Suburban youths sing at CSO's 'Home Alone' concerts

For the second time in three years, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra offered a "Home Alone" concert, featuring its members playing John Williams' score right along with the classic movie that starred Macaulay Culkin.

This so-called "live to picture" concert debuted in 2015 to mark the 25th anniversary of the classic film. When conductor Richard Kaufman brought it back this year, it drew three sold-out shows at Chicago's Symphony Center.

Yet it was a first for the choral members who sang the movie's Christmas carols during the concert, including members of the Anima Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus and Barrington High School choir members.

"We were absolutely blown away when we walked out," said Dillon Davey of Barrington, a senior in the Chamber Choir, "to be on that stage in Symphony Hall, and with the CSO, in front of all those people. It was the biggest performance of our lives."

The Barrington teens were asked to fill in with the young Anima singers to boost the tenor and bass parts of the songs. It turns out there was a connection between the two choral groups: Brandon Pemberton, who serves as choral director at Barrington High School, also is assistant music director of the Anima Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus.

Emily Ellsworth, now in her 21st year as artistic director of the Anima Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus, asked if Pemberton could provide some tenor and bass voices for the performance.

"We were thrilled to collaborate," Pemberton says. "It was an incredible opportunity for them."

The Anima singers have collaborated with the CSO for more than 50 years, Ellsworth says, since their founding by a former member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus.

"We're on their radar and have worked in dozens and dozens of projects," Ellsworth adds. "This one was lots of fun, and a total honor to sing with a world class symphony."

The opportunity took some work to create, members of both choirs say.

"It was a bit of a whirlwind with all of our rehearsals," said Liam Boyle of Barrington, another senior member of the Chamber Choir. "We probably rehearsed five to six times before combining twice with the Anima Singers in Glen Ellyn."

He adds that they had only one practice with Kaufman and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra members, who saw their music for the first time that day.

"That's when we realized what it was like to be a professional ensemble like that," Davey said. "They walked in blind for something we had rehearsed for weeks."

Kaufman, in an interview on the CSO site, said John Williams' score in "Home Alone" played a "crucial part in its success."

"Williams' music captures and helps to create the fun, excitement, nostalgia and beauty of this joyous motion picture," Kaufman said.

The Barrington teens said that although they had seen the movie as children, singing along with it - and the CSO - gave them a new appreciation for this holiday masterpiece.

"As members of the Chamber Choir, we hold ourselves to a higher standard," Boyle said, "but performing with an ensemble as talented as the CSO even brought us further."

Davey simply put it this way: "It prompted us to up our game."

Brigid Tileston is the director of fine, visual and performing arts at Barrington High School. Now that the CSO gig is a wrap, the school is preparing to send its marching band to play in the New Year's Day parade in London.

"The arts are a powerful vehicle for community outreach," Tileston says, "as well as a means to provide our Barrington students with valuable cultural experiences outside of our school walls."