FESTIVALS

A choir of children standing on risers, with a woman holding a red maraca and a man playing the drums in the foreground.
A group of children standing on risers during a performance or rehearsal in a school auditorium with wood-paneled walls, wearing casual clothing and some with name tags.

MIDWEST CHILDREN’S CHOIR FESTIVAL

The Ames Youth Choir (AYC) program created the Midwest Children’s Choir Festival (MCCF) in 1996 to provide the opportunity for young singers in Iowa to hear and perform with nationally and internationally acclaimed choirs and performers. The first two festivals featured international choirs and included children’s choirs from Central Iowa in addition to the AYC Concert Choir performing separately and as singers in a mass choir. Since 2000, the festival has been held at Stephens Auditorium on the ISU campus and has included select Iowa singers in addition to featured Midwest choirs and the AYC Concert Choir to form a mass choir of 400 singers (primarily in 5th-8th Grades). MCCF 2000-2005 featured baritones Simon Estes and Timothy Kuhn as soloists. Since 2007, MCCF has featured living composers and the premiere of new works.

The 2027 Midwest Children’s Choir will be held on Monday, March 22nd at Stephen’s Auditorium. Please email info@amesyouthchoir.org to stay up to date on festival information and director nominations.

Dr. Melissa Grady from the University of Kansas. Dr. Grady serves as Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Associate Professor of Music Education in the School of Music at The University of Kansas. At KU, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music education and conducts the University Singers. Dr. Grady is an active guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for children’s, middle school, and high school choirs. She is also the co-creator and conductor of a community treble chorus in Kansas City.

Our guest choirs for the 2027 festival are Heartland Youth Choir, Iowa City Youth Choir, and AYC’s Singers/Concert Choir.