UNITING VOICES CHICAGO was founded in 1956 by Rev. Christopher Moore as the Children’s Chorus of the First Unitarian Church of Chicago in direct response to the Civil Rights Movement. Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) is rooted in the belief that music is a vehicle for fostering empathy and respect between young people of all races, ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, religions, gender identities, and sexual orientations. Since its founding, the organization has grown from a single choir into a vast network of school and after-school programs that serve thousands of students every year. Uniting Voices Chicago offers a performance-based learning experience built around innovative creative partnerships and compelling artistic endeavors—from regular appearances at Lyric Opera and Ravinia Festival to one-of-a-kind features on major recording projects like Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book (2016) and The Big Day (2019). For 70 years, it has developed programs that embrace the racial and economic diversity of Chicago, making a high-caliber musical education available to any singer who wants it.
Bio as of 10/2026