Boston Children's Chorus
Boston Children's Chorus is a Massachusetts nonprofit founded in 2003 that delivers Kodály-based choral music education integrated with social-justice pedagogy to nearly 300 youth singers ages 7-18 across 100+ Greater Boston zipcodes through six neighborhood rehearsal sites, in-school programs, and 50+ annual performances.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Boston Children's Chorus does
Boston Children's Chorus (BCC), founded in October 2003 by civic leader Hubie Jones after observing Uniting Voices Chicago, is a Massachusetts-incorporated nonprofit (EIN 65-1188279) that delivers choral music education to nearly 300 youth singers ages 7-18 drawn from over 100 zipcodes across the Greater Boston area. Its core product is a tiered choir curriculum structured across Training Choirs (elementary), Intermediate Choirs (middle school), and advanced ensembles including Concert Choir and Premier Choirs (Upper and Lower Voices), built on the Kodály methodology and integrating social-justice education with music literacy, vocal technique, and a culturally diverse repertoire spanning folk, gospel, spirituals, classical, and art song in multiple languages. Programs are delivered through six neighborhood rehearsal sites (South End, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, Hyde Park, Brighton, and a new Chelsea site launching 2026-2027), in-school partnerships with Boston Public Schools, and a citywide Big Sing event that engaged 700 students from 10 schools in 2025.
The organization's business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack: sliding-scale tuition with 80% of singers on financial aid and a 20% sibling discount; performance honoraria from 50+ annual bookings with corporate, civic, and orchestral partners including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, and American Repertory Theater; individual, corporate, and institutional philanthropy (including Massachusetts Cultural Council, NEA, BPS Arts Expansion/EdVestors, and TD Charitable Foundation); concert ticket and subscription sales anchored by the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert at Symphony Hall; branded merchandise via Bonfire; and recordings. Marketing is community-led through school recruitment workshops, neighborhood partnerships, open rehearsals, and earned media, supplemented by direct-to-family digital channels (monthly email newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn) and online registration through the Active Network platform.
BCC's competitive position rests on a stack of credentials that are difficult to replicate — a 2020 Grammy Award (Best Opera Recording for Fantastic Mr. Fox), the 2013 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award received at the White House, designation as Boston's 'Ambassadors of Harmony' by the Boston Globe, international tours to 10+ countries including the Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House, and ~20+ years of continuous operation. The organization is led by Executive Director Andrés Holder, Music Director Kenneth Griffith, and Founder/Chairman Emeritus Hubie Jones, with a Board of Directors providing governance.
Boston Children's Chorus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Boston Children's Chorus
- Legal name
- Boston Children's Chorus, Inc.
- Website
- https://bostonchildrenschorus.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Boston Children's Chorus is a Massachusetts nonprofit founded in 2003 that delivers Kodály-based choral music education integrated with social-justice pedagogy to nearly 300 youth singers ages 7-18 across 100+ Greater Boston zipcodes through six neighborhood rehearsal sites, in-school programs, and 50+ annual performances.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Boston Children's Chorus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Choral Music Education
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ), Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE)
Keywords
Where Boston Children's Chorus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Boston Children's Chorus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Tuition and Program Fees: BCC charges tuition on a sliding scale based on household income, with a 20% sibling discount for 2nd, 3rd etc. siblings. No child is excluded for financial reasons. 4 out of 5 singers receive financial aid.
- Performance Honoraria: BCC accepts performance bookings for corporate events, charitable fundraisers, civic occasions, private functions, holiday performances, recordings, and orchestral collaborations. Honoraria help support operational costs and ongoing education of singers.
- Individual Donations and Grants: BCC relies on annual support of individuals, corporate and institutional donors, foundation grants, matching gifts, donor-advised funds, IRA rollovers, and stock donations.
- Merchandise Sales: BCC sells branded merchandise (T-shirts, hoodies, water bottles) through Bonfire e-commerce platform.
- Ticket Sales: BCC sells concert subscriptions and individual tickets for its performances, including its flagship Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Sliding Scale Tuition |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Boston Children's Chorus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Boston Children's Chorus is a nonprofit youth choral organization offering tiered choir training (Training, Intermediate, Concert, and Premier levels) for singers ages 7-18 from across the Greater Boston area, integrated with social justice education and music literacy. The organization delivers rehearsals at six neighborhood sites and partner schools, books paid performances for external events, produces concert series and recordings, and operates touring programs to regional, national, and international venues.
Product overview
Boston Children's Chorus (BCC) is a multi-level children's choir organization offering a tiered program structure consisting of Training Choirs (elementary), Intermediate Choirs (middle school), and Upper Choirs including Concert Choir and Premier Choir (high school). Beyond core choir programs, BCC provides complementary offerings including In-School Programs bringing choral education directly to Boston schools, the Big Sing citywide choral celebration, Community Artistic Collaborations through neighborhood choir partnerships, a Guest Artists Program featuring professional musicians, Tours & Excursions for domestic and international performances, the Opus Nuovo commissioning project for new choral works, Concert Booking Services for hiring BCC performances, Recordings releases across multiple albums, and Placement Sessions for new singer enrollment. The organization serves nearly 300 youth ages 7-18 from over 100 zip codes across Greater Boston.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Training Choirs Entry-level choir program for elementary school students in 2nd-5th grade teaching fundamentals of group singing and musicianship skills including healthy vocal production, pitch matching, beginner ear training, and sight-reading. Delivered at neighborhood rehearsal sites across Boston.
