GMYC offers inspiring choral opportunities for children in central New England with choirs rehearsing in Keene and Peterborough, New Hampshire. We currently offer five ensembles supporting the musical growth and artistic development of singers in grades K through 12.
GMYC is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 1997. With ensembles rehearsing both in Keene and Peterborough, singers in grades Kindergarten - 12th can sing in excellent choirs and learn age-appropriate musical skills and singing technique. All choirs rehearse once per week with stand-alone performances in Fall and Spring. GMYC believes that through tuition assistance, finances will not be a barrier to any child who wants to sing with GMYC. To apply for tuition assistance, please follow the links provided in the registration forms.
Rise Up Keene & Rise Up Peterborough grades K-3
Rise Up Keene on Tuesday afternoons in Keene
Rise Up Peterborough on Saturday mornings in Peterborough
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All children throughout the Monadnock Region in grades K-3 now have a place to sing, dance, and play with GMYC. There are three unique sessions of Rise Up Keene, an three unique sessions of Rise Up Peterborough (Fall, Winter, and Spring for each town).
Children in 3rd grade may choose to sing with Rise Up, Choristers/Elm City Singers, or both. This ensemble does not require an audition, and all children who love to sing are welcome. Rehearsals will be full of singing and movement and be enriched by dance, toys/props, rhymes and poetry, performance etiquette, singing a variety of music, and playing rhythmic and melodic games. Rise Up will meet 8 times per session starting in October, January, and April. To capstone each session, the children will present a show-and-tell performance for Rise Up Families and their guests. Singers may be dropped off, or parents/caregivers and siblings are welcome to stay. |
Cecilia Ensemble grades 9-12
sopranos + altos
joined by auditioned tenors + basses
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High School sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses may audition to sing with the Cecilia Ensemble, which has historically been the region's premier high school treble ensemble performing locally, regionally, and internationally. This year, our treble singers will be joined by talented tenors and basses (male changed voices).
Singers who wish to advance their singing are encouraged to audition for the Cecilia Ensemble. Singers are responsible, and learn to refine healthy breathing, posture & singing techniques. They improve music reading skills, experiment with vocal improvisation, develop advanced listening skills, work toward music reading mastery, build self-confidence, leadership & musical independence, perform in unison to 8- part harmonies, and above all sing with heart. The Cecilia Ensemble performs sacred and secular, medieval to modern, classical, folk, gospel, and non-traditional modern music in English and foreign languages. The Cecilia Ensemble takes an international concert tour every other year. The Cecilia Ensemble + auditioned Tenors and Basses will take a concert tour of France in April 2025! Cecilia singers are encouraged to register to sing with Stone Soup Ensemble, our new ensemble for 7-12th grade singers. Singers who enroll in two ensembles receive a 50% discount on the second choir. |
NEW! Elm City Singers grades 7+8 (& invited singers in grade 6)
Mondays in Keene
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Elm City Singers is GMYC's newest ensemble, with singers grades 7+8, plus some invited singers in grade 6.
Elm City Singers is especially geared for the changing voice (both male and female), offers more sophisticated music selections, and challenges singers to read better, listen more, and create music from the heart. 7+8th grade singers are encouraged to register to sing with Stone Soup Ensemble, our new ensemble for 7-12th grade singers. Singers who enroll in two ensembles receive a 50% discount on the second choir. |
NEW! Stone Soup Ensemble grades 6-12
GMYC's first non-auditioned ensemble for 6th-8th grade & high school singers
Mondays in Keene
performing mixed-ensemble music with a combination of Sopranos, Altos, Tenors, and Basses
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Stone Soup Ensemble is GMYC's newest ensemble, with singers only in grades 7-12.
This ensemble is not auditioned, and does not travel internationally. In this choir, singers will advance their understanding of music, improve their music literacy through improvisation, sight singing, aura skills, and deep conversations. The repertoire will be an engaging mixture of choral music especially selected for this group. High School Tenors and Basses who sing with Stone Soup Ensemble may audition to join the Cecilia Ensemble trip, and they will perform several pieces together both here and abroad. To schedule an audition to to sing and travel with the Cecilia Ensemble, please use the link above. 7+8th grade singers are encouraged to register to sing with Stone Soup Ensemble, our new ensemble for 7-12th grade singers. Singers who enroll in two ensembles receive a 50% discount on the second choir. |
Choristers & Keene Youth Chorus grades 3-6
Choristers on Tuesdays in Peterborough
Keene Youth Chorus on Tuesdays in Keene
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Choristers and Keene Youth Chorus is comprised of young people who love to sing, listen to music, be on stage, play an instrument, or who want to become more musical. The ensembles are geared toward children in grades 3-6+. 3rd grade singers can choose to sing with this ensemble, or with Rise Up.
Rehearsals are after school on Tuesdays in downtown Peterborough and downtown Keene. Every year the choirs perform at festivals, and on alternating years the choirs go on a regional performance tour. Singers develop fluency in music using solfege and kodály hand signs to help with melodic understanding, and Kodály and Gordon rhythmic phrases for rhythmic mastery.The ensembles typically perform unison and 2-part music varying in styles and time periods. Singers of all genders develop healthy singing technique through their voice changes and developments. The singers are musical, brave, goofy, committed, willing to try new things, and often stretch their comfort zones in a bully-free zone. |