Grantee Database

SAN FRANCISCO BOYS CHORUS

Grant Year

2026-27

Grant Program

General Operating Support

Award Amount

$12,000.00

Project Description

With support from the California Arts Council, SAN FRANCISCO BOYS CHORUS (SFBC) will engage up to 200 Bay Area students (grades K-12; majority BIPOC; one third low-income) in afterschool choral arts instruction and performances during the grant period (10/1/26-9/30/27). Under the direction of SFBC’s Teaching Artists, choristers at four rehearsal sites (San Francisco, Marin, East Bay, San Mateo) will strengthen vocal skills and musical knowledge and participate in 35+ performances, working with guest artists and partner organizations to bring choral music to diverse communities and regional audiences. SFBC will also continue to provide tuition assistance and scholarships for choristers from economically vulnerable families, reflecting the Chorus’s mission to make high caliber choral arts training and performance opportunities accessible for young people of all economic backgrounds. CAC funds will help underwrite artist fees related to instruction.

Organization Summary

CORE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES:

SFBC’s choral arts training program provides afterschool instruction to young people (ages 5-18) at four rehearsal sites in the Bay Area, including San Francisco, the East Bay, Marin, and San Mateo. Students from all sites gather in concerts and performances throughout the Bay Area. SFBC provides up to 32 weeks of instruction at each site during the academic year. SFBC also requires choristers to participate in Summer Music Camp, which entails a week-long overnight camp for older choristers and day camp for younger choristers.

SFBC’s choral arts training program has four components: 1) Instruction; 2) Performance; 3) Recording; and 4) Touring. Training is sequential, divided into five tiers based on age and skill. SFBC also offers a Handbell Program.

SFBC is committed to the preservation and revitalization of the boys choral tradition, and to providing a safe and nurturing space for boys to explore and develop their artistic capabilities. SFBC maintains an open-door policy, welcoming students across the gender spectrum to participate in and benefit from the Chorus experience.

The Chorus is headed by Artistic Director Ian Robertson, a veteran conductor who served as the Chorus Director for the San Francisco Opera and the Scottish Opera. Robertson oversees SFBC’s artistic staff, which consists of 12 experienced music educators and music professionals who serve as instructors, accompanists, and vocal coaches for the program. The artistic staff is supported by a Program Administrator, who handles logistics and coordinates parent volunteers and school outreach.

Organization

SAN FRANCISCO BOYS CHORUS

Address

333 HAYES ST STE 116

SAN FRANCISCO

94102-4455

County

San Francisco

Region

Bay Area – San Francisco

Website

Email

Congressional District

Congressional District 12

State Assembly District

District 17

State Senate District

District 11

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