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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Choir School at St. Peter’s, Charlotte’s leading music education program, today announced it is changing its name to Charlotte Choir School. The name change reflects the organization’s commitment to the city of Charlotte and the community it serves.

The 30th season for Charlotte Choir School carries on following the completion of their Fall Concert in October. The music education program announces the details of their annual Christmas concert with tradition woven throughout.

Originally founded in 1993 as a boys choir in the classic English tradition, the now-independent school has grown to include five distinct choirs of boys and girls whose members range in age from seven to eighteen, in residence at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.

“We have chorister alum who now have their children going through the program,” Artistic Director, Elizabeth Lenti explains. “As the seasons go on, we find so much joy in seeing traditions being formed not only within our program but within the choristers that emerge from it.”

Tieing in the tradition and joy this season brings, the independent non-profit plans for a full house to attend their annual Christmas concert, Joyful, set to take place on December 9th and 10th at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.

“Our Christmas concert is a staple of our program which we love bringing to the Charlotte community each year. This year, our 30th season, brings so many reasons to celebrate, which is why we chose the name Joyful for the concert. You can expect to hear classics alongside carols making it the perfect family outing to get into the holiday spirit,” Lenti says.

Every year the choirs of Charlotte Choir School perform for thousands of audience members, offering three concerts at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Uptown Charlotte as well as performances in secular and sacred settings throughout the Charlotte region. As part of their season this year, the MasterSingers will be the choir in Residence at Well Cathedral in Wells, England from July 6th through the 17th.

Along with MasterSingers, the Boys and Girls Tour Choirs will begin to travel domestically during Summer 2023. Exact dates and locations will be announced early Spring. 

How to buy tickets to Joyful: Tickets will be available to the public beginning Friday, Nov. 11 online at https://charlottechoirschool.org.

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About Charlotte Choir School

Since 1993, Charlotte Choir School has enriched and strengthened young lives through excellent, rigorous music education and choral performance. Conceived in the English choral tradition, the program serves young men and women from every background and corner of the Charlotte region, with more than 75 students aged seven to 18 comprising five distinct choirs. Over its nearly 30 year history, the organization has taught more than 800 Charlotte-area students. Entirely tuition-free, the 501(c)3 nonprofit relies on individual contributions, foundation, and corporate support. You can learn more at CharlotteChoirSchool.org.

Press Contact

Hayley Kruth
Moxie Made
hayley@moxiemade.co
(502) 494-5207

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The 30th season has started for Charlotte’s leading music education program, Charlotte Choir School. Ticket sales begin today for the one night only performance at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on October 14, 2022.

“With the joining of two new staff members, Charlotte Choir School has a great deal to look forward to this year. It is our 30th season as well as the year our MasterSingers will travel to England for the Cathedral Residency in Wells. Preparation has been underway for quite some time and we are delighted to see it come to fruition,” Artistic Director, Elizabeth Lenti explains.

Adding to the beginning of another enriching year, Charlotte Choir School appoints Dr. Andrew Pester as Associate Director and Ms. Hunter Rigsby, M.A. as Program Coordinator. 

A native of Dayton, OH, Dr. Andrew Pester is active as an organist, conductor, and composer who has performed across the United States and Europe, extensively in collaborative endeavors, including as organ soloist in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms and as continuo organist for Monteverdi’s Vespers (1610) with the renowned renaissance wind band, Piffaro. Prior to his appointment as Associate Director of Charlotte Choir School, Pester was Associate Minister of Music at Morning Star Lutheran Church (Matthews, NC) and Associate Director of Music and Organist at Providence UMC (Charlotte, NC).

Joining Charlotte Choir School this Fall with Dr. Pester is Kinston, NC native, Ms. Hunter Rigsby, M.A. as Program Coordinator. Rigsby obtained a Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke and a Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Winthrop University. While in college, she held the title of Performing Arts Coordinator for The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina to then move on to begin her career as a Theater Arts educator, directing and teaching students.

The Fall Concert will begin at 7:30PM with doors opening at 7:00.

How to buy tickets to the Fall Concert: Tickets are available to the public beginning Tuesday, October 4 online at https://charlottechoirschool.org.

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About Charlotte Choir School

Since 1993, Charlotte Choir School has enriched and strengthened young lives through excellent, rigorous music education and choral performance. Conceived in the English choral tradition, the program serves young men and women from every background and corner of the Charlotte region, with more than 75 students aged seven to 18 comprising five distinct choirs. Over its nearly 30 year history, the organization has taught more than 800 Charlotte-area students. Entirely tuition-free, the 501(c)3 nonprofit relies on individual contributions, foundation, and corporate support. You can learn more at CharlotteChoirSchool.org.

Press Contact

Hayley Kruth
Moxie Made
hayley@moxiemade.co
(502) 494-5207

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Choir School at St. Peter’s, Charlotte’s leading music education program, today announced it is changing its name to Charlotte Choir School. The name change reflects the organization’s commitment to the city of Charlotte and the community it serves.

“For 29 years, our organization has enriched the lives of Charlotte’s young people through excellent, accessible music education and choral performance,” board president Dr. John W. Hall said. “Our program is for our entire community, and our new name Charlotte Choir School reflects our commitment to this city and its young people.”

