It has been an exciting year! In February, the International Children's Choir was awarded the 2005 George Washington Medal of Honor from the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge. In March they performed in the Broadway production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat at Capitol Theater. In July, by special invitation of the organizing committee, the ICC represented the North and South American continent in the Opening Ceremonies of the World Choir Olympics in Xiamen, China and also in the Gala Concert at the prestigious Gulangyu Concert Hall. The ICC was awarded two Gold Diplomas and Two Bronze Medals in competitions involving over 80 nations, 500 choirs and 20,000 singers. A stunning Pioneer Day performance of Mack Wilberg’s Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise on the Great Wall concluded the 18 day concert tour. Back home, they performed in September at the Conference Center for the American Mother’s national conference opening ceremony, at the Delta Center for the opening ceremonies of the international convention of USANA. On December 4, the children performed at the request of Gov. and First Lady Huntsman to open the Christmas season at the Governor’s Mansion. The Huntsman’s personal photos of the occasion are posted on the governor’s website at http://.governor.utah.gov/photos. Throughout the semester they performed for ambassadors and delegates from over 50 countries.

These accomplishments honorably follow in the footsteps of earlier members who debuted at Carnegie Hall in 1993, performed in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican and throughout Italy in 1995, at St. Martin-in-the-Fields and Canterbury Cathedral in 1996, throughout Austria, Czech Republic, Germany and Hungary in 1997, throughout Israel and Jordan in 1999, with the Czech National Orchestra in Smetana Hall, Prague, Czech Republic and the Radio Symphony Orchestra in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2000, and at the 2002 World Conference of the International Society for Music Education in Bergen, Norway.

During the 2002 Winter Olympics, the children performed in Light of the World, three Welcome the World concerts with the Utah Symphony, and in Cultural Olympiad concerts with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Fredericke von Stade, John Williams, and the King’s Singers. In 2004, they presented two Christmas specials in the Tabernacle for Spanish and English audiences, and performed in Abravanel Hall with Clay Aiken. In 2005, the ICC received the Pearl Award for the Best Holiday Album, O Come Little Children.

The ICC sang Hodie! by Vaughn Williams with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Utah Symphony for the PBS TV special, A Gift of Music. They also performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Utah Symphony, Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 with the Orchestra at Temple Square, and Carmina Burana, I Pagliacci, Otello, La Boheme and Hansel and Gretel with the Utah 0pera.

The Music Educators National Conference featured the ICC on its PBS TV special, the World’s Largest Concert, and at its national convention in Arizona. The ICC sang for the Festival of Lights in Washington DC with Kurt Bestor, performed in the national touring company production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donny Osmond, and recorded numerous soundtracks, movie trailers, and video games, including Savior of the World, Lemony Snicket and Advent Rising. They have sung for the Dalai Lama, heads of state, national and international festivals and conferences, and for hundreds of dignitaries and delegations from around the world.

Rehearsal locations are Sandy, Sugarhouse, and Bountiful, Utah. The ICC holds a summer music camp annually.