A Zoom interview with the Director of the Detroit Youth Choir. He talks about the upcoming Disney Plus series coming soon. Also spoke about upcoming information about The DYC.
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00:00Hey, look at you. I need to be like you, get my dude. That's what I'm talking about.
00:08How are you, Angie Star? I am great. That's great multitasking. That's what I'm talking about.
00:14You gotta do two or three things at the same time. That's how we do. That's how we do.
00:20All right, I gotta start off. Congratulations! Yay! Disney! What's wrong with Disney?
00:30Well, the Disney Plus experience is something new, something very new.
00:37You know, we're a youth choir, so what youth choir actually get a show on Disney Plus, you know?
00:46But we are working on a deal right now, and, you know, it's kind of under wraps, but it's supposed to be a six-episode...
00:56Oh, so we shouldn't be talking about this on radio?
00:58No, no, no. We can't. That's fine.
01:00Okay. Yep. A six-episode docu-series. The name of it is called Choir.
01:07Right.
01:07And also, they're going to do a scripted series with showrunner Anthony Sparks from Queen Sugar.
01:19Okay.
01:20Yep. So, we are very excited as an organization. And guess what?
01:26We just received a nomination for a Stella Award.
01:30Wow!
01:32I just found that out yesterday.
01:34Yay! Oh, my goodness.
01:37I just really found that out.
01:40Wow! Congratulations! It's just... It's flowing. But you guys work hard, and you deserve it.
01:46Thank you so much.
01:47Detroit strong. That's what I'm talking about.
01:49Okay. So, let's go back in time a little bit. You guys win America's Got Talent, correct?
01:56Yes. America's Got Talent.
01:58Two years ago.
01:59You were in the second place. John Steele won. Y'all won the hearts of Detroit, whatever.
02:03So, tell us just a little bit about that experience. After the fact, how has it impacted the kids?
02:11Well, of course, after America's Got Talent, the world kind of made a little shift because of COVID.
02:19Right.
02:20But I tell you, after the initial show, the kids were... We were on fire at that point.
02:28We were performing everywhere, doing everything around the city of Detroit, even performing in Las Vegas for a week.
02:38I saw that.
02:40Yes. We performed for Las Vegas for a solid week.
02:44And that was something big because I've never been to Las Vegas before.
02:49Okay.
02:50And when we came back to the city of Detroit, you're talking about a parade and everything, with the endowment and the key to the city.
03:01I mean, it was just phenomenal, and I really enjoyed that.
03:05Excellent. Excellent.
03:07So, okay, this new docuseries with Disney.
03:11Yeah.
03:11Have you guys started filming yet?
03:12Yes. We actually started a little less... We're actually over the COVID whole break, you know, between now and last March.
03:24We actually started a little bit of filming.
03:28We completed enough filming to have a small commercial.
03:34Really?
03:35Yes. It's called a sizzle reel.
03:37Sizzle reel. Right, right, right.
03:38Oh, you learned the terminology?
03:39Yeah, I'm trying to learn. I'm trying to learn, you know.
03:42I love it.
03:44But the sizzle reel is out, but I don't think they gave me permission to release it.
03:49Okay.
03:50But then they came back a few months ago to start shooting our auditions.
03:55Yep, and so they'll be back in the fall.
03:58No, actually, they're coming in June again.
04:03And after June, they're coming in September.
04:06And that's when everything is going to take off.
04:09Wow.
04:09Now, can you tell us a little bit about what we might see?
04:13Or you can't...
04:13Okay, go ahead.
04:14Okay, so what you're going to see on this docu-series is the process.
04:21Like, what makes the Detroit Youth Choir do what they do?
04:25They're going to see me doing crazy things, acting crazy, being a choir director.
04:33They're going to see some of our staff, some of our wonderful staff doing what they do.
04:39And also, they're going to see the kids be kids.
04:44They're going to see them enjoy music.
04:47They're going to see them enjoy the city of Detroit like they all do.
04:52And...
04:52Oh, yeah, I'm sorry.
04:56Yeah.
04:56Go ahead, multitasker.
04:59They're going to also see the young people, you know, just singing and enjoying life through music, pretty much.
05:08Oh, yes.
05:09You know, they just did a documentary, and I want to say for real, was in charge of it.
05:15And I want to...
05:16Yeah, and that was just...
05:18I watched it, I think, two times.
05:20Oh, wow.
05:20Because I just truly enjoy the art of a choir.
05:24Like, it's a technique.
