The PS22 Chorus, directed by Gregg Breinberg, is a Webby Award-winning public elementary school chorus from PS 22 in Graniteville, Staten Island, New York City. It is composed of 60-70 fifth-graders. PS 22 is the largest elementary school in Staten Island. PS22 Chorus has performed with a multitude of musical acts (e.g. Katy Perry, O.A.R., Carrie Underwood, Portugal. The Man, and Fifth Harmony) and has had celebrated appearances on numerous national and international broadcasts throughout the years (including the widely publicized performance of "Over The Rainbow" that closed the 83rd Academy Awards), after its videos had gained worldwide attention within the popular video-sharing site YouTube. To date, the chorus's YouTube videos have been watched more than 100 million times.
History
Students are assigned to the chorus after an annual auditioning process at the beginning of each school year. The chorus meets twice a week during school hours to practice, and performs throughout the year at school functions, local events, and on special requests.
The PS22 chorus was founded in 2000 by the school's music teacher, Gregg Breinberg, who led his 2001-2002 PS 22 Chorus to live TV in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. He started blogging in September 2006 about the Chorus, following requests on a Tori Amos fan page, where he had shared some of his videos. Since then the chorus has become an Internet phenomenon. In 2009 New York magazine called it "the best-known elementary-school chorus on the planet". The director Gregg Breinberg won a Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award in 2017.
Performance highlights
Chorus of 2006/2007
The chorus performs for singer-songwriter Tori Amos at the Sony Atrium in New York City. (May 4, 2007) Celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton starts blogging about the PS22 chorus and becomes an influential supporter.
Chorus of 2007/2008
Neil Finn, lead singer of the New Zealand band Crowded House invites the chorus to sing at the band's sold-out concert in New York. (April 30, 2008) Members of the PS22 chorus of 2007/2008 are featured in several videos of the 2009 television series The Electric Company
Chorus of 2008/2009
The electronic band Passion Pit invites the PS22 chorus to sing background vocals on three tracks ("The Reeling", "Little Secrets", "Let Your Love Grow Tall") of their debut album Manners. (2009-01-16) "The Reeling" is later nominated for an MTV Video Music Award as best breakthrough video. The chorus performs with country singer Cooper Boone at a DKMS charity Gala and meets Chelsea Clinton and R&B singer Rihanna. (May 7, 2009) Nightline features an in-depth look at the PS22 Chorus. (June 10, 2009) Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) invites the chorus to sing for her at Madison Square Garden. (June 11, 2009) The chorus performs on Good Morning America (ABC) (June 22, 2009) The chorus appears on It's On with Alexa Chung (MTV). (August 3, 2009) The chorus is featured on the nationally televised VH1 Divas Special 2009 (September 17, 2009)
Chorus of 2009/2010
The newly formed chorus of 2009/2010 is visited by the cast (Naturi Naughton, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Kherington Payne, Asher Book) and director Kevin Tancharoen of the new 2009 movie Fame. The school is presented a $30,000 check for a new keyboard lab by VH1 Save The Music Foundation Executive Director Paul Cothran, and Director Of Music for New York City Department of Education Barbara Murray. (September 14, 2009) Billboard magazine invites the chorus to perform at an award ceremony for Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. (October 2, 2009) The chorus performs alongside the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland at the Cross Cultural Youth Festival held at The Armory, Washington Heights for 2500 children from all five boroughs of New York. The event is covered by Fox5 New York. (October 27, 2009) Paul Rieckhoff, founder of IAVA, invites the chorus to sing at the Third Annual Heroes Gala at Gotham Hall in New York, hosted by NBC's Brian Williams. (November 10, 2009) The chorus performs with rapper Common at the National Tree Lighting ceremony at the White House with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden attending. (December 3, 2009) During their "Songs From the Heart" tour, Celtic Woman visits PS22 and invites the chorus to join them on two songs at their Radio City Music Hall concert. (February 26, 2010) After hearing the chorus's interpretation of his song "One Day", Chasidic reggae artist Matisyahu visits PS22 and invites the chorus to perform two songs at his concert at New York City's 92nd Street Y. (March 16, 2010)