Boston Children’s Chorus
Credit: Michael Blanchard of BSO
Boston Children’s Chorus (BCC)'s vibrant, jubilant, and powerful performances have established them as leading young artists in the city of Boston and beyond. Internationally recognized for their innovative programming, passionate artistry, and ability to connect to audiences, Boston Children’s Chorus showcases the talent and passion of the diverse young people of our city.
Boston Children’s Chorus (BCC) was founded in 2003 by Hubie Jones, a civic leader who has worked for six decades to address the social problems facing Boston’s underserved children and communities. Named Boston’s “Ambassadors of Harmony” by The Boston Globe, BCC harnesses the power of music to connect Boston’s diverse communities, cultivate empathy, and inspire social inquiry. BCC after-school choral programs include 11 choirs with singers from 110 different zip codes in and around Boston. BCC is also proud to partner with schools to provide in-school choral education in Mattapan, Roxbury, South Boston, East Boston, Allston and the city of Chelsea.
BCC presents over 50 performances per season in a wide range of public and private events. They have performed in venues from Boston Symphony Hall, TD Garden, and Royal Albert Hall in London, to the Sydney Opera House, and the White House. BCC has appeared in TED talks, regular appearances on local TV and radio networks, and performances with high-profile artists including Idina Menzel, Javier Muñoz, Hugh Jackman, Leslie Odom Jr, and Melinda Doolittle. In 2020, it was announced that the album Fantastic Mr. Fox won a GRAMMY for Best Opera Recording. This recording featured the acclaimed Boston Modern Orchestra Project in collaboration with Odyssey Opera and Boston Children’s Chorus, under the baton of Gil Rose. Additionally, BCC was presented with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award in 2013, distinguishing the chorus as one of the top arts and humanities-based programs in the nation; BCC accepted the award from First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House.
Learn more at bostonchildrenschorus.org.
Kenneth Griffith is the Music Director of Boston Children's Chorus (BCC) and Artist Faculty in Choral Conducting at the Osher School of Music at the University of Southern Maine (USM). At BCC, he leads artistic programs, coaches the conducting staff, leads school-based programming in Boston Public Schools, and conducts the flagship ensemble, Premier Choir. At USM, Kenneth supports the Director of Choral Activities in leading the choral program and conducts the University Chorale. He regularly serves as an adjudicator, clinician, and conductor for regional, state, and international choral festivals.
Kenneth has led BCC in performances at some of the city's most iconic venues, including Boston's Symphony Hall, TD Garden, Calderwood Hall, and the Hatch Shell for the July 4th Fireworks Spectacular with the Boston Pops, and with artists such as Idina Menzel, Leslie Odom Jr., Mandy Gonzales, and Lawrence Brownlee. The Premier Choir of Boston Children's Chorus was featured at the 2024 ACDA Eastern Division Conference in Providence, RI. Under his leadership, BCC has toured to California, New York, Washington, DC., Puerto Rico, Canada, and will travel to South Africa in Spring 2027.
Over the years, he has assisted in preparing ensembles that have performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the American Repertory Theater, and the Verbier Music Festival in Switzerland. On the professional stage, Kenneth recently prepared a chorus and ensemble for Anthony Davis' Pulitzer Prize-winning opera X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. This project's recording was nominated for a GRAMMY in 2023.
In addition to his work with BCC and USM, Kenneth is the Director of Music at First Parish in Cambridge in Harvard Square. Kenneth holds a BM in Vocal Performance from Capital University and an MM in Choral Conducting from Bard College.
