Howe’s Brooklyn: Let us now praise Brooklyn’s most focused musical force
Of all the musicians in the world, it may be assumed, overwhelmingly, that most find fulfillment and can potentially rise to their best when they rehearse and perform with others. Indeed, most audiences are moved the most by ensemble. So it was no surprise to see the Brooklyn Youth Chorus bring an audience to its feet several times during the concert for the annual gala. What was a surprise, perhaps revelation, to an outside observer at the May 7 concert, was the beauty, discipline, inspiration and pure power of an organization that clearly represents the pinnacle of ensemble leadership and vision. Anyone who calls Brooklyn home could be proud that this chorus, this academy, (official name: Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy) bears the name of our hometown.
The evening began early for patrons with a light supper, silent auction and some preview music by young singers from the BYCA Intermediate Division. The cutting edge Green Building in Boerum Hill/Gowanus proved to be the perfect gathering space for a prelude to a breath-taking concert later featuring the Kronos Quartet. Borough President Marty Markowitz and Councilman Steve Levin brought political clout to praise BYCA and its honoree, board member Hillary Richard, who is one of NYC’s top female litigators—(oops, one of NYC’s top litigators, who also happens to be a woman) – as well as what BYCA calls “chorister parent” for more than eight years. Her skills, drive and generosity have been a key element in recent growth of BYCA’s new music program.
After supper and silent auction wound down, patrons were transported in luxury buses to Roulette, the restored performing space on the ground floor of the historic YWCA building at Third Avenue and Atlantic. (Movie fans may remember the wedding scene in Prizzi’s Honor, a film starring Jack Nicholson; it was filmed in this space.) With classic wrap-around balcony and intimate proportions, the Roulette space could boast, “not a bad seat in the house.”