Philadelphia Boys Choir Heading to Cuba

The bestselling Philadelphia Boys Choir, which in the past has performed for the Pope and for the Queen of England, is again hitting the road… this time heading to Cuba. The Choir is known as an integral part of the holiday season in the City of Brotherly Love, performing regularly on CBS3 each Christmas morning. The Choir’s performances have regularly sold out, in a testament to their popularity.

The Philadelphia Boys Choir will perform for residents and government officials in Cuba at the beginning of January.

Composed of boys, teenagers, and grown men, the Philadelphia Boys Choir has gathered acclaim far and wide for their talent. They will perform their last show of the year on Sunday in Haddon Heights, in advance of their trip to Cuba in January. This won’t be the boys’ first trip to the island. The Choir also performed in Cuba in 1999 and 2003 as well.

The Choir’s director, Jeffery R. Smith, says that the trip to Cuba (which will take place January 8th – 14th) is timely from a political standpoint. “This year, with everything that was going on with President Obama, mending fences if you will, and re-establishing a connection with the governments, if you will, I said this is the perfect opportunity for us to go back,” Smith said. The year 2016 marks a thaw in diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba for the first time since the Cold War.

The Choir will sing for Cuban residents, as well as members of the government. The trip is bigger than just singing, says Smith. “Besides the musical education they are getting, they are really getting a great cultural experience. We will probably be visiting a school or two, and we are also planning on visiting a children’s hospital.”

The Cuban trip will come after several crazy months of performing. Smith admits that the season is full of “hustle and bustle,” but says that the Choir members enjoy it. He says that the hectic schedule is fun.