Studer Community Institute

Boys Choir prepares young men for adulthood

June 5, 2015
/ Reggie Dogan
/ video

Malik Woodson has traveled the world, spreading the sweet sound of music through song. As a member of The Boys Choir of Tallahassee since the age of 9, Woodson’s had the privilege and pleasure of performing at two presidential inaugurations and in faraway cities in foreign countries. But Woodson said the privilege of being mentor to and a leader for the younger members of the world-renowned choir has been his greatest pleasure. “When I first joined the choir, I liked the great trips because I had never been outside of Florida,” said Woodson, a 17-year-old senior at Rickards High School in Tallahassee. “Now I enjoy more being a role model to the younger guys in the chorus.” After performing throughout the United States, Europe and the Caribbean Islands, Woodson is in his last year with the choir. On Saturday, Woodson will make his final trip to Pensacola for a concert on June 6, at Englewood Missionary Baptist Church. It’ll mark the choir’s third appearance in this city. [sidebar] Want to go? What: Boys Choir of Tallahassee concert When: 6 p.m. Saturday, June 6 Where: Englewood Missionary Baptist Church, 1100 W. Scott St. Cost: $15 Call: 438-4882; 426-1229 [/sidebar] Tammie Booker, youth choir director at Macedonia Baptist Church in Pensacola, has taken groups of young people to see the choir perform in Pensacola in years past. Booker enjoys the singing, but even more she appreciates the positive image the boys project for other young people. “It’s such an inspirational and empowering moment to see the cohesiveness and love shared by the group and the director,” Booker said. “My hope is that they inspire young people to work hard and follow their dreams.” In black tux and ties, the boys will sing some old spirituals and new gospel, spiced with tunes in Latin, German and Swahili. Expect encores and ovations when the choir belts out its signature songs, “Holy Spirit,” and the “Westpoint Hymn.” There’s debate among audiences that the Boys Choir sings the hymn better than the Westpoint chorus, Boys Choir director Earle Lee said. Building lives While music is the choir’s trademark, its mission and ultimate goal is to train young boys to become better men. Improving self-esteem, increasing exposure to different cultures and people, and improving academics are much more important than singing a song, Lee said. “It is the mission of the choir to prepare them for adulthood as responsible adults,” Lee said. “They achieve these goals through hard work and self-discipline. Of course Lee knows that the opportunity to travel and see the world is a big incentive for the boys. “Not very many young men would be attracted to the choir were it not for the unique opportunities for travel and performances,” he said. Since 1995, the choir has taken boys between the ages of 8 and 18, from coast to coast and across oceans to foreign counties and distant continents. They sang for both Obama inaugurations and the annual White House Christmas party. The choir spent 12 days in concert for the pope in Rome, Milan and Florence in Italy. The 65-voice choir is more of a community outreach program for boys enrolled in schools throughout and around Tallahassee. There is a heavy focus on academics and social skills while using performance to encourage success for young boys living in low- to moderate-income households. The choir takes all comers with a caveat: They must follow some simple rules, which include two hours of study hall, followed by choir practice three days a week. It’s a given that they must maintain good grades and stay out of trouble at school and at home. Striving for excellence Lee strives to help the boys develop a sense of pride, poise and self-confidence through performance and education. Not only are they expected to sing well, stand tall and take pride in their appearance, they are taught to work hard, respect themselves and others, and strive to be role models in their community. For Lee, having boys to sing with the choir is secondary to helping them succeed in life. “Our biggest goal is academic excellence,” Lee said. “All of them (who finish the program) have gone on to college or entered the military. I’m more proud of our armed service guys. I took care of them and now they are taking care of me.” In his first year as a member, Orian Ellis said the Boys Choir has taught him lesson of the three D's: discipline, dedication and determination. It’s an added bonus to travel the world and eat free, he said. “Mr. Lee was trying to get me to sing for a long time, so when sports was over I gave it shot,” said Orian, a 12-year-old seventh-grader. “It makes me feel important, and what a blessing and opportunity to be in this choir.” Donna Curry saw the group last year in Pensacola. She gives high marks to the choir director for his commitment to excellence and his emphasis on academics and achievement. “I’m impressed by the commitment to study and rehearsals and the exposure they get by travelling to different places and meeting different people,” said Curry, principal of Dixon Christian School of the Arts in Pensacola. “To know that what they do is valued and appreciated is just as important, if not more, than the performances.” Fulfilling a promise The Boys Choir inauspiciously began at a correctional facility in Columbia, S.C., Lee’s hometown. With a degree in music, the Florida State University graduate put together a group that sang the spiritual “Soon It Will Be Done” during a Black History Month program. An FSU dean fell in love with Lee’s work and envisioned an outreach program for young boys in the state's capital. She flew Lee to Tallahassee to talk about starting a choir to give youngsters in the low-income southside of the city something positive to do besides sports. Lee wasn’t keen on the idea until FSU discovered his weakness: a passion for Seminole football. They snagged Lee some tickets to a football game in the President’s Box and introduced him to then-coach Bobby Bowden. “That’s all it took,” Lee said, laughing. “But I also knew those boys on that part of town needed direction and an outlet besides sports.” Lee showed up in Tallahassee in in August 1995 to start a chorus with no one to sing. “They said it was my job to recruit them,” he said. He put up posters, visited churches and hit the streets to the spread the word that he needed a few good young men willing and able to sing. But also committed to studying and staying in school. He started with 25 boys and made a bold promise to give them a chance to travel and see the world. He also told them that they could quit if their lives hadn’t improved academically and socially by the end of the year. By most measures, Lee has fulfilled his promise. The Boys Choir of Tallahassee has performed in cities, big and small, around the world. The choir has won numerous national awards and performed for three presidents and a pope. For Woodson, the choir has met his highest expectations. As much as he will miss performing and traveling, he’ll miss most the camaraderie and fellowship he developed with choir members. “It is very bittersweet because basically I spent my whole life with the choir,” Woodson said. “The fun times I had and all the time we spent with Mr. Lee, the great trips we took, and the brotherhood we established can never be replaced."

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Boys Choir prepares young men for adulthood

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