Submitted photo

The American Boychoir will give a performance here Oct. 28 to open the Galesburg Community Chorus season. The Boychoir is in its 61st season.

Boychoir to perform

Event opens Community Chorus season

Thursday, October 20, 2005

"The American Boychoir sings with a beautiful sound and impeccable intonation," said Tim Pahel, the chorus' music director. "Their performances are always very polished and highly entertaining. We jumped at the chance to bring them back to Galesburg."

The nationally renowned Boychoir, based in Princeton, N.J., features 26 boys from fifth to eighth grades. Galesburg is the westernmost stop and only Illinois venue on the choir's fall tour.

"Each year, we bring in a world class ensemble as our gift back to the community for its many years of support," said David Amor, chorus president. "I'm delighted that the Galesburg Community Chorus has been able to sponsor this return visit by the American Boychoir. Our audiences have loved them at their previous concerts here."

The community also will welcome back native son Kerry Heimann, who is touring with the Boychoir as its full-time organist. A 1989 graduate of Galesburg High School, Heimann holds bachelor's and master's degrees in organ performance from the University of Illinois. He is a doctoral candidate there in harpsichord and early music. Growing up in Galesburg, Heimann studied piano under Mary Runyon Gibbs. He played jazz piano in the Galesburg High School Jazz Band and was a member of the Carl Sandburg Children's Choir for six years. He performed in several Prairie Players summer musicals and had the lead in "Oliver," directed by Kurt Killam. He has served as accompanist and organist in previous performances of the Galesburg Community Chorus.

Students come to the Boychoir from around the country to pursue a rigorous academic and musical curriculum at The American Boychoir School. The student body reflects the ethnic, religious and cultural diversity of the United States. The school offers rolling admissions throughout the year and holds auditions for interested boys after each concert.

The school and choir were founded in 1937 and have been in Princeton, N.J., since 1950. The choir will have auditions while in Galesburg for boys interested in attending the school and performing with the choir. Current music director Fernando Malvar-Ruiz is a native of Spain and studied there and in Hungary before earning his master's degree in choral conducting at Ohio University. He is a doctoral candidate at the University of Illinois. This is his second year as full-time music director for the Boychoir.

Last season the Boychoir appeared with opera superstar Jessye Norman at the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament and at the YouthAIDS Foundation Benefit in New York City. Other appearances included six performances with The Philadelphia Orchestra, and a performance at The 77th Annual Academy Awards Ceremony with pop diva Beyonce Knowles. The Choir has appeared many times on television and radio including A and E's Breakfast with the Arts, Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee, CBS' This Morning and Ten, and NBC's Today, The Choir can be seen on PBS in the award-winning documentary Journey of Butterfly.

This concert is made possible by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council and generous sponsorship by Dick Blick Art Materials.

Audition information is also available on the Boychoir Web site (www.americanboychoir.org) or by calling Susan Houle, director of admissions, at (609) 924-5858, Ext. 34.

Tickets cost $10, $8 for seniors and all student admissions are paid for by Wells Fargo Bank. For more concert information, or to reserve tickets, call the Galesburg Community Chorus at 342-8143.