breaking for lunch. The kids performed in two locations, the main stage and from their balcony seats. During their main stage performance, Chelsea students were in the front row for the entire crowd of 1,800 to see.
What made a special day extra special for the students was the opportunity to perform in front of their families. ALL families who attended received two free tickets courtesy of BCC. BCC also collaborated with CPS to offer free transportation from Chelsea for families who needed it to attend the concert. Family members arrived in droves; filling up two buses and making the crowd feel like a Chelsea home. It made an amazing experience that much better. The names, strengths, and stories of Chelsea were felt throughout Symphony Hall.
The partnership between CPS and BCC will continue this school year with the hope to increase the involvement between the two organizations for years to come.