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We have begun to collect information on choirs in different individual countries. Some had rather generic chor costumes, both secular and religious. Choirs in many countries once had destinctive national styles, lthough these destinctive styles hve begun to disappear in recent years. French choirs have worn blue seaters, short pants, and white knee socks. German choirs often wear sailor suits or folk costumes. Scandivan choirs have often chosen sailor suits. Choirs often perform in these costumes. The choirs associated with cathedrals and churches wear liturgical garments when participating in religious services, but also give secular concerts in their normal uniforms. Other choirs had various specialized costumes, often with a folk flavor, that they put on as part of thei performnces. An American choir from Texas, for example, had cowboy outfits. Information is available on choir costumes in many countries, especially European countries where the boy choir tradition is strongest.
We notice a boy's choir at an Anglican church in Lagos during the early-1910s decade. The boys wear cassovcks and surplices like altar boys.
Many European countries have a long tradition of church boys' choirs dating back to the medevil era. South Africa has inherited both the Dutch and English tradition. Since the end of Apartheid (1994), the African music tradition has been incorporated into the choir repertoires. It is the only country in Africa with an important choral program. It is almost entirely a school based program, but some of the schools have religious affiliations. I have to date, however, acquired little information on the South African choirs. As far as we can tell, the South African choirs are almost entirely school choirs. The only exception we have found at this time is Drakensberg Boys' Choir School. Here the focus of the school is the choir and other music making activities. The other choirs we have found are school choirs. Here the choir is only one of many acivities available to the boys. Unlike many European choir schools, especially British choirs, it is not based at a major cathedral or church. At this time HBC has information on only a few school choirs. We note both single gender and mixed choirs, deopending on the type of school. A Dutch reader tells us that the Cape Malays and an impressive tradition of choral singing.
We have little information about Argentine children's choirs at this time. An Argentine source working with choirs theretells us that there are more than 10 children's choirs in Argentina. Several are located in Mendoza. Two Mendoza choirs are the Coro Municipal de Ni�os de Guaymallen and Coro de Ni�os de la Universidad de Mendoza. The Argentine choirs seem to be mixed children's choirs. We have not yet found a boys' or girls' chhoir. We notice a children's choir festival named Cantapueblo Ni�os (Singing People Children). The second celebration will be held october 1-5, 2008 in the cities of Mendoza y Malarg�e, Argentina. The theme of the festival is a quote from
V�ctor Heredia, "Los pueblos que cantan siempre tendr�n futuro" (The people who sing will always have a future.). The festival isorganized by the Fundaci�n COPPLA de Argentina and la Municipalidad de Malarg�e.
The organizers say, "En un marco sin igual los ni�os del mundo le cantan a la naturaleza (It is a goal withot equal the children of the world singing to nature.).
We have almost no information on Brazilian choirs. Brazil was a Portuguese colony and unfortunately we have no information on the boy choir traditin in Portugal either. A HBC reader notes two choirs: Coral dos Canarinhos from Petropolis and Rouxinois de Reine. Hopefully our Brazilian readers will provide us some information.
We have only limited information on boy choir tradition in Mexico or individual Mexican choirs at this time. We believe that most if not all Mexican choirs are associated with the Cathlolic Church. The Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City (located on the Zocalo, the city-center plaza across from the capital buildings), is the most famous choir in Mexico. The choirboys there still wear short pants. They often perform in short white robes. There are several church choirs made up of boys and girls. One such choir is the Coro de Infantes de San Mateo Ap�stol. It is made up 50 boys and girl from 7-15 years of age. Most belong to the San Mateo Ap�stol Parish from which the name of the choir is taken. They perform in blue and white robes.
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The two major countries of North America are the United States and Canada. Mexico is also located in North America, but for cultural reasons we have included it uin our Latin American section. The boy choir tradition in Canada and the United States are very different. The boy choir tradition in Canada is largely dominated by the British Anglican tradition. We do not see much activity in French Canada. The American boy choir tradition is very different. It was launched by Anglian churches with British trained choral directors, but its roots are in the Protestant churches and the choral traditions of thiose churches. There is aarge number of boy choirs in America, but they are miostly secular choirs, commonly singing piopular music, but as there is a great weakth of clasical choir music, they often sing some of these pieces as well. Americ's Anglo-Saxon base was altered in the 19th century by immigration, including immigrants from Catholic southern Europe at the the end of the entury. This did not strongly influence choral singing as by the time of the emigration to America, southern Europe had largely lost in boy choir tradition.
Many countries of Western and Central Europe have a long tradition of church boys' choirs dating back to the medevil era. Canada's bi-cultural tradition shares the heritage of both English and French choirs. England and France share some of the longest traditions of European boy choirs. The choirs in both countries were associated with the church. French choirs were associated with the the Catholic Church. English choirs were associated with the Catholic church until the 16th century and the proscriptions of Henry VIII who seized the monestaries where England's choirs were primarily based. Afterwards the Anglican church inherited England's choral tradition.
