From 1998 - Today
Mission
Central Dakota Children’s Choir’s mission is to provide a unique choral education and experience to the children of central North Dakota, to enrich the artistic community, and to serve as ambassadors for our state through music and education.
Vision
Central Dakota Children’s Choir has been formed to inspire children to a lifelong love of singing through the performance of fine choral music.
History
Central Dakota Children’s Choir is the result of a project that Karen Traeholt submitted for the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Bismarck-Mandan program. To meet the criteria of the proposal for the project, music teachers were surveyed, community music supporters met, and information about other children’s choirs was assessed. Once it was determined that a children’s choir was a viable possibility for the community, a timetable was set up to make Karen’s dream a reality.
At this time, a partnership with Bismarck-Mandan Junior Service League (JSL) was developed. JSL, a women’s organization of all ages committed to promoting voluntarism and improving the community through effective action and leadership of trained volunteers, adopted CDCC as their project. JSL’s financial assistance, as well as use of their volunteers, made the continued growth of this organization possible.
During the summer of 1998, a board of directors was established, the founding director, Teri Fay, was hired, and articles of incorporation were registered as a North Dakota non-profit corporation. The name, Central Dakota Children’s Choir, was selected to reflect our regional membership. In 2001, Karen Traeholt was hired as executive director and Teri Fay was hired as Artistic Director.
Due to the great success of the choir during its first three years, the organization expanded to three choirs for the 2001 – 2002 season to include grades 3 – 9. The fall of 2004 saw the addition of our 4th choir, Cantus, for high school students, and in 2005, CDCC added an additional high school treble choir – Angelica. In January 2011, CDCC introduced “Singing for Second Graders” as an introduction to the fundamentals of music. The organization continued to grow and in the fall of 2011 a new 4th – 6th grade choir, Cantabile, was established in Dickinson, ND. In 2015, after working under the umbrella of CDCC for 4 years, Cantabile became an independent choir serving children in Dickinson and the surrounding areas.
The choirs of Central Dakota Children’s Choir are recognized regionally for their quality and have been invited, by audition, to perform at state and regional events. CDCC performs 30 to 40 times each year and is available for special events. They sing annually for 12,000 to 15,000 people.
It is the goal of CDCC to maintain a steady planned growth as it evolves into a strong organization which provides a nurturing environment where children aspire to their highest level of musical artistry and personal development.
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Office
921 South 9th Street, Suite 115
Bismarck, ND 58504
Hours
Mon-Thurs: 10:00am-3:00pm
Fri-Sun: Closed
Summer office hours may vary. Please call to check availability.
Call Us
(701) 258-6516
Email Us
Central Dakota Children’s Choir is supported in part by a grant from the North Dakota Council on the Arts, which receives funding from the state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Central Dakota Children’s Choir is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
EIN# 45-0450870