New Amsterdam Boys & Girls Choir  

The purpose of the New Amsterdam Boys & Girls Choir (NABGC) is to enrich the lives of children in the East Harlem community, using choral singing as a catalyst. Discipline, respect and academic success are expected as well as working harmoniously toward common goals. History: The New Amsterdam Boys and Girls Choir was established in 1986 as the New Amsterdam Boys Choir. In 2008, it broadened its mission to serve girls. The choir annually gives 10 – 15 local performances. The venues for concerts away from New York City have been Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, Nebraska and Canada. The boys choir also made three trips to Germany.

The program is directed by James Backmon, a longtime resident of East Harlem, who attended local public schools. He attended Queens College’s Aaron Copland School of Music. He has worked with a number of choirs in the NYC area including the Boys Choir of Harlem, New York Boys Choir, Rainbow Voices and the NYC Street Singers.