Established in 1962 as The Singing Boys of Houston by the Houston Independent School District, Houston Boychoir became an independent arts organization in 1991. The Houston Boychoir is frequently featured with Houston's major performing arts organizations including the Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Bach Society and Opera in the Heights and Hope Stone Dance. HBC has performed before audiences at the Texas Music Educators Association annual conference and at Carnegie Hall, performing the Mass of the Children conducted by the composer John Rutter. Houston Boychoir teaches service and giving through projects such as: the Illumination Project, the Pink Ribbons Project, the Fire Fighter's Foundation, as well as the creation of a larger collaborative project with Texas Children's Hospital in a work called Ode to My Nurses. All boys who want to get in have to submit to the audition process held throughout the year for all boys with unchanged voices, ages 8 to 14, who demonstrate willingness to learn, vocal talent and musical aptitude. The musical repertoire is varied and draws on literature from all styles, languages and periods of music history. Singing members in all three groups wear uniforms when performing. The Preparatory Choir's formal attire consists of a button-down, light blue, long sleeve shirt, gray pants, a black belt with a gold buckle, and black shoes. The members of the Chamber Choir distinguish themselves by wearing a dark blue blazer with a white shirt and striped tie. The Alumni Choir's uniform is the same as the Chamber Choir except that the Alumni Choir gets to choose their own ties.
Performances
Both groups -the Chamber Choir. Olde Boys and the Preparatory Choir- have performed in a number of venues in Texas, including the Opera House at The Rebecca and John J. Moores School of Music, and various churches; the Chamber Boychoir also has performed internationally. Among the best known annual performances of the Preparatory Boychoir in Houston, "The Candlelight Evening", nearing Christmas, takes place at the Sam Houston Park, where, in the historic St. John Church built in 1891, the boys wear a more traditional choir attire. December 2010 marked the 48th year of the Houston Heritage Society's Candlelight Evening, event in which the boy choir has participated since its inauguration. Another annual event is known as the 'Winter Concert' which takes place at St. Martins Episcopal church of Houston. In May 16, 2011, at the Moores Opera House, the Houston Boychoir performed for the 56th consecutive year their 'Spring Concert'. Among other performances, the Prep-Boychoir has travelled to Austin, Texas to perform next to the Austin Choir, and in January 2011, the Houston Boychoir and the American Boychoir performed at Christ the KingEvangelical Lutheran Church, in Houston; the Directors of both choirs were interviewed on KUHF fm radio, which has broadcast live performances of the singing boys. The choir performed as a special guest with the Houston Bach Society in April 2011 The Houston Boychoir has sung the "Star Spangled Banner" at several Astros games. They have also done the same at a few Rocket and Dynamo games.
