The voice is every child’s first musical instrument. To enjoy that instrument to its fullest potential, young musicians deserve to achieve fluency in their musical language, learning to read, write, and interpret music, and to fully understand and respond to what they hear. Children’s Chorus of Maryland attains these goals through an engaging and immersive program which focuses not only on making beautiful music, but also on sight singing, dictation, arranging and composing—the tools of musical literacy. All too often singers learn choral music through imitation and repetition, which may produce a beautiful sound, but does not lead to true musical fluency—a deficit which can limit opportunities for choral singing as adults. We believe choral music education, especially for children, must always lead to the confident ability to read music without anyone playing it first, and to write music so that you can communicate musical ideas to others. Nothing less is good enough for a musical child who needs and deserves to have these basic tools of self-expression.
Developed by CCM Founder Betty Bertaux in the 1970’s, the CCM method fosters the development of music literacy in much the same way that children become literate in their native language--beginning with the musical vocabulary of the childhood songs, folksongs, and universal motifs that children have already heard and sung, and progressing toward mastering the written form of their musical language. This playful, organic approach feels natural and joyful to young musicians, but quickly moves them forward on the path to fluently reading and interpreting music. Through a carefully designed curriculum and in the care of highly trained teachers, what begins as musical games leads to advanced musical skill. To accomplish this, the CCM program brings students together twice each week in small group classes, spending part of each session on rehearsal and performance preparation, and the rest on the building blocks of mastery. Based on a combination of the Kodály Method and Gordon Music Learning Theory, CCM’s ten levels of musicianship classes and three levels of performing choirs are designed to ensure that every student makes progress, Even our youngest singers impress their audiences (and themselves!) with how much they’ve learned, on their way to eventually becoming members of our most advanced Choir. Additionally, CCM offers summer camp opportunities, special workshops, and our “Crickets” music-and-play program for children ages 4 to 6.
Just as our students develop and mature into fine musicians, they also evolve into capable young men and women who have individually mastered the skills of personal and collaborative commitment. CCM’s culture emphasizes discipline, dedication to both short- and long-term goals, respect for peers and teachers, respect for their own talents and accomplishments, and the appreciation of diversity and individuality. CCM’s founder, Betty Bertaux, initiated the “Sing for Success” research project in 2008, documenting the effect of music literacy training on academic success of children in public schools.
As our singers work together to achieve something extraordinary, they learn the value of both their unique identities and their common goals. These qualities will enrich their lives, and benefit the communities in which they take their places as citizens.
Music communicates the essence of the human spirit, and our musical heritage records what is best about us. Music education gives us skills with which to share our stories, and passes on part of the human experience to future generations. While most CCM students come from Baltimore City and County, Anne Arundel, Howard and Harford counties, our audiences come from many areas of the state, country and world. CCM students have performed in Hungary, Canada, the Czech Republic, Austria, Oregon, New York and Hawaii. They have contributed their musical gifts to National events like 9/11 and Firefighter Memorials in Washington and Baltimore, to national, state and local celebrations and dedications, to fundraisers for many organizations serving children and families such as the Kennedy Krieger Institute, Empower4Life, and Blessings in a Backpack. They have performed in Disney World, and on several occasions at the White House. In 1995, CCM was proclaimed by Governor Schaefer to be the official Children’s Chorus in Maryland.
CCM is often invited to collaborate in performances with other local arts organizations, such as the Handel Choir, Baltimore Choral Arts Society, Baltimore Symphony, Annapolis Opera and Baltimore Concert Opera, now Opera Baltimore. CCM has won top honors, competing with choirs from around the country and performing as the featured choir at a multi-choir festival at Carnegie Hall. CCM choirs regularly enjoy standing ovations from audiences of laypeople and music professionals alike. They have appeared as artist-in-residence for the International Kodály Symposium and guest artists at the International Music Festival in Kecskemét, Hungary.
Individual choir members have successfully auditioned for group and solo parts in various productions, performing by invitation at the White House, the Kennedy Center, and music educator conference honor choirs, These collaborations give CCM students the opportunity to work side by side with adult professional musicians, and to participate in concerts of the highest artistic caliber.
In 2001, CCM founded a teacher training program for music educators, the American Kodály Institute (AKI). Music teachers from all over the country participate in this three-year program, based at Loyola University. At present, AKI has had more than 50 graduates teaching more than 20,000 students, as well as working for the Frederick Children’s Chorus, Peabody Children’s Chorus, Fairfax Choral Society, National Children’s Choir, Howard County Children’s Chorus, and our own CCM.
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