Two Philadelphia children’s choirs move toward becoming one

Two of the Philadelphia area’s most visible children’s choruses, representing more than 500 voices, have formed a partnership that could eventually lead to a merger.

Leaders of the Commonwealth Youthchoirs approached the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale to discuss possibilities for an alliance, and the boards of the two organizations this month voted to approve a partnership that is already being phased in, both groups said.

The two groups operate a total of four overarching vocal programs, and while not all of them will be maintained, singers will have options for how they sort themselves into the remaining three.

The two gender-specific choirs of the Chestnut Hill-based Commonwealth Youth Choirs — the Keystone State Boychoir and Pennsylvania Girlchoir — will cease to exist as separate entities and will become one all-gender choir. But students wishing to continue singing in gender-specific choirs may join (without re-auditioning) the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale’s boychoir or the Philadelphia Girls Choir, which both rehearse in Center City.

The move is seen by leaders as a step on the way to a possible merger. The new arrangement — which will be evaluated in about six months — was spurred at least in part by changes underway in the post-pandemic arts and culture sector.

“From my perspective, especially with recent events like the way the University of the Arts closed, this is a nice example of two nonprofit organizations recognizing a need for partnership well in advance of something catastrophic happening,” said Michelle Frank, the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale executive director who will now lead both groups. “It’s a positive response to a difficult situation and a difficult arts landscape.”

Frank cited the shifting priorities of various philanthropic sources and increased competition for after-school activities as two pressures behind the move.

For the Commonwealth Youthchoirs, recruiting singers was more difficult post-pandemic, said Mary Kate McGrath May, vice chair of the board of directors.

“And as the organization was adjusting to the realities of bringing kids out of their COVID comfort zones and into organizations like Keystone State Boychoir and Pennsylvania Girlchoir,” May said, “we realized that as an organization we were also evolving toward an all-gender model for our current singers who had expressed their interest in more inclusivity.”

Some cost savings are expected through the new partnership, with additional savings if a full merger goes through. May said donations to Commonwealth Youthchoirs had not waned recently, but that enrollment and the revenue it brings were down and some expenses were up — touring, for instance.

“Where that may have been revenue-generating from tours in the past, now it barely breaks even. We still want to tour, but life has just gotten more expensive.”

Frank said that the new partnership will not result in a reduction in the number of slots available to singers. In fact, “we are not at capacity by any means,” she said. “If more children want to sing, we’ll increase our capacity.”