This Christmas, the voices of more than 2,500 children from throughout central Indiana will ring out with the sounds of the season.
The members of the Indianapolis Children’s Choir will recreate the atmosphere and melody of Victorian London in an ode to “A Christmas Carol.” Classic songs will inspire warmth and joy that gets to the heart of what the holiday is all about.
Up on stage, the choir members will make the crisp, lively performances look effortless. But the kids behind the show, including 35 participants from Johnson County, put in hours of practice and work to make the whole thing happen.
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“It’s a big undertaking,” said Joshua Pedde, director of the children’s choir. “But after a concert, I think our singers feel that sense of accomplishment, of putting a wonderful product out there for people to take part in and be a part of, and also a sense of pride that they’ve done something bigger than themselves. None of this can happen with just one person. It’s a team effort.”
The choir kicks off their Christmas concert schedule this weekend. Singers of all ages and talent levels will take a unique spin on Christmas music.
“It’s a lot of fun, but there’s a lot of planning behind it,” said Chris Cline, a Greenwood resident who is part of Cantantes Angeli choir within the organization. “It’s fun seeing the whole production and being on TV, but it’s a lot of work.”
In the past 33 years, the Indianapolis Children’s Choir has grown to be one of the largest performing arts organizations in the state, as well as one of the largest children’s choirs in the world. More than 5,500 children — from preschool age to high schoolers — are involved with the group.
Opportunities are available throughout the organization for all talent levels and abilities to sing. The hope is ensure that anyone who wants to participate has the chance, because music is such a key component to modern life, Pedde said.
“One of the things that really appeals is that, singing is such a part of who we are in our culture. People really value that, and there is so much research in different studies how music helps kids. There is so much benefit to it,” he said.
Chris Cline was in the third grade when he and his family learned about the Indianapolis Children’s Choir from his music teacher. The teacher suggested to his mother, Cheryl Cline, that he auditioned.
“My side of the family has always performed. We’re used to doing things like that, it’s part of our culture. It seemed like a great opportunity,” Cheryl Cline said.
Chris Cline was accepted the following year. He’s been part of the choir for the past seven seasons.
“It’s been really fun. I’ve made a lot of good friends. It makes my parents proud that I’ve stuck with this and made it to the top choir. I think every parent is proud to be an ICC parent, and if I’m a parent and living in Indiana, I want to have my kids be in ICC as well,” he said.
The various choirs are the most visible part of the group’s mission. But just as vital is the music education and instruction component that occurs throughout the year, Pedde said.
“What we do is just an extension of what’s happening in our schools. We have so many great music teachers who are doing fabulous things, and so we help build upon that with kids who really love singing and have a love for music and performing,” he said.
Through regular practices and performances throughout the year, the different choirs form a close-knit community that adds another layer of value to the organization, Pedde said.
The choir will perform 10 different concerts this season, from the spooky Halloween-centric shows in October to a choral festival in June. But the Christmas programs are consistently the centerpiece of year, Pedde said.
“These are probably some of the most well-attended, for any arts organization, in the area. When the holidays come around, they think of music, and they think about these types of outings with the family,” he said. “It is something that is big on our schedule.”
Preparations for the show started in late September, though Pedde has been working on the themes of the concerts for more than a year. This year’s concerts are centered around “A Christmas Carol.” All of the songs were chosen to help tell the well-known story of Ebenezer Scrooge, looking at holidays past, present and future.
“People who come will hear the story of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ but that message will be reflected in all of the music that we sing as well,” Pedde said. “That’s how we will actually tell them the story.”
The hope is that through visual effects and storytelling, in addition to the musical foundation the show is built on, that audiences will be even more drawn into the performance.
“One of the great things about the children’s choir and our programming is that our performances are no longer just typical choir concerts,” Pedde said. “There is a theme to them, a story behind it, and so when audiences some, they really feel like they’ve been transported somewhere.”
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Indianapolis Children’s Choir
Holiday concerts
What: An Indianapolis tradition featuring the different groups within the Indianapolis Children’s Choir, with music inspired by "A Christmas Carol."
When: Today and Saturday
Where: St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th St., Indianapolis
Schedule
Angels Sing, 7 p.m. today and Saturday; a concert featuring the choir’s most advanced students
Celebrate the Season, 12:30 p.m. Saturday; a concert featuring younger students and those participating in regional choirs from the area, including the Johnson County Children’s Choir
Sounds of the Season, 3 p.m. Saturday; a concert featuring high school-aged students
Tickets: $13 for adults; free for children 5 and under
Information: icchoir.org
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