I Hear America Singing: The American Boychoir Releases New Recording

The American Boychoir Releases New Recording Entitled I Hear America Singing

CD Officially Launched Blocks Away from Walt Whitman’s Former Residence in Camden, NJ

The American Boychoir, regarded as one of the best vocal ensembles of its kind, released its highly-anticipated recording entitled I Hear America Singing (inspired by the Walt Whitman poem) on Friday, November 22nd.  A CD release performance and press conference took place at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ, in conjunction with the Walt Whitman Association.

Named after and inspired by Walt Whitman’s iconic poem, I Hear America Singing celebrates the “varied carols” resounding throughout our nation: songs about faith, peace and freedom and love.  The wide array of selections reflect the vast and varied voices of America, with poetry and prose weaved among song.  Highlights of this new recording include a commissioned piece by American composer Stephen Paulus; selections by Mendelssohn, Gershwin, and Rutter; and writings by Fred Rogers, A.A. Milne and Walt Whitman read by boys from the choir.

Camden was Walt Whitman’s hometown and gave much inspiration to his poetry; in turn, the Boychoir decided to share their new album at Cooper University Hospital, in the heart of Camden. Whitman’s attending physician at the time of his death in 1892, Dr. Alexander McAllister, was a practicing physician from Cooper and was a trustee of the Walt Whitman Association. Now a museum, Whitman’s home is located just two blocks from the hospital.

The Walt Whitman Association was originally founded as a group of Whitman friends and supporters during the author’s life in Camden. The Walt Whitman Association is the oldest existing Whitman society in the world. Its mission is to support the preservation of his home in Camden and to promote the life works and legacy of America’s “Great Poet of Democracy”.

The American Boychoir has long been recognized as one of the finest musical ensembles in the country. Under the leadership of Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Litton-Lodal Music Director, it has dazzled audiences with its unique blend of musical sophistication, spirited presentation, and ensemble virtuosity. The Boychoir performs regularly with world-class orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and is often featured with such illustrious conductors as James Levine, Charles Dutoit, and Alan Gilbert. The American Boychoir is frequently invited to join internationally-renowned artists on stage, and the list of collaborators reflects the extraordinary range of the ensemble: from great classical artists such as Jessye Norman and Frederica von Stade to jazz legend Wynton Marsalis and pop icons Beyoncé and Sir Paul McCartney. The choir’s young soloists are also in high demand and have joined forces with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, and Spoleto Festival USA, to name a few.  As an icon of American musical excellence, the Boychoir has been invited to sing for every sitting U.S. President since John F. Kennedy.  Touring frequently at home and abroad as preeminent ambassadors, the American Boychoir spreads messages of beauty and hope through outstanding musical achievement.

Boys in fourth through eighth grades, reflecting the ethnic, religious and cultural diversity of the United States, come from across the country and around the world to pursue a rigorous musical and academic curriculum at the American Boychoir School in Princeton, New Jersey.  While keeping up with their academic demands, the boys balance schoolwork with an intense national and international touring schedule.  In addition to the almost 100 solo concerts, the 2013-2014 season includes a 16-day tour to Korea, a performance of Britten’s War Requiem with the Boston Symphony Orchestra marking the 50th anniversary of the American premiere which the Boychoir (then the Columbus Boychoir) performed, and holiday concerts in Princeton with the world-renowned Canadian Brass.  The legacy of the American Boychoir is preserved through an extensive recording catalog, which boasts over 45 commercial recordings and the launch of its own label, Albemarle Records.

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