Performer

Sister Cities GirlChoir Winter Concert Extravaganza, Saturday Dec. 10, 2016, at the the Theater of the Living Arts, in Philadelphia. (Sister Cities GirlChoir Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

Sister Cities Girlchoir: Sister Cities Girlchoir (SCG) celebrates seven seasons as the girl empowerment choral academy serving communities in Philadelphia, Camden, and Baltimore. SCG builds communities of music makers that empower girls to occupy their unique position in creating a better world. SCG is an El-Sistema-inspired organization that employs the power of collaboration, creativity, and community in service of children with access barriers to extensive music training.

In 2012, SCG was launched a summer pilot with a dozen singers, and now serves over 400 students. SCG has performed for audiences at Carnegie Hall, The Smithsonian Institute, The Kimmel Center, Citizens Bank Park, The Union League, National Constitution Center The Barnes Foundation, National Great Blacks in Wax Museum and throughout their local communities. The girls cherish their past performances with Opera Philadelphia, Temple University,The Philadelphia Singers, Westminster Choir College, El Sistema New Jersey, Greater South Jersey Chorus, and many local youth choirs.

Recent highlights include touring with The Philadelphia Orchestra, collaborating with MIT composer Tod Machover, performances with Temple University’s Women’s Choir, a performance tour to Montreal, and singing as concert opener for the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

Founder Alysia Lee was selected from an international pool of applicants as the first classical vocalist accepted as a Sistema Fellow at New England Conservatory. Rooted in access and excellence, SCG programming is provided to families at little to no cost.