MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Children’s Choir, Wisconsin’s premier, audition-based youth ensemble, announced a special partnership with legendary Motown music band and quartet, The Four Tops. The live concert will take place on Thursday, February 23 at 6:30 p.m. at The Pabst Theater in Milwaukee (144 E. Wells Street).
In this performance, The Milwaukee Children’s Choir will present their classically trained voices combined with the Motown sound that The Four Tops helped to shape and define. “Milwaukee Children’s Choir is thrilled to welcome the Four Tops to our community. This will be the first performance of its kind for the Children’s Choir. As artistic director, I am thrilled to be able to help launch the Children’s Choir in a new direction by creating this major concert experience for our students. Furthermore, I am ecstatic to invite Milwaukee school children to hear and see the Four Tops perform in a private performance free of charge. The children will be able to ask questions and hear this amazing group of musicians perform,” said Milwaukee Children’s Choir conductor, Marco Antonio Melendez.
The three Milwaukee schools that will be attending this concert free of charge include ALBA, Burbank, Bethune and Fernwood Montessori.
The Four Tops is an American music band that made its debut in 1954. They are said to be pioneers in the creation of the recognized Motown sound. The group spent years singing jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary and even hard rock. Their first Motown success, “Baby I Need Your Loving” in 1964, made them stars. By 1990, with 24 Top 40 pop hits to their credit, the Four Tops were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Today, they continue to be a hit in concert. Some of their biggest, most successful hits include songs of the likes of “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” and “I Can Not Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” both of which reached the top position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at the time of their release.
“We are honored to take the stage with such a legendary group of singers,” said Melendez. “Milwaukee Children’s Choir choristers are trained to sing in a variety of musical styles. Blending together the youthful sounds of our Choir with the ever beloved harmonic sororities of the Four Tops will undoubtedly leave audiences wanting more.”
Ticket prices start at $49.95 and are available for purchase now online.
About The Milwaukee Children’s Choir
The Milwaukee Children’s Choir is Southeastern Wisconsin’s premier youth choir. Since 1994, Milwaukee Children’s Choir has been delighting audiences and providing children, ages 4-18, with exceptional choral music education and performance experiences that foster creativity, personal expression and social growth. As an audition-based, advanced children’s choral music program, Milwaukee Children’s Choir maintains five levels of evening choir choral education for children from 1st-12th grades.
Offering rehearsal locations throughout the Greater Milwaukee area, the Children’s Choir incorporates children from throughout the whole of Southeastern Wisconsin. Milwaukee Children’s Choir also serves children during the school day at two Milwaukee Public Schools through its Harmony Program.
Now celebrating its 23rd season, Milwaukee Children’s Choir maintains a collaborative relationship with area schools while also supporting area music educators through clinics and workshops. The Choir developed and hosts annually the Milwaukee Choral Conference, an intensive choral workshop for choral conductors as well as current and aspiring choral music educators, created to explore solutions for promoting and preserving the choral arts today and for future generations.
For more information about the Milwaukee Children’s Choir, please visit http://www.MilwaukeeChildrensChoir.org and on Facebook or Twitter.
