Our Alumni Plus group is open to any alumnus from the Grand Rapids Youth Chorus and any current parent of a chorister! This group performs annually in our holiday concert and will be invited to perform on our Youth Chorus March concert (2026).

If you would like to be added to our keep in contact list, reach out to us here!

Alumni testimonies

Lana Gouin Hart

I loved being in GRYC because of the commitment to artistry and musicianship of the group. Everyone really cares not just about making the music technically correct, but putting the feel and emotion that is deserved to be had by the music performed. I learned so much from my time at GRYC. To Mrs. Schoon in PC and JYC I attribute all of my diction skills. Every time I get a compliment on my diction I tell people about Mrs. Schoon and how my diction would be nothing without her. To Mrs. Ivory in YC and Mandala, I attribute all of my technical skills. She is a fantastic coach of rhythm and technicalities. To Mr. Ivory I attribute my true love and passion for music. Every song that he writes makes me understand what it is to be a true musician and love the music you produce. I am forever inspired by all of these fantastic musicians, composers, and mentors. 

I was in GRYC for a total of 12 years from first grade to my senior year. I started out as an incredibly nervous kid who wasn’t at all confident about her skills as a musician. I now attend Willamette University where I have a music scholarship, am in the top choir, and intend to major in music. I dreamed of being in Mandala when I was in PC and JYC but never thought that I would be good enough to be part of such a special group of singers. Mr. and Mrs. Ivory both believed in me and encouraged me to try out for the group. I was then in Mandala from 7th-12th grade and felt myself grow astronomically as a musician. Both being a part of Mandala and Youth Chorus helped me realize my love for classical music. Both groups are also just so much fun to be a part of and we did not only classical music, but music from a lot of different genres that was really cool to experiment with as a choir.

I went on two trips with YC. The first was Iceland in 2019 and the second was Ireland in 2023. I was really lucky to be a part of trips both my freshman and senior years, which was a really great way to close out my time with GRYC. These trips also had a huge impact on my life. I wrote my college essay about an experience I had at a retirement home in northern Iceland. There was a moment when we sang Bridge over troubled water to the community when I truly realized the power of music. 

I absolutely love this choir from the singers to the directors and staff and I would encourage anyone to be part of such a great community and group of musicians. 

Makeda Sanders

I loved being in GRYC because I was able to learn more about music and create it with my best friends. It gave me a place to reflect and express myself that others could appreciate. Everyone came from different backgrounds, but we all had the same passions, and could really learn from all ages.

I started in 6th grade and knew I wanted to stay through my senior year when I found out the opportunities available to me with travel, performances, and the reputation the program held. When we went on the trip to Iowa, I really knew this was my family. Staying in an assisted living home with my friends, I knew that I was giving back to the community by singing for them, especially after we combined with another choir. If it wasn’t for GRYC, I never would have been able to experience what I did over the years, let alone share the craziness with others on the same journey as me. After making new friends, I really knew it was the place for me during Holiday Pops one year. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ivory weren’t there, so some of the older kids stepped up and took over. Before our performance started, I breathed and my dress ripped right down the chest. I was supposed to be in the front row, so I freaked out over it. Luckily, one of the other older students there stepped right up and gave me his black undershirt so I could perform. If it had been any other group, I don’t know if anyone would be mature enough to properly handle so many challenges presented at once. This choir family has meant everything to me, and college makes me long to be back to what I once had.

I always loved music, particularly singing, but I never had the opportunity to share that passion publicly until I joined GRYC. From day 1, I met so many talented people, and the best part was growing up with them over so many years. My appreciation for music has significantly grown, but I always connect songs to something I associated with my time in choir.

As I briefly mentioned, I traveled with GRYC a few times, including Iowa, Iceland, and Ireland. My biggest regret was not going to Carnegie Hall, but I’m so glad I was able to do so many other adventures instead. Ireland was definitely the trip I will remember the most, as it was the summer after my senior year. For me, it was an opportunity to travel with all of my friends, particularly the upperclassmen who had been with me since early on in this group. We were all close before it, but it definitely solidified our connections, while allowing us to really leave our mark and reflect on our time in choir. While it was so sad to see it all come to an end, I couldn’t have asked for a better group and trip to really finalize my time as a GRYC chorister, and eventual alumni.

If someone was questioning if they should join this choir, I would tell them yes, 110%!! While rehearsals may sometimes feel like they never end, especially in the younger years, when you realize it’s your last year ever being able to come to them once a week, you wish you could go back in time and appreciate those moments for what they really were. My biggest transition in college has been seeing what everyone is accomplishing and knowing I wasn’t there through any of it, but coming home and surprising everyone during performances has become an even bigger reward. I love this choir, and it forever changed my life for the better.

Emily Hurd

Being in GRYC was definitely the highlight of my high school years. Singing in a group, led by the Ivorys, is something that has meant so much to me and I loved every second of it. I learned so much during my short two years that were not only about singing itself but also about musicianship. I will always look back on those two years with the best of memories and honestly the proudest moments of my life.