Uniting Voices Chicago

¡Salud! Canto Latino is just TWO WEEKS away!

Join us for a FREE outdoor festival at Senka Park on Saturday, October 5 from 3-6pm. This year, for Canto Latino: Alma del Sur, we're celebrating South American music and culture. Hundreds of singers from all levels of our program will come together to perform different staples of music like samba (Brazil), mapalé (Colombia), morenada (Bolivia), joropo (Venezuela) and many more.

In addition to on-stage performances, the festival features food, activities, and connections with various local businesses and cultural representatives.

We look forward to an exciting day of song, dance and community! Learn more: https://www.unitingvoiceschicago.org/events/canto-latino-alma-del-sur

Just one month until Chicago's most inspirational gala, Red Jacket Optional 2024!

Here are all the ways you can celebrate with us on October 19 and honor 25 years of dedication and service from our President, Josephine Lee!

✨ Sponsor Red Jacket Optional. Your support is indispensable in keeping music education alive in our city. Learn more: https://rjo.unitingvoiceschicago.org/sponsor-rjo-2024
⭐️ Buy single tickets to Red Jacket Optional. An unforgettable evening awaits, featuring show-stopping performances from tomorrow's superstars, delicious cuisine from Boka Catering Group, a premium open bar, a captivating ambiance courtesy of Kehoe Designs and a chance to win the trip of a lifetime at our exclusive auction. Learn more + buy tickets: https://bit.ly/47jOwP1
💫 Make a donation in honor of Red Jacket Optional. Every dollar raised is vital support for our largest fundraiser of the year, which ensures we are able to offer the transformative power of song in more than 80 schools around the city and serve singers from
every Chicago zip code. Donate now: https://bit.ly/47fVCnU

We'll see you at the Geraghty!

Our season announcement is in Newcity! Click the link to check it out.

Today In Culture, Thursday, September 12, 2024: Poetry Foundation Pegasus Awards | Curio's Fashion Week Opener | Jean Banchet Awards Add Pizza Today in Chicago culture: Thursday, September 12, 2024.

Congratulations to Katy Perry on receiving tonight’s Video Vanguard award at the Video Music Awards!

We met Katy while on one of our international tours to Italy, where we performed at the world-renowned Ravello Festival. She took time out of her vacation to watch Voice of Chicago perform that night. Her presence and the words she shared with our students was a true gift and one that created a memory that will last a lifetime. We’ll be cheering her on tonight, just like she cheered us on in 2017!

Please welcome to the stage, the 2024-25 season! 🎉🎶👏

Get out your calendars and save the date for all of our major concerts, performances and events! We can't wait to share the voices of our incredible youth with you. We'll see you at the show! ❤️

"It’s amazing to be able to represent our organization using my vocals on any song whether I’m a soloist or just a member of the ensemble."

Our new single, "Room For All," is out now! We sat down with the two soloists, Christian Hampton and Ella Anello, who lead the call-and-response part of this original song. Read the latest post on the Uniting Voices blog to learn about what the song means to them, what it’s like to be a soloist on a recording and how it represented their time in Uniting Voices and Voice of Chicago.

Meet the Youth Soloists Featured on Our New Single, “Room For All!” Last week we released our latest single, “Room For All” to commemorate the anniversary of the 1960-61 wade-in protests that led to the desegregation of beaches on the South Side of Chicago. “Room For All” is the climactic and joyful gospel-tinged number from Rainbow Beach, an in-development....

Chicago's most inspirational gala, Red Jacket Optional 2024, is just a month away!

This year, we're honoring our President, Josephine Lee, for 25 years of dedication and service to the organization.

Join us for this unforgettable night of show-stopping performances, culinary delights, an open bar and an exclusive auction as the city unites behind our mission to inspire and change lives through music. Tickets are on-sale now through October 1. If you can't make it, consider a donation—Red Jacket Optional is our largest annual fundraiser and every dollar raised provides vital support to our youth empowerment and music education programs!

Ticket discounts for current parents and Uniting Voices alumni are available! Reach out to Uniting Voices to learn more.

Get tickets: https://bit.ly/47jOwP1
Donate: https://bit.ly/47fVCnU

Happy birthday, ! 👑🐝❤️

In 2009, we were honored to perform for the Queen Bey as part of her efforts to support Show Your Helping Hand by at the .

Next month, join us for a FREE South American musical adventure at Canto Latino: Alma del Sur!

On Saturday, October 5 from 3-6pm in Senka Park for our annual outdoor festival that brings together youth across Uniting Voices programs and the Chicago community for a celebration of the city's proud Latin American heritage through song, story and dance.

This year's Canto Latino brings music from South America to the forefront. Singers from our Neighborhood Choir Program will come together to perform different staples of music like samba (Brazil), mapalé (Colombia), morenada (Bolivia), joropo (Venezuela) and many more. In addition to on-stage performances, the festival features food, activities, and connections with various local businesses and cultural representatives.

