In Harmony
The Singing City Blog
Growing the next generation of voices in Philadelphia
Singing City has always believed that choral music can bring people together across difference, strengthen community, and help individuals discover the power of their own voices. That belief now takes a new and vibrant form through Singing City: Next Generation, a free, non-auditioned youth choir program designed to expand access to high-quality choral music education for young people across Philadelphia.
At its heart, Singing City: Next Generation places young people at the center of a welcoming, inclusive musical experience. Participants engage in vocal technique, ensemble singing, musical literacy, and collaborative performance in an environment where curiosity, growth, and self-expression are encouraged. Whether a student is singing in a choir for the first time or arriving with prior experience, every voice is valued equally.
“This program is about creating a space where young people feel safe taking risks,” says Youth Choir Director Kendra Balmer. “When students realize they can try something new without fear of judgment, their confidence grows quickly. You see it not just in how they sing, but in how they carry themselves and support one another.”
Singing City: Next Generation builds on nearly a decade of youth choral work in Philadelphia. The program began in 2016 as Teen Voices of the City Ensemble, or T-VOCE, and grew through partnerships that brought together young singers from across the city. Following recent transitions, Singing City assumed sole stewardship of the program and intentionally reimagined its structure to better meet the realities of youth and family life today.
The result is a flexible, residency-based model that allows students to participate through shorter four-, six-, or twelve-week modules. This approach removes many of the barriers that can make long-term commitments difficult, while still offering meaningful artistic depth and continuity over time.
“For young people, consistency matters, but so does flexibility,” says Artistic and Music Director Rollo A. Dilworth. “Singing City: Next Generation honors both. It gives students the chance to grow musically while also understanding that their lives are complex. That balance is essential if we want choral music to truly serve the community.”
Singing City: Next Generation was recently highlighted on 6abc Action News, bringing citywide attention
to a program rooted in access, belonging, and the power of young voices coming together in song.
The segment captures what we see every week in rehearsal: young people
building confidence, community, and joy through music.
Watch the 6abc segment below.
Singing City: Next Generation is a free, non-auditioned youth choir open to young people across Philadelphia.
No prior musical experience is required — just curiosity, commitment, and a willingness to sing together.
If you know a young person who would thrive in a welcoming, supportive choral community,
we invite you to learn more and join us.
Learn more and sign up for Singing City: Next Generation!
A defining feature of the program is its intergenerational focus. Youth participants regularly rehearse and perform alongside Singing City’s adult chorus, allowing them to see themselves as part of a larger artistic tradition. These shared experiences foster mentorship, mutual respect, and a powerful sense of belonging.
Through repertoire and rehearsal conversations, students are also introduced to Singing City’s mission as a socially conscious vocal movement. Music becomes not only an artistic practice, but a way to explore ideas of community, civic responsibility, and collective voice.
“For me, this is deeply personal,” says Executive Director Michael Bolton. “I was part of the founding of T-VOCE years ago, and to now see it take flight within Singing City is incredibly meaningful. What started as an idea about giving young people a place to sing has grown into something much bigger. This program is about helping young people understand that their voices matter, and that they belong in the cultural life of this city.”
A cornerstone of Singing City: Next Generation is its partnership with Temple Music Prep and Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance. Through rehearsals and residencies on campus, participants gain exposure to a collegiate arts environment, often for the first time. These experiences help demystify higher education, build confidence, and expand young people’s sense of what is possible.
In addition to its residency programs, Singing City: Next Generation includes Love City Sings, a free, citywide youth choral convening that brings together students from schools and community programs across Philadelphia for a day of collective music-making. Designed as an inclusive, non-competitive experience, Love City Sings emphasizes aural-oral learning, collaboration, and shared artistic exploration, reinforcing pride, connection, and joy through song.
Through Singing City: Next Generation, young people gain more than musical skills. They gain confidence, community, and a sense of belonging within a living, intergenerational choral tradition. By centering youth voices and adapting to the realities of their lives, Singing City continues its long-standing commitment to lifting the human spirit and shaping a Philadelphia where every voice has a place.
Programs like Singing City: Next Generation are made possible entirely through philanthropy. There is no tuition, no audition, and no cost to participate — which means community support is essential to sustaining and growing this work.
A gift of any size helps ensure that young people across Philadelphia continue to have access to a meaningful choral experience where they are seen, heard, and valued.
Click here to support programming like this and make a different in a young person's life.
