Paige Mathis would have no way of knowing when she joined Atlanta Young Singers as a child that she would spend much of her adult life there, too. An accomplished alto in her own right, Mathis has served as music director for almost 20 of the organization’s 42 years. She conducts the choir, which draws some 200 singers, grades 2 through 12, from across the metro area. She also plans the repertoire (including original commissioned pieces) and takes her singers on the road — and sometimes across the world. “The people who are really into it are part of a kind of tribe,” Mathis says. “People you can geek out with, people you would do anything for and who would do anything for you, and people who have this really great way of expressing themselves through music.”
Q: Who are Atlanta Young Singers?
A: We are comprised of 7 ensembles, from our Introduction to Music Making all the way up to a mixed Youth Chorale at the high school level, and we perform about 40 times a year. We pick new singers every year but a lot of our singers stay from year to year. I believe that singing is for everyone but when you are focused on artistry, not everybody is going to want to devote all of the time and the work that is going to take.
Q: What was it like when you joined as a child?
A: It was a little intimidating at first. To my 10-year-old brain, all of these kids seemed like they were so talented and rock stars. I was so drawn to the sound that it didn't take any time for me to get hooked. I started to realize that I could do something and be really the best at it at 10 years old.
Q: What kind of music do your singers sing?
A: The oldest kids in our choir will probably sing 80 pieces of music in a year. It is pretty incredible what they know. We have our classical canon — your Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms. Then there are things that we have that are on the cutting edge. Last year, we commissioned a piece from the composer Jonathan David who wrote a myth and fantasy piece about dragons. It is every bit as wild as you think it might be.
Q: Is there any genre that you won’t sing, like rap, for instance?
A: The short of it is that we are pretty adventurous and have done almost every genre you can think of. Not rap so much, but to be fair, I just haven't found anything really compelling that fits the forces we have. I wouldn't flat out say "no" to a whole genre, but some are more difficult to pull off with a choir than others.
Q: Do you ever worry about taking a bunch of kids on tour?
A: Usually the night before we leave, I'm like, "This is insane." When I was a kid, I was able to travel with the choir and those were the most important growth experiences of my life. The kids have an enormous sense of purpose — we may be the only Americans that someone in another country really gets to know. It is hard to be mad at someone you are singing with.
Q: Do you have a tour coming up?
A: This year, we are doing a lot of programming around peace and reconciliation. Our high school kids are going to South Africa this summer for the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's birth.
Q: Why do you continue to do what you do?
A: First, I am addicted to it — I can't not do it. On the more rational side, it is a sincere belief that our young people are capable of so much. They are capable of such a high level of sophistication and yet can be silly and that is totally cool. I am just really drawn to and in awe of them.
Atlanta Young Singers Holiday Concerts
Performances include the works of Franz Biebl, Benjamin Britten, Paul Caldwell and Sean Ivory.
8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15 and Saturday, Dec. 16
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 2855 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta
Tickets: Adults, $15; seniors, $12; students, $10. At the door, $20, $15.
Information: www.aysc.org
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