Paula K5 days agoFrom
YMC is an impressive organization, even during normal times. Betsy is a skilled and empathetic educator who brings out the best in the devoted young musicians she works with, teaching to a wide variety of musical skill levels and experience, and providing a fun, engaging activity. However, even the most dedicated choral director with a devoted company of students might understandably find the current COVID social distancing protocols daunting. And yet, both she and her many avid pupils have managed to not only continue, but to shine, in an environment many adult musicians have had difficulty accommodating. Distance rehearsals culminated in a stellar virtual performance today! It was encouraging on many levels to see the effort everyone put into a beautiful final show for the semester. My daughter will be signing on for the next semester, and for many to come. Thank you, YMC - so happy to have found you.
Max Christoff5 days agoFrom
The Young Musicians Chorus has been a wonderful experience for my daughter (and I hope her younger brother will join soon!). Betsy keeps the children engaged, laughing, and performing to higher standards than I would have thought possible at this age. When Covid-19 hit, Betsy adapted her methods quickly and became one of the first to figure out how to adapt. Her love of the music and kids shines throughout. One note: This chorus focuses on actual vocal/ensemble singing technique (as opposed to, say, spending a lot of time on abstract musical theory). There is no homework at the younger levels, other than occasionally singing along at home or in the car to help practice and remember the songs. For our family this works perfectly since my daughter gets plenty of theory from piano lessons, and I wasn't looking to over-schedule our already busy lives. In conclusion, if your primary focus is for your child to learn how to sing beautifully AND have fun doing so in a supportive environment, I simply have not come across a better teacher (and I say this having had many chorus teachers of my own over the years).
Ellen Rigsby5 days agoFrom
Our high-school first-year daughter has been singing with Young Musician's Chorus director Betsy Marvit since kindergarten. Betsy recently moved the group to St. Albans in Albany, and renamed it the Young Musician's Chorus, but this group has been together and singing for many years. We stumbled on to YMC when they practiced at The Crowden School, and signed our daughter up because she thought she might like singing. Flash forward 14 years, and she is in the highest-age group, where she practices sight-singing and sometimes plays her flute as an accompanist. Betsy is excellent with young children, and is the perfect combination of silly and serious. But she also keeps the attention of the tweens and teens. Given the genuine fun Betsy's students have, and the fact that they only practice once a week, the wonder is how excellent every level of her chorus sounds. The time commitment, an hour and half on Saturdays, is not very large, but every group sounds amazing. Betsy inspires our daughter to practice on her own, and that is one of the unexpected gifts of her membership in the YMC. I can't recommend Betsy as a choral teacher enough. This spring when covid hit, I couldn't imagine it being worth meeting online, but even there, Betsy has provided a space of learning and growth, but also of community and respite.
Main location1501 Washington Ave Berkeley California 94706 US
