For more than 30 years, the New Orleans Children’s Chorus has nurtured the artistry of children while creating exciting opportunities for new singing experiences and lifelong friendships.
Celebrating the 20th anniversary year of NOCC’s
commission of Bob Chilcott’s A Little Jazz Mass, the Crescent City Choral Festival is a festival for treble and mixed choirs, June 27-July 1, 2025.
I can’t thank you enough for all you and your choir parents did for the Peninsula Girl Chorus Tour to New Orleans. I can honestly say that this is the most fun tour on which I have ever traveled, and that is due in great part to your efforts on our behalf. The girls, the chaperones, and the PGC staff all enjoyed ourselves—we felt so welcomed by Teena and by your parents and singers who met us at the airport.
Our singers and staff, myself included, also learned so much from your rehearsal technique and from the music you chose for the festival. In addition, your choice of Tony Guzman as the guest clinician was inspired! My singers loved working with both of you – I can’t wait to hear how their sound will change this next year, as they incorporate what they learned into our rehearsals.
Catherine Doyle-Wesolek
Director, Peninsula Girls Chorus
It is not often that an entire group returns from tour with such wonderful memories! You, your staff and parents are to be commended on the excellent Choral Festival you provided. You made Southern Hospitality look so easy. From the moment we landed at the airport to the last event, everything was extremely well organized, the musical experience one of the best and the afternoon excursions were perfect for our children. The free time was perfect to learn about New Orleans and taste the food, jazz, and culture of the city. The concert by the New Orleans Children’s Chorus was the perfect beginning to a perfect festival. I just wanted to let you know how great the festival was…sure could not tell this was your first! I do know we will certainly consider coming again in the near future. Our choir will never forget this experience.
Patricia Neihaus
Program Administrator, Saint Louis Symphony Children’s Choirs
I can’t thank you enough for all you and your choir parents did for the Peninsula Girl Chorus Tour to New Orleans. I can honestly say that this is the most fun tour on which I have ever traveled, and that is due in great part to your efforts on our behalf. The girls, the chaperones, and the PGC staff all enjoyed ourselves—we felt so welcomed by Teena and by your parents and singers who met us at the airport. Our singers and staff, myself included, also learned so much from your rehearsal technique and from the music you chose for the festival. In addition, your choice of Tony Guzman as the guest clinician was inspired! My singers loved working with both of you – I can’t wait to hear how their sound will change this next year, as they incorporate what they learned into our rehearsals.
Catherine Doyle-Wesolek
Director, Peninsula Girls Chorus
Thank you so much for hosting such a wonderful event! The choir festival in New Orleans was fine and musically fulfilling four days. I know that you worked very hard to make this a great experience for the kids. On behalf of all of our kids and our staff, thank you for believing in kids and in the power of music!
Marcia Hendricks
Executive Director, Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale
A beautiful setting for a festival! The children got to experience the city, the people, and to sing beautiful music together. It was also a well-organized festival. Thank you for all of your hard work in creating an enjoyable, safe weekend for our singers.
Laurie Jenschke
Director, Fredericksburg Children’s Chorale, Fredericksburg, TX
From the moment we arrived we were treated like royalty. Our hotel was lovely, as well as the hospitality provided by the New Orleans Children’s Chorus staff and parents. Our singers were respected both in rehearsal and in preparing the logistics for 400 children. Musically, the tour was extremely satisfying. Cheryl Dupont and Moses Hogan were both quite skilled in getting the most out of the kids and the music. All choirs involved were of great quality, making the individual performances a plus. The final concert was fabulous. Bottom line, we will be back.
Vicki Dohrmann
Associate Director, St. Louis Symphony Children’s Choirs
I have to tell you that the Festival was one of the very best – you have created something that reflects you and the people you have around you – something that reflects love, warmth, and joy of music and people. The massed choir was quite superb, and I think it would be quite fair to say that there was not one person who was not affected by its strength and power of togetherness. Thanks so much for having me be part of it. I shall look forward to coming again next year, and it will give me so much pleasure to write a piece specially for you.
Bob Chilcott, Oxford, England
Guest Artist, Composer, Conductor, and Singer
I wanted to thank you so much for the wonderful time we all had at the festival in New Orleans. You really know how to do it first class! The members of the Fayette Youth Chorale were so excited about each activity, and the final concert was a thrill! I had many compliments from our parent chaperones about how well organized everything was and what a good time they all had as well. Please convey my appreciation to your staff for their patience and assistance. What a huge task it was to coordinate all of those groups! Thank you again for including our group! I’m glad our first trip was with such a professional organization!
Millie L. Turek
Director, Fayette Youth Chorale, GA
This is the best festival I have ever been to anywhere.
Donna T. Barnett
Director, St. Francis School Community Chorus, Goshen, KY
Thank you for your wonderful work with children and for a beautifully orchestrated festival in New Orleans. We have had a glorious time!
Janet Stotts
Director, The Alaska Children’s Choir
On behalf of the Mississippi Girlchoir I want to thank you for allowing us to be a part of the Crescent City Choral Festival 2001. The mass choir concert was absolutely stunning! I do not think I have ever heard a better mass children’s choir anywhere. The tone was like velvet and I thought “This must be what heaven is like!” My girls enjoyed working with you and Bob Chilcott on the music you had selected. The riverboat cruise was a big hit with my choir, as well as the other activities we had planned in our free time. I know what time and planning a festival of this magnitude must take, and we thank you, Teena and Vicki for all of your hard work.
Lillian Lee
Director, The Mississippi Girlchoir
A note of thanks and appreciation for making the Crescent City Choral Festival a great experience for the All Saints Trouveres. My kids had a wonderful time in New Orleans and the festival concert was truly memorable. Thank you for providing such outstanding musical leadership. The repertoire and the spirit and energy that you and Bob brought to the festival was very special.
Stephanie Naifeh
Director, All Saints Church Trouveres, Pasadena, CA
Thank you for inviting The St. John’s Boys’ Choir to participate in the Crescent City Choral Festival. The music selections were great, the rehearsals well structured, the final concert was absolutely fabulous, and above all, the boys and staff truly enjoyed themselves (especially the dinner cruise!) We were impressed with the sounds of both your choir and the other participating choirs. The Cathedral was a great place to hold such a beautiful concert. Please offer my thanks to your staff as well. They did a wonderful job.
Brother Paul Richards, OSB
Director, The St. John’s Boys’ Choir