To sign-up for an audition, click here.
How does the audition work?
Auditions will be held at Merion Elementary School (549 S. Bowman Avenue, Merion Station) on Thursday, April 13th, 3:45pm-5:00pm. Auditions are for students in grades 1-5. Singers will be heard on a first-come, first-served basis and are welcome to leave after their audition or stay to support the other students auditioning.
The Music Director auditions each singer individually, usually for five minutes per singer. Prepared music is not required for auditions, though we usually like to hear each student sing a short song to give them a chance to shine. The rest of the time will be spent with simple vocal exercises taught during the session.
To sign-up for an audition, click here.
Within two weeks of the audition, families will be notified by e-mail whether or not their child has been called for a final audition in Center City. Our headquarters are located on the northern Avenue of the Arts corridor (Broad & Spring Garden), and house our rehearsal spaces, voice studios, small performance spaces and administrative offices. The location is highly visible and easily accessible by car and public transportation as well as placing the Choirs in close proximity to Center City. There is a fee for singers who enter the program, and financial aid is available to everyone who qualifies.
For more information about final auditions and the choir, click here.
The musical opportunities that the choristers experience are unmatched by any other group around. In the past three years, the Choir has performed with the Philadelphia Ballet, the Philly POPS, Opera Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Trailblazers in international touring, the Philadelphia Boys Choir has traveled to more than 50 countries.
Click here to see a recent local news piece about auditions for the Philadelphia Boys Choir!
To sign-up for an audition, click here.
Organizational Background
Renowned for their commanding musicianship, intelligence and interpretive abilities, the Emmy Award winning and Grammy Award nominated Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale has cultivated a devoted following worldwide for their highly-acclaimed concerts and recitals. PBCC continues to breakthrough the most rigid social, political and cultural barriers as “America’s Ambassadors of Song”.
Performance highlights from recent years include Philadelphia Mayor Kenney’s Inauguration, the opening of the Barnes Foundation, the home opening game of the Phillies season, a performance at Carnegie Hall, and a performance with Hugh Jackman and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Recent international tours include Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, Vietnam, Cuba, China and England.
Artistic Director Jeffrey R. Smith is a 1999 summa cum laude graduate of Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Music in Composition. As a pianist in much demand, Smith has played with the Philadelphia Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, Philly POPS, and for several shows on and Off-Broadway. He is also assistant conductor for the Philly POPS. He resides in Haddon Township with his two sons, Elijah and Isaac.