RSVP today to get reminders and updates on all this free fun. This event is part of the Chicago Park District series.

NEW SINGLE OUT NOW! 🌈🎶👏

Listen to "Room For All," a celebratory, gospel-infused number from "Rainbow Beach," an original musical with music by our composer-in-residence, W. Mitchell Owens, III, and co-written by J. Nicole Brooks and David Kersnar. The song features soloists Christian and Ella, members of the Voice of Chicago class of 2024!

We're releasing the single in honor of the anniversary of the original wade-in protests, which began on August 28, 1960. "Rainbow Beach" is an in-development full-length musical production inspired by true events in 1960 and 1961 that led to the desegregation of beaches on the South Side of Chicago.

Stream "Room For All" on all major music platforms: http://unitingvoiceschicago.org/stream

Ready to make some noise this school year?
Join our Neighborhood Choir Program.
8.26.24 to 6.1.25. Two rehearsals a week.
Ages 8-18. Register Today and 🔈🎤🎵
Learn more + register: https://bit.ly/4eZwLbs

One week. Seven days. 168 hours.

Whichever way you want to count down, it’s time for the 2024-25 season to start! We can’t wait to see nearly 4,000 singers return to rehearsal and prepare for a year full of magical musical moments.

Still need to register? Head to the link in our bio!

How many weeks until the 2024-24 program year starts? ✌️

There's still time to register for our after-school programs! With world-class instruction, sessions with international artists and touring opportunities, the sky is truly the limit. Programs begin the week of August 26. Explore all of our after-school offerings and start your journey today: unitingvoiceschicago.org/programs/after-school

A little throwback from our Boston stop of the Bridging America Tour! Where should we go in 2024-25?

3️⃣ weeks until the 2024-25 program year! 🫶

Who can’t wait to get back to rehearsals?

From Boston to Lexington to Mexico City, our singers made lifelong friendships while on tour this year. Let’s celebrate all the unforgettable connections music can create for young people today on ! 🤝

Can you believe it? Only 1️⃣ month until the 2024-25 program year starts!

Thanks to our longtime friend Bongani Magatyana Music for visiting us all the way from Cape Town, South Africa! 🇿🇦

We've worked with Bongani, who is a composer, choir director and musician, for over a decade as a culture bearer to learn South African Choral Music. Yesterday, Bongani led a summer workshop to a diverse group made up of current singers from our Neighborhood Choirs and Voice of Chicago, conductors, alumni, Future Music Educators and visiting singers. He taught songs in Zulu and their accompanying choreography, including his original song Mandela. We can't wait to share what we've learned at some of our concerts this year!

“We would give 10 out of 5 stars if we could.” - Uniting Voices parent, parent survey

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Give your singer a 10-star experience. Registration is open now for the 2024-25 program year! Our after-school programs are open for young people from ages six to 18. With world-class instruction, sessions with international artists and touring opportunities, the sky is truly the limit. Explore all of our after-school offerings and start your journey today.

Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/4eZwLbs

This year, to commemorate 25 years of service to the organization, the Uniting Voices Chicago Board of Directors are proud to honor our President Josephine Lee, world-renowned musician, leader and educator. During her tenure, Josephine has served as the artistic heartbeat and a profound representative of our core values of education, expression and excellence. She has impacted the lives of thousands of young people while elevating the global reputation of Uniting Voices.

We look forward to honoring Josephine Lee’s 25 years of visionary leadership. Join us in celebrating her remarkable dedication to our city’s youth at Red Jacket Optional 2024 on Saturday, October 19.

Learn more about Josephine, Uniting Voices Chicago and Red Jacket Optional here: https://rjo.unitingvoiceschicago.org/about-rjo

We were honored to play a small part in helping NASCAR make a difference in Chicago last week! 🏁

Thanks to Candid Candace for the shout-out in this great recap of the event.

Racing to make a difference: NASCAR Chicago Street Race's impact on Chicago Racing to make a difference: NASCAR Chicago Street Race's impact on Chicago.

Shining on and off the stage 💫

“I love how everybody in the room always has an amazing contribution to make, and how our conductor pushes us to be the best version of ourselves. I have learned so much about culture and music through the choir, and I'm really seeing bright things in the future.” - Uniting Voices singer, Neighborhood Choir Program

Join a movement that brings out the best in our young people.

Register now for the upcoming program year, beginning in late August! All of our after-school programs, including our 12 Neighborhood Choirs and our Prelude program for first and second graders, are open now for registration.

Learn more and register now: https://bit.ly/4eZwLbs

Getting ready for our NASCARChicago performance of "America the Beautiful" this Sunday! 🇺🇸

Watch the performance on NBC and Peacock at 3pm CT!