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The documentary The Choir and Conductor by Oscar winner Freida Lee Mock, is out Tuesday, April 12 on VOD platforms. The film tells the story of visionary conductor Anne Tomlinson and her extraordinary impact on children through the world-renowned Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (LACC).
Billie Eilish, who appears in the film as an alumnus of the LACC, learned to sing starting at age eight when she, like thousands of choristers, was electrified by the charismatic Tomlinson who uses the power of choral singing to profoundly shape and transform the lives of children.
The film poses the critical question What happens when a nation invests in the artistic and musical life of its children? And what difference can one person make if given the opportunity?
The story is a celebration of music and its healing power as vital to children’s well-being during unsettling times and cutbacks in the arts. According to a report issued by Chorus America, “more than 1 in 5 households have at least one singing family member, making choral singing the most popular form of participation in the performing arts for both adults and children.” That’s close to 50 million Americans.
Says conductor Anne Tomlinson says, “It’s so important that our children not lose their voices and that our country not lose the voice of their children.”