The
Metropolitan Boys Choir is an organization of young men from the Minneapolis/Saint Paul twelve county Metropolitan
area. The boys range in age from five to eighteen. Founded in 1971 by Music Director, Bea Hasselmann, they merit
the title "Minnesota's Young Ambassadors of Song" given to them by the late Vice President, Hubert H. Humphrey.
The Choir regularly appears in concert halls, churches, convention centers
and senior residences throughout the Twin Cities area. The Choir performed
regularly with the Minnesota Orchestra for 30 years. They have had the honor
of
singing under the direction of many world-renowned conductors, including the
late Klaus Tennstedt, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Edo de Waart, Eiji Oue, Sir
Neville Marriner, Osmo Vanska,
Andrew Litton, Christopher Seaman, Charles Dutoit, David Zinman, James
Conlon, Henry Charles Smith, Giancarlo Guerrero and choral legends Helmuth
Rilling
and the late Robert Shaw. They have also been honored to sing with other
premiere international ensembles and performers such as: Russian Bolshoi
Ballet,
Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Moscow Ballet, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra,
Plymouth
Music Series, Minnesota Opera, Minnesota Dance Theater, Christopher Plummer,
Maureen McGovern, Doc Severinsen, Mitch Miller, the late Rosemary Clooney,
Debbie Boone, Dorothy Benham, Tom Tipton and choir alumni Sanford Moore and George Maurer.
Top quality musical performances keep the Metropolitan Boys Choir in high
demand. Over the years the Choir has performed at such notable events as the
1998
World Figure Skating Championships, Super Bowl XXVI, CBS/Disneyland 4th of
July Special, Robert Schuller's internationally televised Hour of Power,
1991
Special Olympics, 1990 Mikhail Gorbachev Twin Cities visit and the 1985
All-Star
Baseball Game. They have sung the National Anthem at Minnesota Vikings,
Twins, Wild and Timberwolves games. The boys have been invited on many
occasions to
sing for the Music Educators National Conference and the American Choral
Directors Association's state and national conventions. The choir was also
selected to sing for the National Orff Convention, Wisconsin State Choral
Directors
Convention and the American Kodaly Educators National Convention.
Annual tours have taken the choir through 41 of the 50 United States
including Hawaii. Foreign tours have introduced these Young Ambassadors of
Song to
audiences in Canada, Germany, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, England,
Wales,
France, Italy, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic
and Guatemala. Seven choirs totaling as many as 250 voices make up the
Metropolitan Boys Choir program. Versatility, skill and dedication are
qualities the
choir demands from its members. Following an audition and interview in which
his
personal and musical strengths are evaluated, each recruit begins a rigorous
musical and educational training program. Inquire at the MBC office for
audition schedules.
For more information, to book a concert or to audition,
please contact us at:
Metropolitan Boys Choir
P.O. Box 19348
Minneapolis, MN 55419-0348
Phone 612-827-6501
Email: metbychoir@aol.com |
