Highlights

Each year Anima is privileged to perform with amazing musicians from around the globe.

From the 2009-2010 season so far:

• Mendelssohn’ A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Chicago Symphony Center
• Berlioz’ Damnation of Faust with the Lyric Opera of Chicago at the Civic Center in Chicago
• Two performances of our holiday concert Stars of Wonder at the Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville
• A performance of our spring concert Canten! Sing! with Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Theater in Wheaton

Previous Highlights

Highlights from previous years include wonderful symphonic experiences, fascinating tours, singing for charity events, senior centers and corporate functions. Every experience enriches us.

2008-2009 / 2007-2008 / 2006-2007 / 2005-2006 / 2004-2005 / 2003-2004 / 2002-2003 / 2001-2002 / 2000-2001

2008-2009



Touring Chorus at Stonehenge


Highlights include Great Opera Choruses with the Grant Park Symphony and Chorus at Millennium Park; Gustav Holst’s The Planets with the Chicago Sinfonietta at Millennium Park; Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at Dominican University and then at the Chicago Symphony Center with the Chicago Sinfonietta; Berlioz’ Damnation of Faust with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Chicago Symphony Center;with the American Boychoir in conjunction with our annual Boys Only! Bash; two performances of our holiday concert Hearts on Fire at the Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville; our annual SingFest in April with guest clinician Betty Bertaux; the world premiere of Living the Divine by Daniel Brewbaker at Edman Chapel in Wheaton with Susanne Mentzer, Cynthia Yeh and Bill Buhr as guest artists; the Chicago premiere of Living the Divine by Daniel Brewbaker at the Pritzker Pavillion in Millennium Park with Susanne Mentzer, Cynthia Yeh and Bill Buhr as guest artists; Concert Chorus tour to Denver for the Sing-A-Mile-High Festival; Touring Chorus tour to England for the Somerset International Youth Choir Festival
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2007-2008



Concert Chorus in Cincinnati


Highlights include hosting and performing with the National Boys Choir of Australia; a holiday concert "Peace in Harmony" with five guest instrumentalists and featuring projected images high above the stage; two featured performances of St. Matthew Passion with the Music of the Baroque in Evanston and at the Harris Theater in Chicago; hosting and a joint performance, followed by an all day workshop with the National Children's Choir of Great Britain; tour to Cincinnati to perform with the Cincinnati Children's Choir; hosting and performing a joint concert with the Washington DC Children's Chorus; a spring concert "Stories in Song" featuring music and staging of operatic selections for all ensembles (Madama Butterfly, Don Pasquale, Il Trovatore, Le nozze di Figaro, Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream), works by Gilbert & Sullivan, Sondheim and more, all in collaboration with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra; host choir for the Windy City Music Festival at Symphony Center, Chicago.
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2006-2007



Cape of Good Hope in South Africa

Highlights include two performances of Judas Maccabeus with the Music of the Baroque; a featured performance for the American Guild of Organists National Convention; a holiday concert "Patapan!" featuring steel drums and a Caribbean Christmas Mass; several performances of Hansel & Gretel with the DuPage Opera Theatre; a joint concert with the Drakensberg Boys Choir of South Africa; a featured performance for the National Kodaly Convention; a performance of Hiawatha with the Elgin Symphony for the Elgin Choral Union's 60th Anniversary; 2007 Honors Chorus SingFest featuring a Ghanaian drumming expert; WFMT performance Live from Studio One; a spring concert "African Celebration" with guest artists the Muntu Dance Theatre; Concert Chorus tour to New Orleans for the Crescent City Music Festival; performance  of Tan Dun's new piece Dragon and Phoenix with the Grant Park Symphony at Millennium Park; Touring Chorus tour to South Africa.
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2005-2006



With the Barenaked Ladies

Highlights include a performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for their "Night at the Movies" with Richard Kaufman conducting; a performance with the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus at Millennium Park of Carmina Burana with Christopher Bell conducting; a guest appearance with the Barenaked Ladies rock group; a joint concert with the acclaimed Amabile Youth Singers in Ontario, Canada; Performances of the Nutcracker with the Salt Creek Ballet companyl a guest appearance at the New Tang Dynasty Gala at the Arie Crown Theater; a featured performance at the regional convention of the American Choral Director's Association; and two performances with the unique Lakeside Singers.
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2004-2005



At the Great Wall in China

Highlights include the release of a new CD recording, At Home with the GECC; a joint concert with the acclaimed Amabile Youth Singers from Canada; the For Boys Only event; performances with the Elmhurst Symphony; performances on several concert series including those in Oak Brook and LaGrange; an appearance with the Barenaked Ladies in their Chicago Holiday show; A Christmas Spectacular with a commission by Dale Warland and guest artist Doreen Rao, the 300 voice Honors Chorus SingFest; the premiere of an innovative, stage choral opera, The Nightingale by Imant Raminsh and a second performance at the national convention for Chorus America; and a summer tour to Hong Kong for the World Children's Choir Festival and to mainland China.
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2003-2004



Honors Chorus SingFest

Highlights include 9 performance of the Nutcracker with the Joffrey Ballet; a collaboration with Kellogg's for a nationally distributed record; the For Boys Only event; an appearance on the Wheaton Artists Series, the 400-voice Honors Chorus Singfest; co-hosting a Chorus America national workshop; and Song of DuPage, an innovative, new initiative celebrating the cultural roots of this community through a lively and dramatic production weaving together the stories and songs of the area's settlers via numerous concerts with a professional story-teller and staging; and a concert at Cantigny Park Summer Concerts.
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2002-2003



St. John, Newfoundland, Canada

Highlights include singing for 11 performances of The Nutcracker with the Joffrey and Salt Creek Ballets, a featured performance at Carnegie Hall for the national convention of the American Choral Directors Association; performing at the nation convention of the Kodaly Music Educators in Minneapolis; opening ceremonies of Brookfield Zoo's Holiday Magic; a joint concert with the national children's chorus of Australia for the Honors Chorus Workshop; a live broadcast on WFMT radio; performances of Mahler's Symphony No. 3 with the Elmhurst Symphony; a performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival, and a summer tour to Newfoundland, Canada.
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2001-2002



On the beach at Rio de Janiero

Highlights include the release of a new Christmas CD recordings, Celestial Voices; singing for 11 performances of Nutcracker with the Joffrey and Salt Creek ballets; the Dennis Hastert Mega Event; special performances to benefit American Red Cross relief efforts for New York City, a breast cancer foundation, and the American Heart Walk; opening ceremonies of Brookfield Zoo's Holiday Magic; a featured performance at the American Choral Director's Association convention in Chicago; joint concerts with the St. Louis and Indianapolis children's choirs; a live performance on WFMT radio; performances with Dennis DeYoung of Styx; performance on A&E documentary Old Friends with Julia Roberts; concert tour to Brazil.
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2000-2001



Sydney, Australia

Following a summer concert tour to Australia and New Zealand, the Chorus produced a new CD recording, Flights of Song. In the fall the children performed for General Mills, Children's Memorial Foundation, and dozens of other local organizations, and sang a festive Holiday Concert to a sold-out audience. Spring highlights included a joint concert with the renown Czech choir, Jitro, performances of Britten's War Requiem with John Nelson for the Wheaton Artist Series, the GECC Honors Chorus Workshop and gala Spring Concert, and a performance of Carmina Burana with the DuPage Chorale. The Chorus earned national honors with the ASCAP Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming. During the summer the Chorus served as the Young Artists in Residence for the international Choral Music Experience Institute, held at Elmhurst College.
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