Detroit Youth Choir members talk Music Hall concert, NFL Draft experience and more

The Detroit Youth Choir remains busy after their recent performance at the NFL Draft and their docuseries on Disney Plus. 

Anthony T. White, lead choir director for the Detroit Youth Choir, and his two graduating students, Toni Larkin and Chauncey Bowers, highlight the experiences they’ve had while being part of DYC.

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After placing second on the hit NBC reality series America’s Got Talent in 2019, the Detroit Youth Choir was the subject of a six-episode docuseries called Choir streaming on Disney+. Choir chronicles the group’s experience leading up to their performance at the historic Carnegie Hall in New York.

Their journey continues on Sunday at the Music Hall in Detroit, which White defines as not only a performance, but a call-to-action rally.

“You can be anybody and be a part of the Detroit Youth Choir,” White told The Metro co-host Tia Graham. “We’re the underdog, out to prove what we can do.”

White and his students also had the opportunity to perform in Nairobi, Kenya — where the students were able to experience another culture. Larkin describes her experience performing in Kenya. 

“It was an eye opener. It really showed us what the world really is,” Larkin said. “Because when you stay in just your city, you really don’t understand how big the world is. And people caught your eye. It was really beautiful. We stayed out there for about a week, and we performed at least seven times.”

With the many accomplishments made by the Detroit Youth Choir, they are not only talented performers, but also demonstrate a 100% graduation rate. DYC sends their young students off with scholarships so they can continue their path to success. 

White encourages the community to support the Detroit Youth Choir by attending their performance at Music Hall on Sunday and invest in the future of the youth. 

More from The Metro for May 31, 2024:

• A report released by the Citizens Research Council of Michigan predicts local school districts could lose thousands of teaching positions due to a lack of funds. Since 2021, school districts have been receiving federal dollars through the Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund (ESSER) to address the impact of the pandemic.
• IndyCar drivers and teams are back in the Motor City this weekend for the Detroit Grand Prix. Driver Josef Newgarden won his second consecutive Indy 500 on Memorial Day weekend. Team owner Roger Penske tells WDET’s Quinn Klinefelter he’s excited about the new track in the heart of Detroit.
• Detroiters have a chance to see nature in a very unique place. Lisa Waud, a botanical artist working in Detroit, explores our connections with plants, flowers and the natural world. For the project, she’s brought a lush field of grass into a 16,000 square foot historic warehouse. It opens to the public Friday and runs through the weekend.
• It’s starting to heat up and classes are starting to wind down in metro Detroit. Linda Eastman, the Cleveland Libraries head librarian, is credited with developing one of the first summer reading programs in 1896. Ferndale Library marketing coordinator and host of MI Local, Jeff Milo, join The Metro to talk about the library’s summer reading program.