The boy choir tradition is a European tradition originating in the needs of the medevil church for litugical music. Many countries of Western and Central Europe, have long choral traditions. The strongest tradition is catholic, but boy choirs have also been created in protestant countries. Boy choirs have also been created in America. In part because of the protestant establishment of colonial and early independent America, the boy choir tradition is relatively recent. The American boy choir tradition was launched by Anglian churches with British trained choral directors, but its roots are in the Protestant churches and the choral traditions of those churches. Americ's Anglo-Saxon base was altered in the 19th century by immigration, including immigrants from Catholic southern Europe at the the end of the entury. This did not strongly influence choral singing as by the time of the emigration to America, southern Europe had largely lost its boy choir tradition. Catholics only began arriving in America during the 1840s when the Potato Famine began driving the Irish from their homeland. Even so, almost all boy choirs in the United States were founded in the 20th century. There is a large number of boy choirs in America, but they are miostly secular choirs, commonly singing piopular music, but as there is a great wealth of clasical choir music, they often sing some of these pieces as well. Unlike many European choirs, there is no tradition of choirs associated with boarding schools in America. There is, however, one residential boarding choir in America.
The boy choral tradition in Asia is limited. We know of no historic boy choirs in China and India, two countries which have played a central role in the Asian cultural tradition. The choirs we have noted are choirs which have been influenced by European cultural trafitions, either Christian or Communist. Much of the boy choir music comes from European relgious and classical music tradition. And until recently, Western has not been important in many very traditiional Asian countries. And while the Communists in Russia changed society fundamentally un many ways, they continued the interest in classical music. Japan is a little different, but the interested in boy choirs and Western music in general largely dates from the American occupation following World War II. This is similar to other cultural areas.
There are several children's choirs in China although we have very limited information about them. We do not note if there were children's choirs in the long historical tradition of China. We know that informal choirs were organized by Chruistian missionaries. The first formal choirs we havecnoted are from after the 1949 Communist Revolution. The Chinese choirs that we have noted are normally mixed choirs with both boys and girls. We have observed no tradition of boys' choirs as in the West. We have no information on individual choirs at this time. We know little about these choirs, incliding the type of music they perform, who sponsors them, and how they are costumed. These choirs include different age groups. We have noted both children's and teen choirs. Ethnic or regional costuming appears less important in these choirs than with dance groups. Some have costumes of rather formal western clothes. Others appear to perform in simple almost casual children's clothes.
Japan has several boy choirs. The internet sites, however, are in Japanese. So I know very little about them. They appear to be mostly boys choirs rather than mix boys and girls children�s groups. I�m not sure when boys� choirs were first formed in Japan, presumably after World War II. Unlike many European choirs they are not associated with Japanese churches or other religious groups. The Japanese have a unique nack of incorportaing fotrign
institutions and activities, often with their own unique style. After the War, the Japnese incoportated many American and European styles and activities from baseball to Scouting--apparently boys' choirs was one such import.
We have noted choirs in TAiwan, but do not yet have any infomation.
We have no information on Tajikistan boy choirs at this time. We do note that thev Tajikistan Turkish High School has a children's choir. This may be a Soviet-era institution, but we note that is was active in 2003.
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The boy choir tradition is essentially a European tradition. We note accounts of boy choirs in both ancint Greece and Rome. We do not know of boy choirs in other ancient civilizations, but that does notmean they did not exist. The classical musical tradition does not seem to have influenced the early Christian church, but our information is limited. Early Christian services as the Church to break off from its Jewish roots were congregational. There were, however, references to boy choirs and girl (virgin) choirs. Gradually women were defranchised which also apperently meant singing in the church.
The church and monestries as part of its training of youths for the priesthood began to form boy choirs. All of the great medieval cathedrals had boy choirs to accompany the Mss. The Reformation had both destructive and constructive impacts on church choirs. The Reformation reintroduced comminal singing reducing the need for boy choirs. The various denominations which developed hd different viws on church music. And the differing religious make up of individual countries has affected the boy choir tradition in those countries. The tradition of boy choirs had significantly declined by the 19th century. There was a great revival in the mid-19th century, beginning in Britain. A similar development occured in France (early-20th century). The Vienna Choir Boys were the only boy choir in the Germanic world, bur other choirs began to form after World War I. Other European countries also have boy choirs with considerablevariations from country to country. We note the emergence of mixed gender children's choirs as well as girl vhoirs in the 20th century. Boy choirs through the 19th century were church choirs. We begin to see secular choirs being formed in the 20th century.
We do not know much about boy choirs in Oceania. Much of what we know comes from Australia and New Zealand wgich were two colonies/countries where British cultural traditions were transplanted.
Australia as a former British colony inherited the English choral tradition. Australia like America also received large numbers of immigrants from Cathlolic countries,
especially Ireland. There are, however, relatively few boy choirs in Australia. The country's rough outdoor image has not provided incouragement for boys interested in the fine arts.
New Zealand is a small country in the South Pacific with many transplanted English traditions. The authors know of two boy choirs, but theremay be more. They are both traditional choirs reflecting the English choral tradition.
Some limited information is available on boy choirs on several other countries, although it is insufient for an entire new page at this time.
Aguilera, Gustavo. Fundaci�n COPPLA, eMail message, April 17, 2008.
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