Boys Choir of Harlem
| Company type | Non-profit organization |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, education |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Dr. Walter Turnbull |
| Defunct | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Harlem, New York City , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, United Kingdom |
| Products | Choral performances, music education |
The Boys Choir of Harlem—also referred to as the Harlem Boys Choir—was a choir originating from Harlem, New York City, United States. Its final concert took place in 2007 before the organization disbanded amid financial difficulties and the passing of its founder.
Early years
Established in 1968 by Dr. Walter Turnbull at the Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church located in Harlem, the choir expanded its mission to encompass educational initiatives alongside performances. Predominantly made up of African-American and Hispanic youth from urban neighborhoods, the group initially received backing from Rev. Frederick B. Williams of the Church of the Intercession.
The choir founded the Choir Academy of Harlem, a specialized school offering a comprehensive academic program overseen by the New York City Department of Education. At its height, the academy served more than 500 students; however, it lost its school facility in 2006 due to issues related to staff misconduct.
Performances
Providing intensive vocal instruction spanning classical, hip-hop, R&B, jazz, and gospel styles, the choir attracted audiences exceeding 150,000 annually across countries including the United States, Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Unlike choirs such as the Vienna Boys Choir, it featured both young boy sopranos and older boys performing tenor and bass parts.
Their engagements included performances for U.S. Presidents at the White House, officials at the United Nations, and notable international leaders like Nelson Mandela and Pope John Paul II. The choir contributed vocals to movie soundtracks such as Glory and Malcolm X, along with several films directed by Spike Lee. They appeared on rapper Kanye West’s track "Two Words" and collaborated with prominent artists including Michael Jackson, Luciano Pavarotti, and Quincy Jones. Their repertoire also included performing "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania XX and recording "Christmas Time Uptown" with Alvin and the Chipmunks for A Very Merry Chipmunk.
In addition, the choir provided vocals for WNBC Channel 4’s "We're 4 New York" campaign jingles during 1992 and again in 2002.
Following the events of 9/11 attacks, they performed "God Bless America" at a memorial service for Cantor Fitzgerald held in Central Park, an event documented in In Memoriam: New York City 9/11/01. They also appeared alongside Odetta on Late Show with David Letterman shortly after 9/11 and delivered "We Shall Overcome" during the Prayer for America memorial at Yankee Stadium together with the Girls Choir of Harlem.
In 1995, members took part as Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True at Lincoln Center—a benefit for the Children's Defense Fund—which was televised on TBS and TNT and later released on CD and video formats in 1996. The choir additionally collaborated with R&B artist Joe on the song "Ghetto Child."
Musicians
Throughout its history, the Boys Choir of Harlem featured highly skilled Piano Accompanists capable of performing across diverse genres such as Classical, Gospel, Jazz, and Pop. The touring ensemble included a "Jazz Band" composed of drummer, bassist, guitarist, and keyboardist members; Principal Piano Accompanists often doubled on keyboards as well. The Girls Choir maintained its own Piano Accompanist. Distinguished musicians who toured with the choir encompassed Eric Reed, Keith Burton, Willard Dyson, Isaac ben Ayala, Darryl Smith, Aleeza Meir, Joseph Joubert, Doug Jordan, Harry Miller, Glenn Pearson, Robin Pitre among others.
Controversy
For many years, the choir benefited from sponsorship by the City of New York; former Mayor David Dinkins granted them complimentary access to the Arthur Schomburg School located on East 127th Street in Harlem. Nevertheless, this support was withdrawn after incidents involving financial mismanagement and accusations of abuse came to light.
The absence of adequate financial oversight resulted in a deficit amounting to $5 million. In 2001, a 14-year-old member disclosed to founder Walter Turnbull that chief counselor Frank Jones Jr. had been sexually abusing him over an extended period. Turnbull neither alerted law enforcement nor conducted an inquiry. It later became known that Turnbull and his brother Horace, who served as the choir's executive vice president, permitted Jones to maintain interactions with students despite city-imposed prohibitions. Jones even supervised several overnight excursions. Horace Turnbull referred to excluding Jones as "a hardship," emphasizing that he was "an integral part" of the organization.
The allegations became public when the student's mother reported the abuse to authorities. Following this, Jones was apprehended and received a two-year sentence for third-degree sexual abuse and child endangerment charges. The city's education department advised terminating relations with the academy if the Turnbull brothers continued their involvement. Consequently, the Department of Education evicted the choir from the rent-free, city-owned school facility they had occupied since 1993. The choir subsequently moved its base to the Metropolitan Community Methodist Church.
Walter Turnbull passed away at age 62 on March 23, 2007, due to a stroke.
In 2009, former member Terrance Wright declared at the Metropolitan Community Methodist Church that the Choir had officially ceased operations.
Awards and honors
The Choir was honored with the National Medal of Arts in 1996, acknowledging its outstanding artistic achievements and significant cultural contributions.