Annual Report
2020-21
Welcome & Overview
2020-21: A Year Like No Other
Letter from Josephine Lee & David Koo
Dear Friends,
Though the 2020-21 season placed unprecedented hurdles along our march towards a more harmonious world, CCC did what we do best: stare into the face of our greatest challenges and meet the moment with unity, tenacity, and grace. We responded to the needs of our singers and communities with a season of completely transformed programming. We committed to robust and creative initiatives that unified our young people, faculty, and supporters in perseverance and innovation. We did not just survive, we thrived.
“Even amidst the change and innovation that this year demanded, we never lost sight of our core purpose. Our young global leaders face many of the same challenges that inspired our founding—echoes of injustice that over time, have grown even bolder. The Choir has never been as vital—or as strong—as it is today.”
New approaches to learning, expression, and performance inspired our path forward. For the first time ever, the Choir launched a suite of more than 40 online learning courses. We found ways to reach new singers, new educators, and new audiences digitally, and without geographic barriers. Our youth shared their voices on Google’s “Year in Search” video, garnering hundreds of millions of views online and broadcast to millions more on Inauguration Night on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. When faced with the challenges of distancing, our singers stayed engaged for the entire year with an 87+% attendance rate for After-School Programs. Alumni continued to carry forward the Choir’s values through groundbreaking work in diverse fields, including nominations for two GRAMMY Awards. We created safe spaces for young people to grapple with unimaginable challenges, to safely celebrate special moments, and to reignite their hopes and passions for the future.
Even amidst the change and innovation that this year demanded, we never lost sight of our core purpose. Our young global leaders face many of the same challenges that inspired our founding—echoes of injustice that over time, have grown even bolder. The Choir has never been as vital—or as strong—as it is today.
We hope you will be uplifted by the inspirational songs and stories that are shared in this report. Our work would not be possible without the generosity and the dedication of our Board of Directors, Ambassadors Board, donors, families, school and community partners, and singers. Thank you for helping the voices of our young people reverberate throughout our city, nation, and world.
Gratefully,
Josephine Lee & David Koo
Josephine Lee
President
David Koo
Chair, Board of Directors
CCC Impact
1,860
Youth Engaged
100+
ZIP Codes
23
Faculty
29
Guest Artists
87+%
Attendance Rate during After-School Virtual Programs
100%
of CCC high school seniors graduated
Singer Diversity
Access
Raising Voices
The Foundation for Our Future
In 2016, CCC embarked on a three-year campaign to invest in the sustainability, artistic vitality, and expansion of service of the Choir. With investment in Artistic Initiatives, Program Expansion, and the Choir’s first Endowment Fund, CCC’s Raising Voices campaign raised more than $12 million.
The 2020-21 season was the final year of CCC’s most recent strategic plan, supported by this campaign. With gratitude to our donor community and CCC Family, we reflect upon the success of Raising Voices and the path it has forged for us to move forward.
A Look Inside 2020-21
Expanding curriculum online
Arts Enrichment / Musical Connections
Led by a vibrant community of CCC faculty and global culture bearers, these new virtual programs cultivated singers’ growth and connections through musicianship, choreography, and artistry from all over the world.
Pillar programs amplifying lived experience
Celebrating Black History Today
The crucial support of The Jackson Legacy Foundation and Jamie & Brian Vandenberg empowered CCC to share our Black History Month Virtual Concert: Preserving and Persevering with local and national audiences and advocates.
CCC’s annual gala goes virtual
Reverberation online gala
The Choir’s largest annual fundraiser was shared with global audiences, garnering more than 9,500 views and raising nearly $1 million dollars for CCC’s mission and programs.
Global reach through performances
“Together” on Colbert
In this unique collaboration with Peter CottonTale originally composed for Google’s annual Year In Search video, Chicago Children’s Choir singers raised their voices in CottonTale’s message of hope through adversity that was seen more than 241 million times.
Carrying CCC’s values
Alumni Highlights
CCC’s community of nearly 50,000 alumni continue to change the world and garner recognition in diverse professional fields. This year, alumni contributed to pioneering space travel, received GRAMMY Award nominations, and served as leaders in their communities during the global health crisis.
The next generation of educators
Future Music Educators
A recommitment to CCC’s vital purpose, the Future Music Educators (FME) program supports the academic and professional success of music education students who amplify the diversity of the CCC community.