05:25It's not something easy.
05:27You got to know what you're doing to put that together.
05:30You do.
05:31And the Detroit Youth Choir, it's a lot of elements involved.
05:35Right.
05:35You know, you have the parents.
05:37You have the kids, and you also...
05:40And all of that sometimes is a handful.
05:45And what Disney Plus is trying to really capture is what it takes to be the best youth choir in the state of Michigan.
05:53You know, we're a non-profit organization.
05:58So, put it out there now.
06:00We're always looking for grants.
06:02Okay.
06:03We're always in need of donations, even though we do have incoming funds.
06:09Yes, you do, because I want a job.
06:12Okay, come on in.
06:14Come on in.
06:14But we got radio into your filming, for real.
06:20I'm going to bring Mason, I promise.
06:22We'll come into a pep talk.
06:24I love...
06:25Mason actually introduced us a few times when we performed down at the Little Caesars Arena.
06:32Yeah.
06:33Yeah.
06:34Can I be Italian and talk to them?
06:36Yeah.
06:38Hey.
06:38I told you, I got you.
06:40Yeah.
06:41I told you.
06:42But we want to make this series not only for the youth choir, but for the city of Detroit.
06:49Yes.
06:51I want people to know that Detroit is not guns and violence and people on the street doing all types of stuff.
07:00You know, there will be some gems in this documentary series.
07:08So, that's why it means so much to us.
07:12Wow.
07:12And it means so much to us.
07:13Now that we're doing mornings now, our whole focus is local Detroit.
07:19I have waited for this moment.
07:21And I told you when we talked before.
07:23Yeah, yeah, yeah.
07:24You're at the top of my list.
07:26And as soon as I...
07:27Marcus, as soon as I got this opportunity, right?
07:29Yep.
07:29Yep.
07:30As soon as we got it.
07:31We got it right on.
07:32Okay.
07:32So, we'll shine together.
07:34All right?
07:35And anything that you need promoted, whatever, you got Marcus's number.
07:39Marcus, please give him my number and...
07:41I got you.
07:42We got you.
07:43All right?
07:44One thing, let me mention that we have three choirs now.
07:49Wow.
07:50The world actually knows that one group of 52 kids.
07:54Right.
07:55But we have to break everybody up into three separate choirs because of COVID, right?
08:00Right.
08:01Well, we have the...
08:03Well, the Limelight Choir is our youngest choir.
08:06They have a show coming up in May.
08:08And our center stage and primetime choirs will have a concert.
08:14Actually, we're doing Black on Broadway.
08:17It's called Black.
08:18We're doing that in June.
08:20Okay?
08:21It might be pre-recorded or whatever, but we're going to do that show.
08:25Okay.
08:26So, you know we're going to promote it.
08:28Both of them.
08:29So, you let us know.
08:30Okay?
08:31But I just...
08:31Before we go, because you're such a gift from God, and God does not, and I'm speaking from
08:36my heart right now, He does not just put anybody in charge of His babies like that.
08:41And to give you the national spotlight, I know we really like you.
08:45So, what is it like to be Anthony White right now?
08:50I mean...
08:50It's very busy for me.
08:53You know, I'm not only a choir director of 100-plus young people, I'm also a music instructor
09:02in Oak Park School District, and I do have the little face mask here.
09:09So, when I go to work in the morning, I wake up, I'm on Zoom for eight hours, and then I
09:17go to rehearsal for another five hours.
09:19So, that's how Mr. White relaxed.
09:24That's how I relaxed.
09:25Detroit Youth Choir is how I relaxed.
09:27Really?
09:28So, that's relaxation for you.
09:30That's relaxation.
09:31And it's a chance for me to be creative.
09:35Things that I can't do in the school, I can do with the Detroit Youth Choir.
09:40Have you always been in choirs?
09:42Well, you know, I started choir singing around age 11, 12.
09:49What church?
09:51It wasn't a church.
09:52It was actually...
09:53Okay, Greater Grace Church, right?
09:57They had...
09:58Oh, Schaefer or the new one?
09:59The Schaefer.
10:00The original.
10:01The original.
10:03I went to their elementary and middle school when I was in elementary and middle school.
10:09Is that your neighborhood?
10:11Huh?
10:11Yeah, that's my neighborhood.
10:12That's my neighborhood.
10:13I used to live off war.
10:15Really?
10:15Yeah, it ain't mine, y'all.
10:18Wow.
10:18I was like, you know that's my hood?
