The Houston Childrens Chorus was founded in 1989 by Stephen Roddy.  The Chorus involves more than 250 children in grades 2 through 8, by annual audition.  More than 3,500 Houston children have been a part of the Houston Childrens Chorus since its inception.   In its first year alone, the Chorus performed for more than 15,000 people in events including the 1990 World Economic Summit and the UNICEF Gala with Audrey Hepburn and Michael Tilson Thomas.  Today, the annual audience exceeds 750,000, not including televised performances!

The purpose of the Chorus is primarily educational, and its goal is to teach children to achieve high artistic standards through choral singing and performance.  The secondary purpose of the Chorus is to provide the community with a major choral group consisting of children from every school district and from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.  An equally important aspect of the Chorus is the nurturing of personal growth, teamwork, responsibility, discipline, self-control, and confidence in our children.  We create an environment that fosters the growth of qualities that will not only help these students to become successful in choral music, but in life.

The Chorus has performed in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Carnegie Hall, Russia, England, Scotland, Italy, Japan, and Mexico.  They have performed for former President and Mrs. Bush on more than 11 occasions, including the 1992 Republican Convention, the 1990 World Economic Summit, the 150th Anniversary Celebration of the Smithsonian Institute and numerous ribbon-cutting ceremonies.  In May 2005, the Chorus performed for President and Mrs. George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton at the Bush Clinton Houston Tsunami Fund Donor Appreciation Event and in June 2005 performed Karl Jenkins The Armed Man:  A Mass for Peace in Carnegie Hall.  The Chorus is frequently featured with major performing ensembles in Houston including the Houston Masterworks Chorus, the Houston Symphony, and various ensembles from Rice University. 

The Chorus was featured in eight performances of the Broadway touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webers Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  In 1999, some of the Chorus highlights included performing to a sold-out crowd at the Compaq Center with Celine Dion, performing for the opening ceremonies of the World Energy Congress, and performing for Mass at the Vatican in Rome and at the Basilica of St. Mark in Venice. On February 1, 2004, members of the Chorus and its alumni group, the Houston Youth Singers, were featured in the Super Bowl pre-game show with singer Josh Groban.    

Staff members of the Chorus are frequently called upon to conduct choral festivals all over the United States.  The Fred Bock Music Company of California has printed more than 1 million copies of the Houston Childrens Chorus Choral Series, a collection of anthems for schools and churches.  Several CDs featuring the Chorus have been produced by the Fred Bock Company.

The Houston Childrens Chorus is known throughout Houston and the State of Texas for its versatility in being able to perform all types of music, from classical to pop.   The Chorus has remained in demand for festivals, weddings, galas, fundraising events, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, church services, corporate events, radio and T.V. commercials, recordings and clinic events.  It is our goal to make the Houston Childrens Chorus completely accessible to every child in the city of Houston regardless of race or economic status.