Singing a Song of Connection with YPCC

What do you get when you bring over a thousand lawyers, cooks, accountants and creatives of all professions together?

To be fair, it probably depends on exactly how you’re bringing them together. But, in at least one instance, you get a vibrant, welcoming choir that builds community and connection through song. You get the Young Professionals Choral Collective (YPCC).

YPCC was founded in 2011 as a place where young professionals can unplug, find their people and create music together. From 40 singers at their first rehearsal, they have grown to have a roster of more than 12,000 today. They’ve performed in the World Choir Games, at concerts throughout the region, and in partnership with local professional arts organizations.

Finding Your People

Choir members, typically between the ages of 21-45, come from all over and find a sense of place in Cincinnati. No auditions are required for the main ensemble, and there’s only a 6-8 week commitment cycle for performances. Each rehearsal encourages social connection through post-rehearsal happy hours. “My work can be really intense,” says chorus member Stephanie Renny. “This is a place that you can just come as you are.”

“Having an opportunity where I don’t have to be on for my job…there’s this really interesting sense of community,” adds Tyler Moquin-Lee. “[We’re] not just there to sing, but also to have fun and get to know other people.”

Finding your community, or “your people,” plays a major role in where young professionals decide to lay down roots. In creating a shared project around a shared interest, YPCC builds the sense of community that attracts talented people to the Cincinnati region, while encouraging talented locals to stay.

Collaborate and Listen

That’s not the only community YPCC helps to build. They’ve pioneered a choral model through partnerships with arts organizations including Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Cincinnati Pops, MUSE, Pones and more. These collaborative partnerships lead to a stronger regional arts ecosystem.

Partnerships with places like Xavier University build an intergenerational experience, demonstrating to young singers that anyone can have the opportunity to sing with professional musicians, even if it’s not necessarily part of their Major.

The connections that YPCC can build take resources to make a reality. It’s thanks to the generosity of the local community, including ArtsWave donors, that Cincinnati can enjoy the benefits of a choral group that anchors young professionals to the region.

This blog post is based on content from “Better Know Cincy‘s Arts,“ featuring the Young Professionals Choral Collective.