- Intermediate Choirs Middle school level choir program for singers in 6th-8th grade that develops independent aural skills, healthy vocal technique, music theory comprehension, and individual attentiveness through two- to four-part choral pieces.
- Concert Choir Advanced treble voice (SSA) choir for 8th-12th grade singers performing complex choral repertoire with intensive training in performance skills and music theory, including regional tours and symphonic works.
- Premier Choir Upper Voices Advanced treble voice (SSAA) choir for 9th-12th grade singers offering demanding choral repertoire requiring advanced musical skill, with local, national, and international tours.
- Premier Choir Lower Voices Advanced tenor bass (TTBB) choir for 9th-12th grade singers offering demanding choral repertoire with local, national, and international tours.
- Recital Choir Tenor and bass (TB) choir for singers in grades 6-10 providing focused training in vocal technique, music theory, and performance skills.
- In-School Programs Choir programs delivered during and after the school day in collaboration with students, faculty, and administration. Includes culturally relevant repertoire spanning Gospel, Neo-Soul, Musical Theatre, Contemporary, and Sacred Choral music.
- Concert Booking Services Performance booking services for corporate events, charitable fundraisers, civic occasions, private functions, holiday performances, special recordings, and orchestral collaborations featuring BCC's nearly 300 singers ages 7-18 across multiple choirs.
- Recordings Album releases including Our Roots (MLK legacy), Seasons, This is the Sound of Harmony, and Let's Be Jolly holiday album, made available through the BCC Hear Us section.
- Tours & Excursions Regional, national, and international performance opportunities for singers including domestic tours to U.S. cities and international tours to countries such as Australia, Japan, and European nations.
- Opus Nuovo Commissioning Project Commissioning project creating new choral works representative of BCC's community, championing composers outside the eurocentric western canon.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 300 youth singers served from over 100 zipcodes in the greater Boston area
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Boston Children's Chorus
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Boston Children's Chorus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature1 record
Boston Children's Chorus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Boston Symphony OrchestracoreBCC singers performed Carmina Burana with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus & Boston Symphony Orchestra in July 2023. BCC has collaborated with the BSO for multiple performances at Symphony Hall, including the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert.
- Boston Pops OrchestracoreBCC performed at the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular in 2025 (after 11 years), as well as in 2014 and 2007. BCC also performs at Boston Pops programs at Symphony Hall and Tanglewood.
- Boston Modern Orchestra ProjectcoreBCC collaborated with Boston Modern Orchestra Project on the Grammy-winning album Fantastic Mr. Fox (Best Opera Recording, 2020) and the world-premiere production of Madame White Snake at Opera Boston.
- Union Church (South End)coreUnion Church, a historically Black, LGBTQIA+ affirming community and landmark in Boston (hosted the 1950 NAACP convention), provides rehearsal space for multiple BCC choirs including South End Training, Recital Choir Lower Voices, and Premier Choirs.
- American Repertory TheatercoreBCC performed as the Earth Choir in ART's premiere of WILD: A Musical Becoming (December 2021), collaborating with Idina Menzel, Javier Muñoz, songwriter Justin Tranter, and director Diane Paulus.
- BPS Arts Expansion / EdVestorsmajorBCC's in-school programs at Oliver Hazard Perry School and Manassah E. Bradley School are supported through generous funding from BPS Arts Expansion and EdVestors, bringing choral arts into Boston Public Schools.
- Gondwana World Choral FestivalmajorBCC's Premier Choir toured Australia and performed at the Gondwana World Choral Festival at the Sydney Opera House in July 2019.
- Chorus AmericamajorBCC is a member and award recipient of Chorus America. Received the 2011 Margaret Hillis Award and the 2015 Brazeal Wayne Dennard Award for commitment to diversity and African American choral traditions.
- Mayor Wavy B. Bruce Youth Choir / Uniting Voices ChicagocoreBCC was inspired by and modeled after Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children's Choir), the organization founder Hubie Jones observed in 2001 before launching BCC.
- Eliot Hall / The Footlight Club (Jamaica Plain)coreThe Footlight Club, America's oldest community theater, maintains Eliot Hall and hosts BCC's Jamaica Plain Training Choir. This is a key partnership in BCC's Neighborhood Choir Program.
- First Parish Church, DorchestercoreFirst Parish, Dorchester has hosted BCC choirs for nearly a decade. It is a diverse community in faith, ethnicity, and spirituality, at the forefront of LGBTQIA+ inclusion for 40+ years. Hosts Dorchester Advanced Training, Intermediate, and Intermediate Advanced choirs.
- Menino Arts Center / Hyde Park Art AssociationcoreThe Menino Arts Center, integral part of Boston's Arts scene, hosts BCC's Hyde Park Training Choir. An anchor arts organization in Hyde Park offering workshops, exhibitions, and affordable studio spaces.
