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ClevelanD Orchestra Youth CHORUS
Honor Choir 2026

The 2026 COYC Honor Choir Concert will take place on Sunday, April 12 at 7:30 PM at Severance Music Center. The performance will be free and open to the public, though tickets will be required.

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The 2026 Honor Choir is composed of the top choral students from all over northeast Ohio. To participate, a student must be nominated by their school choir director based on their excellent skills as a developing musician.

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Participating students will take part in an all day clinic with guest conductor Sandra Snow on Saturday, April 11th at at a local Cleveland venue and a dress rehearsal at Severance Music Center the afternoon of concert day.

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Choir Directors

Nominations & registration for the 2026 Honor Choir are now open! Email Taylor Logan at tlogan@clevelandorchestra.com to be added to the distribution list.  

Meet the clinician

Dr. Sandra Snow

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As conductor, pedagogue, and scholar, Sandra Snow is widely acknowledged as one who brings singers of all ages and abilities to artful performance through an understanding of the music and its context in the world around them. As Professor of Choral Conducting, Director of Choral Programs, and Chair of the Conducting Area at the Michigan State University College of Music, she has led the MSU Women’s Chamber Ensemble to appearances as featured performers at American Choral Directors Association conventions at state, regional, and national levels. As guest conductor, she travels extensively in North America and abroad.

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In 2017 Snow created mirabai, a project-based professional women’s chorus. mirabai features alumna associated with the MSU Women’s Chamber Ensemble. mirabai was a featured ensemble at the Texas Choral Director’s Association conference in 2018. The inaugural recording, Ecstatic Songs, was released in 2018. mirabai opened the 2020 conference of the Southwest Division of the American Choral Director’s Association.

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Snow is author of the DVD “Conducting-Teaching: Real World Strategies for Success” published by GIA (2009), a resource for conductor-teachers at all levels of teaching. She edits the choral music series In High Voice published by Boosey & Hawkes.

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Snow is a recipient of the Michigan State University William J. Beal Award for Outstanding Faculty, the MSU Teacher-Scholar Award, and the Dortha J. and John D. Withrow award for Excellence in Teaching.

Repertoire

All music will be provided by the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus Office. Choristers will receive their music in February and will be expected to work on the repertoire with their school choir director throughout the spring. Students will also be invited to join the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus for regular Sunday rehearsals in March, where they will work on the pieces alongside members of COYC.

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The Concert

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The 2026 Honor Choir will perform on the main stage at historic Severance Music Center, home of The Cleveland Orchestra and considered by many to be one of the world's most beautiful concert halls. The concert will take place on Sunday, April 12th at 7:30 PM and will include performances by the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus (Daniel Singer, director) and the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Honor Choir, led by guest conductor Dr. Snow. While tickets are required, this performance is free and open to the public.

Timeline (2026)

January 21 - Nominations due by 5:00 PM

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January 31 - Results communicated to teachers and students

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February 13 - Students registrations due​

 

Spring Semester - Students prepare music with assistance from their choir director, we will also provide plenty of study materials!

 

March 1 - April 9 - Students invited to work on repertoire at Sunday rehearsals with the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. School choir directors who are unable to work independently with their students to learn the material are encouraged to send their students to learn the repertoire alongside COYC members.

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Saturday April 11 - Required day-long clinic (10:00 AM - 5:00 PM) with guest conductor, Dr. Sandra Snow, at a local Cleveland venue.

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Sunday April 12 - Afternoon dress rehearsal (2:00 PM to 6:00 PM) and 7:30 PM concert at Severance Hall 

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Previous Guest Clinicians

2015                Judy Hanson

2017                Tefsa Wondemagegnehu

2018                Jeffery Redding

2019                Cheryl Frazes Hill

2020                Jason Max Ferdinand
                        (Cancelled due to COVID)

2023                Marie Bucoy-Calavan

2024                Marques L. A. Garrett

2025                Jason Max Ferdinand

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