Our History

The National Children's Chorus (formerly the Paulist Choristers), Los Angeles' oldest professional children's chorus, was founded in 1977 by Jon Wattenbarger, with the guidance and support of Saint Paul the Apostle School principal Sister Stella Maria Enright and choral icon Roger Wagner. Originally named the Paulist Boy Choristers, the ensemble was an instant sensation, performing numerous renditions of the masterworks, including annual performances of Handel's Messiah, often with period instruments in collaboration with Baroque specialists, and later, Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra. High-profile guest conductors were frequent, and included concerts led by Roger Wagner, Helmuth Rilling and Paul Salamunovich. The boys were also given top billing at major events with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Opera Company, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and Joffrey Ballet, and in many Hollywood film and television productions. Credits include The Thornbirds, Edward Scissorhands, Oscar and Lucinda and The Lord of the Rings, as well as multiple appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Debuts on classical recordings included Bach: St. Matthew Passion with Jeffrey Thomas and the American Bach Soloists, and Mahler Symphony No. 3 with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. International tours, retreats and workshops additionally added to the choir's multi-faceted mission.

In 2001, with the chorus under the baton of Martin Neary, the organization made a very bold decision in allowing girls to join the group, changing the ensemble from a boy choir to a children's chorus. The results were highly successful, and afforded opportunity to the rich talent of young girls wanting to express themselves artistically through the Choristers' disciplined program.

Now under the baton of maestro Luke McEndarfer the organization has expanded to offer enrollment to more than 100 students in five separate ensembles. During Mr. McEndarfer's seven-year tenure as Artistic Director, the National Children's Chorus has sung more than fifteen major works from the choral repertoire, spanning each of the major time periods, including music composed in the modern style, as well as exciting world premieres, including works by Grammy-award nominee Morten Lauridsen and Emmy-award winner Stephen Cohn. In addition to traditional music events, the chorus has also delved into dance, opera and film. In January of 2007 at UCLA's Royce Hall, the group sang the Los Angeles premiere performance of Bloom composed by Rufus Wainright and produced by the Stephen Petronio Dance company of New York City. In June of 2008, the Chorus produced its very first fully-staged opera production, Benjamin Britten's The Little Sweep. And in June of 2009, the ensemble was featured in a new movie by Paramount Pictures starring Eddie Murphy called Imagine That.

More than significantly expanding its performance capabilities, the National Children's Chorus under the guidance of Luke McEndarfer has placed a new and increased focus on education, creating a unique and exciting forum for learning that exposes the students to a wide variety of subjects; from the rudimentary principles of music theory, to advanced levels of ear training, to the study of physical movement as it relates to sound, to the experience of interacting with top-level artists in a seminar-like symposium. Immediately prior to the group's collaboration with the Kronos String Quartet at UCLA's Royce Hall in October of 2008, the players of the world-famous ensemble led a special workshop with the chorus as part of this important directive. In 2009, the NCC launched its ground-breaking "Conducting Fellows" program, and began teaching college level conducting to its students. Select members of this program later earned the opportunity to conduct their peers in concert at The Broad Stage and other top venues. Each new season is a landmark for the Association's vision of educational excellence and innovation.