Dear NHACDA Childrens' Choir Directors,

My name is John Robinson, and I am the Director of Music at St. Paul's Church, Harvard Square, which is home to the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School. I write to ask for your help, as experts in young people's choral music.

On Saturday the 24th of March, 2012, St. Paul's Church is to act as host for the Pueri Cantores New England Festival. As I'm sure you know, Pueri Cantores is an international Catholic choral organization which promotes the participation of school-aged singers in liturgical music; it is most gratifying that they have chosen to bring the New England festival to St. Paul's. The 24th of March will be an exciting chance for young people to meet other singers, to make like-minded friends, and to sing an wide array of choral repertoire with (we hope!) so large a group of singers that they are unlikely to have such an impressive opportunity often. I attach a brochure in PDF format so that you can see the day's schedule.

Pueri Cantores hope that every choir for young people in the Archdioceses of Boston and Hartford, and the Dioceses of Burlington, Fall River, Manchester, Portland, Springfield and Worcester shall have the opportunity to bring a deputation. The church can accommodate 1000 young people, and we are hoping to encourage a large number of attendees. As a boy, I was a chorister at Hereford Cathedral in England. I remember with great fondness the opportunities I had to sing in large choirs, such as at the Three Choirs Festival, meeting other young musicians and exploring large-scale repertoire; as I'm sure you know, having dedicated your lives to facilitating young people in music-making, it is opportunities such as these that instill a lifelong love of choral music in young people.

We wondered whether you would consider bringing your ensembles to this event, and whether you would help us by promoting the festival amongst conductors and ensembles in your chapters? We would be very grateful if you could spread the news by word-of-mouth, and also by forwarding our leaflet to your contacts; please feel free to replicate any words of enthusiasm from this email that you deem fit! If you have any contact with schools in your areas, we would be very glad if you could make them aware of this fine opportunity. Also, although Pueri Cantores is a Catholic organization (and a festival Mass will be celebrated on the day), please feel actively encouraged to bring secular choirs, or groups not from this tradition; fine choral music is a universal concern! If you could think of any other avenues of promotion for this exciting event, we would be very grateful indeed for your help and suggestions.