Louisville Youth Choir

For nearly 60 years, the Louisville Youth Choir has created stars of today by supporting and enhancing school music programs and by servicing unmet artistic needs in the community. Through the Louisville Youth Choir’s diverse population, programs and music, LYC’s leaders of tomorrow learn discipline, self-confidence, leadership and teamwork. LYC endeavors to be the regions premiere youth community choir and aspires to empower its singers to be advocates for the performing arts to benefit the world through collaborative partnerships with arts and community agencies. LYC has programs for Kindergarten-12th grade youth and also is home to the regions only adult, traditional-style soprano and alto choral offering--Lascito Coro (Legacy Choir.) Through LYC's No Song Unsung Initiative, no singer is ever turned away for inability to pay for services!

Who We Are

As a community-based organization, LYC now draws more than 100 children, youth, and adults, ages 6 and beyond from over 60 schools and diverse neighborhoods throughout the metropolitan area and six counties in Kentucky – from old Louisville to outside of Lexington. LYC’s music repertoire includes many styles and cultures, including major classic and modern works with orchestra and soloists. LYC offers a choral music experience unique in the region.

LYC was originally founded in 1967 as a high school choir for exceptional talent by Italio Taranta, a former Professor of Music and Choral Conductor at the UofL School of Music, supported by Robert Whitney, former UofL School of Music Dean, and Melvin Dickinson, Conductor of the Louisville Bach Society. During its over 50 years of service to the community, the Choir has flourished under the leadership of Michael Neely, Arnold Epley, Russell Freeman, Richard Lin, John Dickson, Carol Christell, Donna Thomasson, Frank Heller, III, Louie Bailey, Don Scott Carpenter, and Thomas A. Seacat. Terri E. Foster was named Artistic/Executive Director during the 2007-2008 season. In July of 2007, a new partnership was formed with Sacred Heart Schools, and LYC became Artists in Residence at Sacred Heart School for the Arts.

LYC choirs have been heard throughout Europe and North America, including performances in the Dom in Salzburg (2006), Votivkirche in Vienna (2006), Carnegie Hall in New York City (2003, 2009), The Grand Ole Opry (2011), Santuario de Guadalupe in Santa Fe (2003), Chicago (2004), Colorado Springs, CO (2003) and Windsor and Toronto, Ontario (2002). At home, the choir has performed for Ky. Music Educators In-Service conferences; partnered with Kentucky Opera in premieres of three operas based on the lives of Kentuckians Muhammad Ali, Helen Thomas, and Dian Fosse; and premiered commissioned works by composers David J. Elliott, Bill Stevens, Paul Nahay, Frederick Speck, Frank Richmond, Patsy Ford Simms, Daniel Gilliam, Carol McClure and Catherine Wilson.

LYC has had numerous opportunities to perform with the area’s finest arts organizations. The choir has performed Bernstein's Mass with the Louisville Orchestra, Puccini’s Tosca with the Kentucky Opera, Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Louisville Ballet, and the Beethoven Choral Fantasy with the Louisville Youth Orchestra. The choir has also partnered with the Broadway Series, Moving Collective and Bourbon Baroque.

LYC is governed by a Board of Directors committed to the success of young people. Supported by the Greater Louisville Fund for the Arts, Delta Dental of Kentucky, The Kentucky Arts Council, Metro Louisville Government, and an individual/corporate subscriber program, the Choir continues its dedication to young singers in their development of distinguished musical experiences and lasting community-wide friendships.