The Phoenix Children’s Chorus winter concert, “Comfort & Joy,” is scheduled for Dec. 6 and 7 and brings together all of its performance groups to present selections of classic winter, Christmas and Hanukkah songs (submitted photo).
In Italian, “tutti” means all or together. In musical terms, the meaning broadens: with all voices and instruments together – and that is the idea behind the Phoenix Children’s Chorus’ Tutti Choir, an inclusive and adaptive program designed to welcome children of all abilities.
Founded in 1984, Phoenix Children’s Chorus (PCC) is open to children in kindergarten through 12th grade. Poco Voce offers music exploration class, and performing ensembles begin with those in second grade. Rehearsals are held on Tuesdays in downtown Phoenix. Flash forward 40 years and Tutti Choir enters the scene. The group rehearses on Wednesdays at Madison No. 1 Middle School.
“It is open to children with and without disabilities,” said choir director Anne Coryell, “So we actually have a good mix of students who participate in the downtown program that come and sing with us on Wednesdays, and all of the performance groups come together for winter and spring concerts.”
Tutti provides a supportive and nurturing environment where singers – regardless of physical, intellectual or developmental disabilities – can explore their musical talents and the joy of choral singing.
“We have no limits on who can join us,” Coryell said. “We have a chorister who is hard of hearing and uses ASL to communicate, so we incorporate sign signals. We have students on the autism spectrum in varying levels. We have one student that doesn’t speak, but she loves to sing and sings beautifully, and we are able to accommodate her needs. We have students with Down syndrome and varying levels of cognitive abilities, but we make it fun and engaging for all of the students so that everyone is engaged and excited to be there.”
That inclusiveness is the driving force behind Tutti, and it is personal for Coryell, who has been a PCC parent for 10 years. Her oldest son, now a senior in high school, has participated since third grade, “It has just been the best thing that he could have been involved in,” she said. Then, in 2017, the family adopted two little boys, “and one of my sons has Down syndrome and is hard of hearing,” she added. “As soon as our other son was old enough, we signed him up for Poco Voce, and we saw so much growth with him. But unfortunately, there wasn’t a place for our other son.”
Coryell, a music educator since 2002, brought the idea for an adaptive choir to Troy Meeker, the artistic and executive director for PCC, in 2020. It aligned with the organization’s goals and Coryell was the right person to spearhead the program, but COVID slowed down the implementation. Finally, in 2024 a grant was secured through Chorus America to fund the program for two years.
“So, we were able to just dive right in and offer this space that would be accessible for everybody and anybody that just enjoys singing, making music and community,” Coryell said.
“I see so much benefit both as the teacher, the director and as a mom,” she said. “Outside of just the music education, those connections and the deep meaningful relationships that are being built have been fantastic. And those who join us from the downtown program are mentors and I see how it has impacted them and how they have grown as thoughtful, caring, empathetic human beings.
She added, “And musically, they are learning how to sing with proper technique and in an ensemble. They are learning music theory and they are getting access to different cultures.”
Those techniques will be on display at the PCC winter concert, “Comfort & Joy,” which is scheduled for Dec. 6 and 7. The concert brings all of the performance groups together to present selections of classic winter, Christmas and Hanukkah songs. Then, on Jan. 14, Tutti will return from a winter break and the class will begin rehearsals for a spring concert.
While the sessions have set dates that generally mirror the school year, Coryell welcomes students to join Tutti at any time.
“Getting your children involved in the arts is so important,” she said. “Phoenix Children’s Chorus has been the best thing – it has provided for my children so many opportunities that they would not have received otherwise. I had a parent who said, ‘I don’t know if this is going to work for my kid.’ But I said, ‘Let’s just give it a try,’ and they have been so successful. So, to other parents, I say, just try it – you will be amazed at how it can change your child’s world.”
Purchase concert tickets and learn more about Tutti at www.phoenixchildrenschorus.org.