10:20I didn't know that was your hood.
10:21Wow.
10:22Okay, good.
10:24Well, I stayed on Schaefer and Seven Mile.
10:27Woo!
10:28Wee, wee!
10:29Yes!
10:31Woo!
10:32Right there.
10:33Okay.
10:33So, I actually went to that school, and I had a wonderful music teacher by the name
10:41of William Duncan, and Mr. Duncan actually taught me how to love music and how to appreciate
10:48music, and from then on, I kind of, I was inspired by the Boys Bar of Harlem, and from
10:55then, I went to Marigold College, got my music degree.
10:59Me too!
11:00But you put the Marigold?
11:00Oh!
11:01Yes!
11:04Well, we're, we're-
11:05I was a professor there.
11:06I don't know if you knew Mr. High.
11:07He did radiology there.
11:09That was my dad.
11:10Really?
11:11Yeah, but go ahead.
11:13Wow.
11:13So, look.
11:15Okay.
11:15You're a family now.
11:16So, um, I graduated from Marigold, and I just started working little ins and out odd jobs,
11:23and then I started directing, and it's, it's been a process, and now I can sit back and
11:29say that, um, being a part of the Detroit Youth Choir as a director has really changed
11:36my life, and it, it changed the lives of people around us.
11:39Wow.
11:40So, listen, I've got parents listening, watching this, because we're going to promote it, and
11:45they're going to watch it.
11:46Yeah.
11:47Donations.
11:47How could anybody, how can anybody in Detroit help you?
11:51How?
11:52How can they, they just want to help you because they know that you are such a gift to the city.
11:56How can they help you?
11:58Okay.
11:58First of all, I want everybody to go to their Instagram and Twitter and follow DYC on those
12:06platforms.
12:07It's at DYC official.
12:10Okay.
12:10Also, they can go to our website and, uh, donate.
12:15Uh, our website is DetroitYouthChoir.org, and, uh, there's a donate button, and guess what?
12:21It's our 25th year.
12:23Yep.
12:24This is our silver anniversary night.
12:27What better time to donate, right?
12:29That's right.
12:29So, uh, we're trying to, we're trying to raise $250,000 in 25 weeks.
12:35$250,000.
12:39Do you have a press release or anything on that?
12:41Oh, we can get, we can get whatever you need.
12:44We can get.
12:44Yeah, to Marcus.
12:45Because we want to do a post about this with this?
12:47Yeah.
12:47Okay.
12:48Yes.
12:48All right.
12:50Uh, my manager, Lavelle Nero, he'll, he'll get that together.
12:53Your manager?
12:54Yeah.
12:55This is good.
12:55I got to catch up.
12:57Look, we never had a manager, so I'm kind of, I'm kind of proud to say we got a manager.
13:02That's right.
13:04Yes.
13:04So.
13:04Okay.
13:05So, Anthony, Anthony, we family now.
13:10We, I'm talking about we family, a mile, right in the same.
13:15Wow.
13:16Okay.
13:17Look, come and visit us, and guess what?
13:19We are located on the campus of Marygrove College.
13:23Are you?
13:24I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
13:25Yeah.
13:26Yeah.
13:26Okay.
13:28Yeah.
13:28Yes, we are located on the campus of Marygrove College, um, inside of the Madam Cadillac building.
13:34You remember the old Madam.
13:35That's the way you're talking about.
13:36Okay.
13:37Okay.
13:38Yep, that's where we live.
13:40That's where we live.
13:41So, I got to ask, have you ever sung in the church, you know, where the big organ is in
13:45there?
13:46With the, you know where?
13:47Oh, yeah.
13:48What was that like?
13:50It was, it was amazing, because, you know, I was part of the Chamber Singers, uh, when
13:54Marygrove was in the college.
13:56And, and check this out.
13:57I actually started a choir on campus called Soulful Expressions.
14:03Okay.
14:04And we sung around.
14:05Now, we even went to, uh, Monroe, Michigan, to perform for the Nuns.
14:10Really?
14:11So, because you know the story.
14:12Yes.
14:13Yes.
14:13So, I, I have a little, I have a little lineage in, in the city of Detroit that a lot of people
14:19think I just came out the sky, right?
14:21But, I've been proud of you for a while.
14:24You've been here.
14:25Yeah.
14:25But we family now, so you, you in.
14:27So.
14:27Visit.
14:28Please come visit.
14:29I got you.
14:30I got you.
14:31You don't even know.
14:31You don't even know.
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