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Ritz
Voices all-city youth chorus is a program of the Ritz Theatre & LaVilla
Museum. Founded by Artistic Director Deborah McDuffie in the fall of
2000, the award-winning group is funded by Citibank, with additional
support from local Jacksonville McDonald's restaurants.
Every August the most talented young vocalists ages 10-21 audition
for a spot in the prestigious group that has performed with celebrities
Barry Manilow, Peabo Bryson, Oleta Adams and Gerald Alston.
At the star-studded 2003 New York City tribute to Grammy Award
winning singer/songwriters Ashford & Simpson, Ritz Voices shared the
stage with Bill Cosby, Freddie Jackson and Dionne Warwick. Just 3 weeks
later the group walked away with 1st place "Out of Town" honors
(Adult category) at New York City's annual McDonald's Gospelfest.
When Wayne Weaver, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, hosted
the NFL owner's annual meeting on the flight deck of the USS John
F. Kennedy, it was Ritz Voices he tapped to entertain the group. The young
people received accolades for their mesmerizing performance of patriotic
tunes.
When Carnival Cruise Line christened the Miracle, it's newest ship,
it was Ritz Voices who sang the National Anthems of the United States and
Finland, as well as the Carnival Cruise Line theme song.
Ritz Voices represents the city of Jacksonville at many events,
including the annual Martin Luther King Breakfast, the Mayor's Holiday
Party at City Hall and Jax Day at the State Capitol in Tallahassee. The
group was a featured performer at many Super Bowl XXXIX events throughout
the city.
While the program's emphasis is the American musical art forms, the
group has an extensive repertoire that includes classical music, patriotic
music and music of other cultures.
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