Hometown Choir

Building Bonds Through Music

The Front Porch partners with the YMCA afterschool programs at all six Charlottesville City Elementary Schools to bring free, weekly music enrichment to 330+ students across the city. Students learn and create songs to perform for their friends and families building school spirit and creating a “core memory.” We continually see student confidence grow, evidenced by post-concert surveys. Parents are grateful that their children have the opportunity to participate in an extracurricular activity like Hometown Choir. 

During the school year, camaraderie, confidence, and kindness grow through the Hometown Choir experience. As children’s sense of belonging deepens so does their pride in learning songs and performing together. According to educational research, children who participate in choral singing experience a significant increase in qualities conducive to learning and personal development: memory strengthens, practice habits are developed, become better team players, and show advanced social skills. We’re so glad to share these benefits with young music-makers in our Hometown Choir.

The Hometown Choir joins with peers across the City for two performances at the end of each semester, which are a highlight of our year. Students work hard to prepare, learning classic songs or writing original songs with friends. The Choir’s performance at 2024’s Grand Illumination at the Ting Pavilion was captured in this heartwarming video.

Our Partners

We sing with Kindergarten through 5th grade students at Greenbrier, Jackson Via, Summit, Sunrise, Tall Oaks, and Trailblazer Elementary Schools through the YMCA afterschool program.