FOUNDED IN 1987
Founded in 1987 with just 14 boys, the mission of The Maryland State Boychoir has remained clear: to foster the boychoir tradition by offering talented boys opportunities to sing and build self-esteem, self-discipline and character. Thirty years later, the Boychoir still embraces that goal.
TODAY
The Maryland State Boychoir (MSB), Maryland’s “Official Goodwill Ambassadors,” is comprised of approximately 130 choristers, ages 7 to 20, who represent a wide range of ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds. They come from nine Maryland counties, Baltimore City, and the D.C. suburbs.
AuditionTHE CHOIR
The Maryland State Boychoir is a diverse group of talented boys who love to sing. Qualified applicants are accepted regardless of their families’ financial means and are not discriminated against on any basis. Prior musical training is not expected, but an audition is required. Auditions are held in the fall, winter and spring for potential members who are not required to have prior music training. A qualified applicant is any boy who loves to sing, is committed to the organization, and can sing in tune with a pleasant voice.
View EventsTHE EXPERIENCE
Not only do choristers receive training in voice lessons and music theory, they also develop friendships with boys from varied backgrounds, build self-esteem and self-discipline through hard work and dedication, and develop a sense of community through their commitment to the organization.
Get InvolvedAbout Us
What We Do
The MSB performs over 80 times annually. They have performed throughout Maryland, in surrounding states, and on tours that have taken them to Ireland, Wales, England, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Canada, Iceland, Bermuda and more than thirty-five states in the mid-Atlantic, Southeast, midwest, and Southwest regions of the U.S. Throughout the state of Maryland, the MSB has performed at the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, the United States Naval Academy Chapel, the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, the Lyric Opera House, the State House, the Governor’s Mansion, the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, and Loyola College. Throughout the U.S., the MSB has performed at the White House, the Kennedy Center, the PGA President’s Cup, the National Cathedral in Washington DC, St. Patrick’s and Holy Trinity Cathedrals in New York, Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, Capitol University in Ohio, and The University of Central Arkansas.
Since 2000, The Maryland State Boychoir has hosted the Baltimore Boychoir Festival, which brings together boys and young men from across the country to strengthen their choral skills, deepen their sense of community, and celebrate their art. In 2002, the MSB launched a Goodwill Ambassador program in which choristers visit schools, retirement communities, and other areas of special public interest. Choristers are taught about diversity and the power music has to overcome differences. The Boychoir also conducts a mandatory, week-long residential summer camp. In addition to music making at camp, the boys participate in a well-rounded program of games, electives, and sports. A similar camp is held for three days in the winter. Finally, the MSB schedules teen and choirboy nights throughout the year for members to play basketball, have pizza, go on outings, and bond as choristers.
The MSB hosts the annual Baltimore Boychoir Festival to bring together and feature some of America’s greatest boychoirs.
The Choirs
In the tradition of English boychoir schools, the MSB teaches vocal technique, music theory, and choral singing. The organization is divided into five choirs: Resident Training Choir, Treble Choir, Concert Choir, Tour Choir, and the Young Men’s Chorus. Together they perform a broad repertoire, from traditional Renaissance to contemporary gospel.
After passing an initial audition, choristers begin training which follows the scheme established by The Royal School of Church Music. Herein, the boys are introduced to all aspects of musicianship and professional ensemble performance. In a series of graded tests, the young singer progresses in theory and vocal training through the stages of Junior Choirboy and Senior Choirboy to Full Chorister. Each level of achievement is recognized by a different colored ribbon upon which the chorister’s medal is hung and worn during performances.
The five major choral groups are:
A boy can enter this apprenticeship group with little or no knowledge of singing. During a semester of training (4 months), these probationers develop fine singing voices and the ability to read music at sight. During their semester in Resident Choir, most boys develop the musical knowledge and skills as well as the performance maturity to advance to the next level, Treble Choir.
This program enables boys to continue to build upon skills learned in Training Choir, while slowly being introduced to a professional performance schedule. The Treble Choir performs combined selections with the Concert Choir and Tour Choir at major events throughout the season. Likewise, boys in Treble Choir begin learning a repertoire of music suited for their level of proficiency.
While continuing their training in voice and sight-singing, boys in Concert Choir are given the opportunity to sing a professional repertoire in public performances. The Concert Choir is the largest group in our five-choir program. Choristers who continue to develop their musical skills and demonstrate further maturity and responsibility as performers may audition for membership in the Tour Choir.
The most advanced and skilled choristers enter the Tour Choir. These boys learn a very challenging repertoire, often with limited rehearsal time. The Tour Choir usually consists of a maximum of 20 unchanged voices (trebles and altos) and 15 changed voices (tenors and basses). Any Concert Choir member may audition for Tour Choir, but those hoping for membership must possess outstanding sight-singing skills, have demonstrated a high level of self-motivated learning and self-discipline, and achieve scholastic success.
In order to meet the needs of an ever-growing number of teenagers, an additional program exists solely for changed voices. Members are drawn from changed voices in Concert Choir and Tour Choir, and rehearse in addition to their regular schedules. This group presents a variety of music intended to challenge the musicianship of teenage boys.