Apr 12
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus was founded in 1991 to raise interest in choral music within the schools of northeastern Ohio, and to encourage more students to continue their choral activities through college and into adulthood. The Youth Chorus comprises of approximately 90 members in grades 9 through 12 and represents almost 40 schools and communities. Like their colleagues in the Youth Orchestra, they are selected by audition.
On average, the Youth Chorus presents five concerts each season and collaborates with other musical ensembles such as The Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, and the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus. In addition to performances at Severance Music Center, their activities include concerts and community engagement programs throughout the greater Cleveland area, as well as workshops and masterclass opportunities with highly regarded choral directors and clinicians.The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus has been led by Gareth Morell (1991-98), Betsy Burleigh (1998-2006), Frank Bianchi (2006-12), Lisa Wong (2012-17), and Daniel Singer (2017-present). The ensemble has been widely praised as one of the top high-school-aged choral performing ensembles in the state of Ohio.
Assistant Director
Daniel Singer joined the choral conducting staff of The Cleveland Orchestra in 2012 as assistant director of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. He was promoted to Assistant Director of Choruses and Director of the Youth Chorus with the start of the 2018-19 season. In addition to his responsibilities in Cleveland, Mr. Singer is the Robert Page Music Director for The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, known as the “chorus of choice” for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and director of the Junior Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh.
Mr. Singer has taught high school and college and most recently served on the music faculty of The College of Wooster where he taught courses in music education, conducting, and music theory. From 2011-2022, Mr. Singer was the Director of Music at University School in Hunting Valley, Ohio, where he conducted orchestra and chorus, and prior to that he taught high school choral music in Northern Illinois and participated in music engagement in the Chicago Public Schools.
Mr. Singer has performed professionally with Quire Cleveland, Apollo’s Fire, and The Lakeside Singers (Chicago), he has sung in recitals in Toronto, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland, and he as appeared as soloist with ensembles throughout Northeast Ohio, including the Wooster Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and Choral Arts Cleveland. Mr. Singer holds degrees in music education and conducting from Northwestern University and Michigan State University.
Collaborative Pianist
Daniel Overly has built an exceptionally versatile career as a pianist, chamber musician, and vocal coach, making him a sought-after artist in prominent musical circles. He is currently serving as a rehearsal pianist for The Cleveland Orchestra, collaborating closely with The Cleveland Orchestra Choruses, conductors, and guest artists. He also performs regularly as a chamber musician across the United States and Europe, working with members of The Cleveland Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Vienna State Opera, and the Vienna Philharmonic, among others. As rehearsal pianist, Overly has assisted Franz Welser-Möst in preparing a wide range of operas and oratorios, including Bach’s St. John Passion, Mozart’s Requiem and The Magic Flute, Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West, Schubert’s Mass in E-flat, Stravinsky’s Threni, Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, and Verdi’s Otello and Requiem. He is also at home in the world of contemporary music, having assisted John Adams with El Niño, Thomas Adès with America: A Prophecy, George Benjamin with Dream of the Song, and performed Eric Whitacre’s The Sacred Veil with the composer conducting. His recent and upcoming engagements include a tour with violinist Andrew Sords, the complete Brahms violin sonata cycle with Stephen Tavani, Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin with James Reese, and frequent chamber music performanceswith members of The Cleveland Orchestra. A passionate educator, Overly has served on the collaborative piano and vocal coaching faculties of the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University and was Collaborative Piano Fellow at the Yale School of Music. He was a three-time fellow of the Tanglewood Music Center, where he participated in numerous performances of songs, chamber music, and contemporary works. Overly was a Fulbright Scholar and studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and the Cleveland Institute of Music.
The 2026 Honor Choir is composed of the top choral students from all over northeast Ohio. To participate, a student must be nominated by their school choir director based on their excellent skills as a developing musician. Participating students will take part in an all-day clinic with guest conductor Sandra Snow on Saturday, April 11th.
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