National Performing Groups

The National Youth Choir

The Bahamas National Youth Choir was formed in June 1990 and consists of some thirty-six persons between the ages of fifteen and twenty-seven years, who give voluntatry of their time without renumeration as a form of national service.

The Choir can be heard in concert annually during the week proceeding Holy Week at the Dundas Centre for the performing Arts. It has produced eight recordings. To date, the Choir has sung in seventeen languages.

In 1991 the Choir travelled to Freeport, Grand Bahama as guests of The Pilot Club and in June 1992 to Hamilton and Ottawa, Canada to give performances at the Earth Song Festival and also performances at Carlton University, The National Art Gallery, Ottawa Cathedral and the Canadian Houses of Parliament.

In September of 1992, the Choir travelled to Washington D.C. and performed at the world reowned John F. kennedy Center for The Performing Arts (Concert Hall) and received a standing ovation. The Choir also performed at the George Washington University, the National Presbyterian Church and appeared on the CBS Television Show :CBS This Morning."

In July 1993 the Choir toured the Tr-State area where it gave performances at the prestigious Skidmore College in Saratoga and the internationally reowned Weil Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

The Choir performed for Dr. Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa and for Her Majesty Queen Elizabethe II during her official vist to The Bahamas in March 1994.

In 1994 the Choir toured the United Kingdom where performances were given at Winchester Cathedral, Ripon Cathedral, Shaw Theatre, Oxford University Play House, Barbican Centre, and the Bournemouth Music Makers Festival.

During 1995 the Choir toured Canada where it participated in the Guelp Spring Festival and later that year toured Trinidad and appeared at Carifesta Six (Caribbean Festival of Arts and Crafts) at which over 30 countries participated.

In October 1995 the Choir appeared in a Concert Performance of Haydn's "Lord Nelson Mass" with the University of Miami Symphony Orchestra.

In December 1995 the Choir released its first music video entitled "Celebrate" produced by Charlie Smith III, the Executive Producer of which is internationally acclaimed actor Sir Sidny Poitier.

The Choir has appeared on C.H.T.V. and C.T.V/CHRO television as well as our own ZNS Television. The Choir also appeared on NBC Television, Fox 32 and on ABC's "Good Morning America" in June 1997.

In July 1996, the Choir toured the Chicago area and in August 1996, toured the Los Angeles area. While on tour the Choir received media coverage from Channel 7 Eye Witness News (ABC), L.A. Sentinel Newspaper, Jet Magazine, BBC Television, Street Scene (Cable Television) and Ebony Magazine - SOuth Africa Edition.

In 1997, the Choir toured Atlanta, Georgia and appeared at a number of venues including the Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel, Morehouse College, CNN world Broadcasting Center and the Centennial Park of the 1996 Olympic Games. The choir also appeared live on a radio show aired on WVEE-FM (V103), Anderson Communications (Syndicated to 150 stations around the United States), and Television Stations WAGA-TV (Fox 5 - "Good Morning Atlanta") WGNS-TV (Channel 46) and WXIA - TV (Channel II).

In June 1998, the Choir toured Russia and appeared at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the Grand Hall of the Gehnesian Institute, the St. Petersburgh Opera House and Capella Hall.

In December 1998, the Choir particiapated in the grand opening of Atlantis, Paradise Island, the largest resort of its kind in the Caribbean.

In 1999 the Choir toured Paris, France, giving performances at the Historic Notre Dame Cathedral, the church of Saint Paul, Saint Louis, Champ de Mars and the beutiful Luxebourg Gardens. The Choir also participated in the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, Scotland.

The Choir regularly performs for many local private, community, church and government functions (eg. Old Folks Home, AIDS Camp, Rotary Club, Zonta Club, Hatchet Bay Home Coming (Eleuthera), opening of the International terminal of the Nassau International Airport, the consecration of the new Anglic an Bishop Drexel Gomez and the the Annual Christmas Concert at Government House).
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