Arts Enrichment/Artistic Performances
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CCC performances bring to life all that singers learn in Choir, and share their voices with audiences across the globe. In 2020-21, CCC performances went virtual and expanded the Choir’s reach like never before. CCC-produced concerts as well as world-class artistic partnerships and collaborations were presented online throughout the entire season. The work of our singers and guest artists was seen across the country and around the world. These performances offered hope, joy, and beauty to our youth, families, and audiences when it was needed the most—and amplified CCC’s role as a musical, educational, unifying, creative leader.
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247 Million views
across Chicago, US and the World
Artist and Guest Highlights
Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, The Stephen Colbert Show, Natalie Bergman, Bobby McFerrin, Son Monarcas, Sones de México, Bomba con Buya, Latin Music Project Ensemble of the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, Peter CottonTale, Chance The Rapper, Kofi Lost, Cynthia Erivo, Joaquin Garcia Chaía, Luis Salgado, Hector Duarte, Lisa Fischer, Ranky Tanky, J. Nicole Brooks, Wynton Marsalis, Kai Love, Choir Voces del Mar, Abelita Mateus
CCC-Produced Concerts and Performances
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CCC Produced Heading
Throughout the 2020-21 season, CCC annual pillar events transitioned online to celebrate the voices of our youth and showcase young people’s leadership in Chicago’s culture. Online concerts, special live events, and recorded music videos shared joy with our city throughout the season—and were viewed more than 128,000 times!
“My son was able to do the recording by himself—he enjoyed it thoroughly and as a parent it was heartwarming to see he loved doing it with expressions.”
– CCC singer 2021
Reverberation
Reverberation: CCC’s annual gala went online for a concert of favorite CCC songs, messages from special guests, and new pieces to offer hope and joy in fall 2020.
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Fireplace Special
Celebrating the peace of the winter season and the hope of the new year, CCC’s Fireplace Special showcased music from around the world—including holiday favorites presented by CCC Neighborhood Choirs, Dimension, and Voice of Chicago.
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Video Performances
A series of CCC video performances showcased the talent and growth of our singers throughout the year, sharing uplifting messages and meaningful expression. Song features included “Breakin’ the Silence,” a CCC original by Composer-in-Residence W. Mitchell Owens III, as well as 10 videos featuring Neighborhood Choir singers.
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Canto Latino: Cruzando Fronteras
Born of CCC’s Humboldt Park Neighborhood Choir, this annual community concert went global in 2020-21! For the first time ever, Canto Latino engaged singers from every CCC program. The concert’s theme, cruzando fronteras, or “crossing borders,” explored the artistry of Latinx leaders and communities who have used music to break the barriers of language and geography. An all-Spanish language repertoire celebrated the voices of Chicago’s Latinx immigrant population with music from recognized Latin American artists and guest artists representing Chicago communities. CCC hosted a live Canto Latino watch party in Senka Park in the Gage Park neighborhood, with live music from Dos Santos: Anti-Beat Orquesta and Grupo Rimel. CCC’s Ambassadors Board hosted Soundbites watch-party events in homes and restaurants across the city —raising $60,000 in support of CCC!
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Video Performancews
A series of CCC video performances showcased the talent and growth of our singers throughout the year, sharing uplifting messages and meaningful expression. Song features included “Breakin’ the Silence,” a CCC original by Composer-in-Residence W. Mitchell Owens III, as well as 10 videos featuring Neighborhood Choir singers.
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CCC Partnerships
CCC partnerships with Chicago organizations, including the City of Chicago, shared the holiday spirit with our city on television and online:
Hyde Park & Kenwood Interfaith Council Virtual Thanksgiving Day Service
Millennium Park at Home: Chicago Holidays
BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival
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Paint the Town Red!
In June 2021, CCC celebrated a return to in-person programming with a city-wide Paint the Town Red! This series of neighborhood pop-up performances brought singers together, within their own communities, for the first time in 15 months. Masked and distanced outdoor performances were livestreamed on Facebook, garnering a reach of more than 14,000. Nearly 400 audience members attended the 11 performance events in neighborhoods reaching every corner of our city.
Artistic Partnerships and Guest Appearances
CCC’s collaborations with world-renowned artists went virtual this year, expanding the Choir’s reach and sharing our voice with diverse audiences worldwide.
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“Together” Heading
In response to a year wrought with uncertainty, for the first time, Google commissioned original music for its annual Year in Search video. This annual reflection highlights the top online searches from around the world–and in 2020, “why” was searched more than ever. The new piece, "Together," written by GRAMMY Award winner Peter CottonTale, was recorded with CCC singers, along with Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra musicians, Chance the Rapper, Peter CottonTale, Kofi Lost, and Cynthia Erivo. The piece provided the inspirational audio track for the Google video–receiving more than 241 million views in only 7 months. “Together” was then recorded as a music video, and on Inauguration Night 2021, was featured on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert for a national television audience of millions.
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Access Hollywood “Just a Dream” with Jamion Cotton
CCC singer Jamion Cotton and his original song, “Just a Dream,” on Access Hollywood
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Chi-Town Christmas with Chance the Rapper
CCC alumni celebrated with Chance the Rapper in his virtual special, Chi-Town Christmas
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GRAMMY.com’s Good Vibes “Talk to the Lord”
GRAMMY.com’s Good Vibes Only featured Natalie Bergman’s video “Talk to the Lord” featuring CCC Neighborhood Choir singers from across the city
“ I always get emotional seeing my daughter and all the kids from CCC perform because every song and every performance and event has a positive message of hope and love. Thank you for all your hard work with the Choir this year, it does not go unnoticed. The CCC is such a positive, wonderful program, full of hope, love, and caring people.
–CCC parent 2021
