JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Downtown Jacksonville is home to City Hall, the sports complex and various business headquarters and nonprofits.
For the past three years, it’s also been home to the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus, which has its very own space on North Main Street, just a few blocks from the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts.
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Founded more than 30 years ago by Jacksonville University’s legendary president, Dr. Frances Kinne, the JCC had only 16 voices in its first year.
Now, it serves over a thousand singers each year through its programs.
“We provide high-quality choral music education to children of diverse backgrounds. That is the official mission. But we really are building a world-class children’s chorus for the city of Jacksonville. And I think we’ve arrived,” said president and artistic director Darren Dailey, who took the reins of the organization 20 years ago.
Dailey, who came to Jacksonville in 2006, said the JCC has been invited to sing in Italy, Turkey, Greece, France, and even performed for the Pope.
“I think because we travel internationally, we’re representing the city very, very well,” Dailey said. “I want the city of Jacksonville to be known -- like Vienna is known for the Vienna Choir Boys -- that Jacksonville is known as a world-class children’s chorus, and this is one of the things you experience when you come to the city of Jacksonville.”
That’s one reason Dailey said having JCC’s home in the heart of the city is key.
“Downtown is everybody’s neighborhood,” Dailey said.
Beyond building a world-class, internationally recognized chorus, Dailey remains dedicated to leading, teaching and training the next generation of singers.
Singers like Elizabeth Jones and Maura DeFullers.
Jones said the chorus has become like family over the years.
“I started out in the training choir when I was younger, and… I’ve seen myself grow,” Jones said. “I was really shy and kind of quiet. And being able to grow with so many people who share my interest of music has just helped me come out of my shell.”
DeFullers said training in music has also helped with other schoolwork.
“I learned how to do fractions because of music and because of different time signatures and how to read music and just the different things like that, because you know I was going through that when I first started in the choir and that’s kind of some of the basics that you work on is just how to write music,” DeFullers said. “So it really helped me in school actually, surprisingly to some people.”
Among the key supporters of the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus are VyStar, The Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, the Jaguars, the Jax Chamber, the city of Jacksonville, and the Community Foundation of Jacksonville.
To learn more about the JCC or how your student could join, go to https://www.jaxchildrenschorus.org/.