About Youth pro Musica

Photo courtesy of the Master Singers of Worcester

Youth pro Musica: The Greater Boston Youth Chorus is a performance-oriented organization which educates young people in musicianship and choral singing. Youth pro Musica was founded in 1970 by Director Emerita Roberta Humez as part of a collaboration with Boston's renowned Chorus pro Musica. YpM’s founding was based on the belief that young people could aspire to the finest that classical music has to offer in the realm of choral music. YpM members, traditionally drawn from 30+ communities within Greater Boston, attend weekly rehearsals in West Newton and perform widely for broad-based audiences all over the Boston area.

After 25 years under the direction of Roberta Humez, Hazel Somerville led YpM from 1995 – 2003. During this time, YpM founded a Dorchester branch which steadily grew in membership. YpM was pleased to help this branch incorporate on their own as the Boston City Singers in 2003. Hazel Somerville was followed by Peter Krasinksi, who led YpM from 2004 until 2009. Robert Barney assumed artistic leadership at the start of the current season.

YpM has a long history of commissioning original works and performing local, national, and world premieres. YpM also collaborates frequently with professional orchestras and adult choruses of the Greater Boston area. Over the years, YpM has been honored to appear with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, the Cantata Singers, Revels, on National Public Radio, television and elsewhere. Highlights of recent seasons include appearances with the American Boychoir, the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir of South Africa, Vox Lumiere (whose special was seen last year on PBS) at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theater and the MasterSingers of Worcester. 2009 – 2010 ushers in a period of growth and excitement at YpM. Along with welcoming Robert Barney as YpM's new Artistic Director, YpM celebrates its first 40 years of introducing the joy, discipline and fellowship of choral singing to the young people of this area.

We hope that you will join us for this year of celebration, which will culminate with a gala concert and alumni/ae reunion in December, 2010.