Charlotte Choir School serves more than 75 students from every background and corner of the Charlotte region, and since its founding in 1993, more than 800 students have participated in its excellent, accessible program. In June, the Choirs returned to in-person performances for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This month, Charlotte Choir School begins its 29th season and will present its annual fall concert on October 16, 2021.

“The pandemic took away our ability to perform in person for Charlotte audiences. But, it also gave us an opportunity to look inward and reflect on our place in the Charlotte community,” executive director Davis A. Tapp said. “We are a proud steward of Charlotte’s cultural life, and we believe this new name will be a part of reintroducing our choirs to Charlotte after a long year away.”

Charlotte Choir School remains in residence at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Uptown Charlotte. Founded in the tradition of English cathedral choirs, Charlotte Choir School relies on St. Peter’s as a founding partner to provide our students a living laboratory for choral music making. Charlotte Choir School Artistic Director Elizabeth Lenti is also Organist and Director of Music at St. Peter’s.

“The unique partnership between Charlotte Choir School and St. Peter’s extends nearly three decades, and we are so excited for this next chapter,” The Rev. Jacob E. Pierce, Rector of St. Peter’s, and Elizabeth Lenti said. “The Choirs have enriched the St. Peter’s community and St. Peter’s has offered a perfect home for our program. Together, we look forward to Charlotte Choir School becoming an even larger part of Charlotte’s cultural fabric.”

Charlotte Choir School was represented in the renaming effort by brand strategist and board member Geoff Yost, an alumnus of the organization, and by Moore & Van Allen, who provided pro-bono assistance with trademark registration. The new name is effective immediately, and will be implemented throughout the upcoming season.

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About Charlotte Choir School

Since 1993, Charlotte Choir School has enriched and strengthened young lives through excellent, rigorous music education and choral performance. Conceived in the English choral tradition, the program serves young men and women from every background and corner of the Charlotte region, with more than 75 students aged seven to 18 comprising five distinct choirs. Over its nearly 30 year history, the organization has taught more than 800 Charlotte-area students. Entirely tuition-free, the 501(c)3 nonprofit relies on individual contributions, foundation, and corporate support. You can learn more at CharlotteChoirSchool.org.

Press Contact

Geoff Yost
Yost Strategy
geoff@yoststrategy.com
(704) 877-7875

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Choir School at St. Peter’s today announced the appointment of Davis Tapp as Executive Director. Tapp joins Charlotte’s premier choral music education program as the organization expands its program offerings and makes plans in the run up to its 30th anniversary celebrations in 2022.

“We could not be more excited to have Davis Tapp joining The Choir School’s team,” board president Abigail Cudabac said. “We’re an organization focused on the future, with big ideas about how to make music education an even more essential part of the childhood experience. Davis’ energy and enthusiasm for our mission is palpable, and he’ll play a key role as we offer Charlotte’s young people the best music education available and fill our city with song.”

Tapp joins the organization as its first permanent executive director, part of a long-term initiative to sustainably transition organizational leadership away from its founders. After an extensive search, Tapp’s successful background in youth nonprofit executive leadership and major gift fundraising made him the perfect candidate for an established organization continuing to grow and find new ways to offer excellent and accessible music education.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead The Choir School at St. Peter’s,” Tapp said. “For several years, I’ve watched The Choir School’s work and have witnessed the incredible value an excellent music education provides a child. I am tremendously excited for everything the organization has planned, and I look forward to connecting with our community, introducing more people in Charlotte to this incredible organization, and contributing to our long history of success.”

Tapp is an experienced nonprofit professional, most recently serving as a major gifts officer at the Pi Kappa Phi Foundation in Charlotte. He began his career at the Boy Scouts of America in Lumberton, N.C., serving as Senior District Executive responsible for fundraising and recruitment campaigns. Tapp received a B.A. in English Literature and English Drama from Queens University of Charlotte, and has had lifelong interest in the arts. He’s an involved member of the Charlotte community and a parishioner at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, The Choir School’s founding partner.

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About The Choir School at St. Peter’s

For nearly 30 years, The Choir School has enriched and strengthened young lives through excellent, rigorous music education and choral performance. Conceived in the English boy choir tradition, the program has grown to include young men and women from every background and corner of the Charlotte region, with more than 75 students aged seven to 18 comprising five distinct choirs. Over its history, the organization has taught more than 750 Charlotte-area students. Entirely tuition-free, the 501(c)3 nonprofit relies on individual contributions, foundation, and corporate support. You can learn more at TheChoirSchool.org.

Press Contact

Geoff Yost
Yost Strategy
geoff@yoststrategy.com
(843) 732-3865

In response to the events in our community, nation, and wider world, the Choir School staff joins our Board of Directors in releasing the following statement:

We are saddened by the senseless murders of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, and Breonna Taylor in Louisville. They join too long a list of names that have had their voices taken from this world by a history of systemic racism, discrimination, and inexcusable police brutality.

As a choir, we know that beautiful music can only be made when all voices are heard. Since our founding, we’ve been committed to excellence and accessibility, welcoming talented young singers from all walks of life and all racial backgrounds. The diversity our program represents has been the key to our success for twenty-seven seasons. We remain committed to listening with open minds to all members of our community, valuing everyone’s voice, and seeking to change when we should.

In this moment we especially recognize the importance of adding voices to a chorus, so we add ours: Black Lives Matter.

We will continue to listen to, advocate for, and advance the Black community, and provide a platform for their voice to be heard by all.