This weekend more than 180 choir members will take the stage for the 25th anniversary celebration of the Alabama Choir School.

The Alabama Choir School is a community-based music education program for children in the West Alabama area from public and private schools, as well as home school. It includes seven different choirs, ranging from first to twelfth grade.

All six performance choirs and the teaching choir will perform this weekend under the direction of Karen Nicolosi and Doff Procter.

The Alabama Choir School’s 25th Anniversary Celebration concerts are Friday, April 30, and Saturday May 1 at 7 p.m. at the Moody Concert Hall. Tickets are $10 for all ages. Alabama Choir School alumni are welcome to come on stage during Saturday’s performance and sing the final song with the choir.

The choir began under Nicolosi’s direction in 1985 with only 17 boys.  It has expanded from one small, all-boy choir to six performing choirs and one teaching choir. “[We] never had any clue it would last this long or take on a life of itself,” said Frieda Jacobs, executive director of the Alabama Choir School.

Twenty-five years later, the choir has developed an impressive repertoire.  The program is divided into boys’ and girls’ residential and touring choirs. Touring is a prestigious aspect of the program.

“Performance is a very important part of what we do,” Jacobs said. “We try to provide opportunities in some of the best places in the world.”

The tours have ranged all over the globe, from the White House to countries across Europe. Festivals and cathedrals across the world have housed performances by the Alabama Choir School.

Despite the young age of the members in the Alabama Children’s Choir, they will showcase their talent and musical maturity at the performance.

“Our philosophy in teaching is to help these children to excel in what they do,” Jacobs said. “We choose our music from the finest collection, we sing in many different languages and we try to expose children to cultures all over the world.”