Founded in 1964 as the Glen Ellyn Children’s Theater Chorus, the Chorus soon expanded to include children outside of Glen Ellyn and now reaches young people in a four-county area.
Mission
To provide experiences of excellence in choral singing that enliven and shape young lives.
Guiding Principle
to foster life-long values including the love of music; the pursuit of excellence; self-discipline and teamwork; self-expression and self-confidence; and a greater understanding of oneself, the world and its people.
Philosophy
Anima is a performance-based choral music education program based on the principle that all young people are inherently musical because singing is a learned skill. All young people are welcome.
National Leader
Anima programs have served as artistic and educational models for other youth choral organizations across North America for four decades, setting a national standard of excellence as the first children’s chorus funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Illinois Arts Council.
Performing Ensembles
Six levels of ensembles meet weekly or twice weekly and involve 250 children from 30 towns.
Community Programs
Reach an additional 1000 children from four counties each season, including underserved areas where school music programs have been reduced or eliminated.
Repertoire
Great music from diverse styles and periods forms the foundation for learning and serves as the basis for the curriculum. Repertoire includes the classics (Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Debussy, Mahler, Copland and Bernstein), music from many world cultures, American jazz, gospel and contemporary music.
Broad-based Learning
National studies show a powerful correlation between children’s active participation in quality arts programs and academic success as well as life achievements. Anima provides a holistic, nurturing program that brings out the best in young people and teaches them to strive for excellence.
Honors and Awards
U.S. Local Legacy Award from the Library of Congress • ASCAP Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming • Illinois Alliance for Arts in Education’s Service Recognition Award • Glen Ellyn Jaycees On the Map Award for bringing international recognition to the village of Glen Ellyn • YWCA’s Outstanding Leader in Arts and Culture Award to Artistic Director Emily Ellsworth • Four Grammy awards for outstanding collaborations with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus • Chorus America’s Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence • ABBY Award for Arts Management Excellence from the Arts and Business Council of Chicago • Chorus America's Dale Warland Singers Commission Award
World Class Performances
Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Chicago Symphony Center November 2009, October 2008, March 2006, Ravinia Festival 2003, 2004), • Lyric Opera of Chicago (2010) •Chicago Sinfonietta (Pritzker Pavilion August 2008, Symphony Center September 2008) • Music of the Baroque Chorus and Orchestra (Harris Theater Sept. 2006, March 2008) • Grant Park Symphony and Chorus (Pritzker Pavilion July 2006, June 2007, August 2008) • Chorus America National Conference (2005) • American Choral Directors Association (national conventions 1999, 2003, regional conventions 2002, 2006) • Performances with Canada’s Barenaked Ladies rock group (2004, 2005), Julia Roberts (2002); Dennis De Young of Styx (2002); Garth Brooks (2001)
Tours
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