Nestled in the oldest range of mountains in the world lies a city called Charleston that is the birthplace of the Appalachian Children's Chorus. Across the river from the gold-gilded dome of the Capitol Building of West Virginia on the campus of the University of Charleston, the Appalachian Children's Chorus began in 1990 with the fundamental desire to be a community-based children's chorus that would provide opportunities for children to experience music in ways that are unusual and rare in their offerings.
The choir began under the baton of its founding director, Selina Midkiff, as the University of Charleston Children's Chorus. Its initial membership of 12 children started a tradition of solid music education, disciplined environment and community involvement that has today merited the organization with many awards and numerous opportunities to perform in a whole plethora of musical events. Whether performing for heads of state or local audiences, the choir's notoriety is not only for musical excellence but for its ability to touch the hearts of their audiences. In 1995, the term "The Treasure of West Virginia" was added to the choir's calling cards.
The chorus changed its name to the Appalachian Children's Chorus in 1996 to better represent the regional nature of the choir. Its membership at that time drew from as far away as Ohio and 14 counties in West Virginia. During this transformation, the choir added to its staff the talents of the founder of the Los Angeles Children's Chorus, Rebecca Thompson, as assistant director. Other notable directors have included Joann Cordell, Danielle Milam and Noel Hardman.
ACC was named by then Governor Bob Wise and Secretary of State Joe Manchin the Official Children's Chorus of the State of West Virginia. In 2006, the chorus was named The Ambassadors of Music for the State of West Virginia by Governor Joe Manchin to recognize the chorus for representing the state, its friendly inhabitants and the state's wonderful lifestyle to the nation and the world.
Grown from the original 12 members, the choir currently has approximately 200 children in seven choirs. The chorus derives its strength from its 17-member Board of Directors, many of whom are leaders in the community and state.
The chorus has performed at Disney World's EPCOT CENTER; The Greenbrier Hotel; Canterbury, Oxford; London, England; Vienna; Salzburg, Austria and Prague, Czech Republic. ACC has also performed in nine international cathedrals and the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. The chorus frequently performs with other famous artists, including Larry Groce of Mountain Stage, Ethel Caffie-Austin, Bob Thompson, John Rutter and Kathy Mattea. The chorus has performed for governors and presidents and other heads of state as well as three performances at Carnegie Hall in New York.
In July of 2007, the Concert Choir performed in Hawaii in the Pacific Rim Children's Choral Festival. ACC also hosts a national children's choir festival over Memorial Day Weekend each year, the Appalachian Festival of Young Voices. The festival is a celebration of folk music in mountain tradition. We celebrate the young and the music within them. The chorus's history is rich with tradition, replete with spirit and ably representative of all that is good about the State of West Virginia.