- Presentation School Foundation (PSF) Community Center, BrightoncoreThe PSF Community Center in Oak Square, Brighton is an anchor institution providing critical services to the community. Hosts BCC's Brighton Training Choir.
- Eliot Hall / The Footlight ClubcoreHistoric building maintained by The Footlight Club, America's oldest community theater, hosts BCC's Jamaica Plain Training Choir.
- Young People's Chorus of New York CitymajorBCC collaborates with the Young People's Chorus of New York City as part of the broader children's choir ecosystem in the United States.
- Institute of Contemporary Art/BostonmajorBCC co-commissioned a piece with Daniel Roumain and librettist Marc Bamuthi Joseph in partnership with the ICA/Boston to celebrate its tenth anniversary.
- Teddy Lee / White Snake ProjectsmajorBCC collaborated with White Snake Projects on WILD: A Musical Becoming, featuring creative team including Justin Tranter and Diane Paulus.
- ZUMIX (East Boston)coreZUMIX, a community arts organization in East Boston, is part of BCC's Neighborhood Choir Program. BCC's East Boston Training Choir rehearses at ZUMIX.
- Reggie Lewis Center / Roxbury Community CollegecoreThe Reggie Lewis Center at Roxbury Community College hosts BCC's Roxbury Intermediate II Choir, part of the Neighborhood Choir Program.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Boston Children's Chorus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Handel and Haydn Society: Boston-based performing arts organization with deep choral heritage and educational programming. Overlaps BCC geographically and through youth-educational choral programming, though operates at a larger institutional scale.
- Cantus (vocal ensemble): Professional men's vocal ensemble that tours internationally and collaborates with youth choruses. Comparable touring profile and choral-art prestige, though Cantus is a professional adult ensemble rather than a youth-development organization.
Direct peers
- National Children's Chorus: Multi-city youth choral program offering tiered ensembles and audition-based advancement across multiple U.S. regions. Comparable tiered curriculum and elite-tour focus to BCC's Premier Choirs.
- San Francisco Girls Chorus: Bay Area treble-voice youth choral organization with training through concert/premier levels, school partnerships, and touring. Mirrors BCC's structure and Bay Area-mission alignment on access and excellence.
- Young People's Chorus of New York City: Premier youth choral organization in NYC serving singers ages 7-18 with similar tiered ensemble structure, international touring, and performance partnerships. Listed as a collaborating peer in BCC's broader ecosystem.
- Uniting Voices Chicago: Formerly Chicago Children's Choir — the direct organizational inspiration for BCC, per founder Hubie Jones's 2001 visit. Operates the same youth choral model integrating artistic excellence with social change across Chicago neighborhoods.
- Seattle Youth Choruses: Pacific Northwest youth choral program with multiple ensemble levels, school partnerships, and community engagement focus. Mirrors BCC's tiered training and community-mission positioning.
- Los Angeles Children's Chorus: Multi-tier youth choir serving Greater Los Angeles with concert-level and premier ensembles. Closely comparable in age range, training-pipeline structure, and touring ambitions.
- Pittsburgh Youth Chorus: Western Pennsylvania youth choral organization with tiered ensembles and emphasis on vocal training and performance opportunities. Comparable scope and age range to BCC's neighborhood-based programming.
Others
- ZUMIX: East Boston community arts organization that hosts BCC's East Boston Training Choir rehearsal. Adjacent community-arts peer enabling BCC's Neighborhood Choir Program rather than directly competing.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Boston Children's Chorus social profiles
Digital presenceBoston Children's Chorus compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Boston Children's Chorus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Boston Children's Chorus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Boston Children's Chorus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Boston Children's Chorus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Boston Children's Chorus
What does Boston Children's Chorus do?
Boston Children's Chorus is a nonprofit youth choral organization offering tiered choir training (Training, Intermediate, Concert, and Premier levels) for singers ages 7-18 from across the Greater Boston area, integrated with social justice education and music literacy. The organization delivers rehearsals at six neighborhood sites and partner schools, books paid performances for external events, produces concert series and recordings, and operates touring programs to regional, national, and international venues.
Is Boston Children's Chorus a public or private company?
Boston Children's Chorus is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Boston Children's Chorus founded?
Boston Children's Chorus was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Boston Children's Chorus based?
Boston Children's Chorus is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Boston Children's Chorus make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are performance Honoraria, individual Donations and Grants, merchandise Sales and ticket Sales.
Who are Boston Children's Chorus's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Handel and Haydn Society and Cantus (vocal ensemble). Direct peers are National Children's Chorus, San Francisco Girls Chorus, Young People's Chorus of New York City, Uniting Voices Chicago, Seattle Youth Choruses, Los Angeles Children's Chorus and Pittsburgh Youth Chorus. ZUMIX is listed as an others.
Does Boston Children's Chorus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Boston Children's Chorus.
What industry is Boston Children's Chorus in?
Boston Children's Chorus's product category is Youth Choral Music Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMANAC, Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir), with a secondary code of BPAGADAJ, Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 61161.