Artistic Standards
Education & Training - Artistic instruction is designed to develop students' individual artistic skills and overall musicianship as well as prepare them for participation in the Boys Choir and Girls Choir performing ensembles. Students take classes in music history and theory, solo and ensemble voice, movement and dance, piano, recorder, hand bells and percussion. Vocal classes expand artistic technique and musical virtuosity in areas such as range and flexibility, breath tone and diction, managing complicated rhythms, and building effective performing and interpretative skills. As part of music history, students study European, African and American art forms; Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th Century music as well as in-depth study of selected composers.

All students have opportunities to perform. An intensive in-school recital program showcases students' vocal and instrumental talents, featuring performances by members of the "Prep" Choirs, smaller specialty Choirs (tenor and basses) and orchestral performances by piano students, the Hand bell Choirs, Recorder Consort and Percussion ensembles. Annually, the Boys Choir of Harlem and Girls Choir of Harlem Concert Choirs give over 125 major performances. In addition, specialty Choirs also perform for local agencies and community events, extending public performing opportunities to more students.

Rehearsal & Performance - Highly structured rehearsals complement artistic classes, develop the performance ensembles and focus on learning the Choirs' repertoire which is comprised of classical, 20th Century music, spirituals, gospel, jazz and contemporary/popular music with choreography. The Boys Choir and Girls Choir ensembles each consist of Preparatory and concert Choirs which rehearse and perform separately. The "Prep" Choirs are comprised of new members (generally less than 2 years) who rehearse approximately 11/2 hours daily. As students move up to the Concert Choirs, they rehearse more intensively and strenuously (3 hours daily) and master more difficult artistic works and have an increased number of artistic engagements and major concert performances.