Facility Info
- Description The Texas Boys Choir, led by Dr. D. Jason Bishop, was founded in 1946 by George Bragg to provide any boy, regardless of socio-economic or ethnic background a structured environment for the development of a world-class performing choir of boys. Essential to this development is the artistic training in an accredited academic institution; experienced teachers instill the qualities of self-discipline, self-confidence, decorum, patriotism, and leadership. For more than 70 years, the choir has been a publicly supported, professional nonprofit organization and an educational institution dedicated to fostering the talents of gifted young men. As such, TBC continues to play an important role in the North Texas Arts Community. TBC follows the tradition of European church choirs, with boys beginning their vocal training at a young age. The choir draws heavily on the sacred tradition, performing many works from the early Renaissance and Baroque periods. Also included in most performances are American favorites and music of other cultures and countries. In addition to performing a wide variety of music, TBC stands out in another important way. TBC is one of the few boychoirs in the United States in which boys train while attending their own school. Extensive training in both music and academics enables the choir to maintain the standard of excellence established when the choir was founded in 1946. This high level of performance has garnered TBC two GRAMMY© Awards from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, three George Washington Honor Medal Awards from the Freedom Foundation, a Bronze Award from the International Film and Television Festival of New York, and a gold and championship medal in Mixed Boys’ Choirs at the 2004 Choir Olympics in Bremen, Germany. In March 2013, TBC performed at the prestigious National American Choral Directors Association Conference held in Dallas, Texas. In March 2013 and 2017, TBC performed at the prestigious National American Choral Directors Association Conference. The choir performed at the Southwest Division ACDA Regional Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas in March 2014. TBC has been invited to be a performer for the 2018 National Organization of American Kodály Educators. Texas Boys Choir has traveled to numerous international destinations in its history including Australia, Japan, England, Mexico, Latvia, Argentina and China. Throughout these travels, the choir has sung for Popes and other religious leaders, U.S. Presidents, kings and heads of state. Additionally, the choir has appeared on national television and radio broadcasts. In May 2016, the choir toured Germany and Austria in celebration of the choir’s 70th anniversary, performing solo concerts at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig and St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. In addition, the choir collaborated with European boychoirs including the Dresden Boy Choir, the Wilten Boys’ Choir in Innsbruck, and the Vienna Boy Choir. In July 2017, the choir spent the month of July entertaining crowds and touring across China, including a performance at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, one of China’s most prestigious performing arts venues. Based in Fort Worth, the Texas Boys Choir performs locally, nationally and internationally, both for fees and for community service purposes.
