Children and parents from the Tomorrow’s Voices choir pose with musician Dallas Smith during a sound check before his concert at the Meridian Centre recently.They range in age, gender, location and socio-economic status, but when the 35 youths making up Tomorrow’s Voices step onto stage, they’re all the same.
When Brock University Associate Professor of Marketing Todd Green launched Choir Nation last year, he wanted the for-profit enterprise to have a social component.
The answer was Tomorrow’s Voices, a choir composed of 35 kids between seven and 17 who have been recruited from Niagara groups such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Community Care and the DSBN Academy.
Tomorrow’s Voices aims to open the doors to music and choir to all kids — regardless of what social issues they might be dealing with.
“I think music for young people is really important for development and bringing kids from different backgrounds and age ranges together,” said Green. “The idea is to move away from the adage that kids should be seen and not heard. Our slogan is kids should be heard.”
There’s no cost to take part, and there were no auditions. If kids wanted to be part of the program, they were in.
Kassandra Britt says going to choir is one of the highlights of her 13-year-old daughter’s week.
“She can’t wait to see her friends and sing new songs,” Britt says. “The choir helps her forget about everything she’s going through and allows her to just have fun.”
Green said that the program has received significant support from Brock’s Department of Dramatic Arts, as well as from TD Bank, which has donated nearly $5,000 to help fund the program.
The reception from the music community has been overwhelmingly positive.
Canadian singer-songwriter Royal Wood is an ambassador for the program and will be part of the first Tomorrow’s Voices public performance taking place Wednesday, Nov. 22 at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre. Tickets are $15 with all proceeds going back to fund the program. Katey Gatta, a local Niagara musician and former Brock student, will also perform.
After that, Tomorrow’s Voices will sing with Serena Ryder during the Juno award winner’s show on Dec. 14 in Burlington, and the group will sing the national anthem at a Toronto Marlies game in January.
In addition to helping the kids learn more about music, Green said the choir program will also help with Brock-led research on the impact being part of Tomorrow’s Voices has on the participants’ emotions and self-esteem.
