Winston-Salem Choral Academy, (WSCA), formerly the Winston-Salem Girls Chorus, is a community organization for auditioned young singers from Winston-Salem and surrounding areas. Founded in 1999, and a partner with the Music & Arts Ministries of Centenary United Methodist Church, WSCA’s mission is to offer a joyful and empowering experience for children and youth through vocal music education and artistic excellence in choral music performance. The chorus serves girl singers from Kindergarten - 12th grades, and a new chorus for 3rd - 6th grade boys, directed by Anne Saxon, Suzanne Maggs, Emily AsKew, and Brandon Wimbish.
Past performances include the Winston-Salem Symphony, Piedmont Opera Company, Duke Chapel, NC American Choral Director’s Association Conference, NC Music Educators Association Conference, Bel Canto Chorus, and Kindermusik® International’s Curriculum recordings. The chorus has toured extensively in the United States and abroad, having participated in festivals with such noted conductors as Sir David Willcocks, Henry Leck, Emily Ellsworth, Rollo Dilworth, Bob Chilcott, & Francisco Núñez.
Annual highlights include the Piedmont Invitational Children’s Choir Festival (PICCF) and “Summer Sing”, a day-camp for young singers each August. In 2010 the Amani Invitational Children’s Choir Festival was created, which is a bi-annual event to support the Amani Children’s Foundation, based in Winston-Salem. Amani's theme song, “Beyond Borders”, was composed by Tom Shelton, and is published by Santa Barbara Publishing.
