The Bolles Middle School Bartram Campus hosted the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus Young People’s Concert on February 2, welcoming students from across the city for a morning of high‑energy, educational choral music. The program, created by Jacksonville Children’s Chorus President and Artistic Director Darren Dailey, is modeled after Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts from the 1960s but focuses on choral performance rather than orchestra.

The event featured the chorus’ most advanced ensemble, Touring Choir, along with its professional group, The Voices of Jacksonville. Repertoire was selected with young listeners in mind, offering short, dynamic pieces and a live demonstration of soprano, alto, tenor and bass sections using iconic works from the choral canon.

Bolles representation on stage included Bolles Choir Director Dr. Julian Bryson performing with The Voices of Jacksonville and student Sophia Zhang ’28 singing with Touring Choir. In the audience, Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus fifth graders attended along with members of the Bolles Middle School Chorus, Upper School Chorus and the Bolles Singers. Students from Pine Forest and Global Arts Academy also joined the morning program.

“The overall message is that choral singing is fun and meaningful,” Bryson said. “It brings joy, builds community and helps humanity to think about the biggest issues we face. Based on the conversations I had with Bolles Choristers after the event, I think we were successful!”

Several individuals played key roles in ensuring the event’s success. Special thanks go to Bolles Director of Fine and Performing Arts Laura Rippel for chaperoning upper school students and assisting with event management, Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus Head Dr. Christy Lusk for enabling Grade 5 participation and the AV team for having the venue prepared for the chorus’ early morning arrival. Gratitude also goes to Bartram Campus faculty members who adapted their teaching spaces during setup, especially teachers Michael Fritton, Hilly Amell and Maggie Vance. #BollesArts