Allen Matthews will be the new Artistic Director for the Cache Children Choir, replacing Christopher Machado, who was appointed in 2023. With this new transition, Matthews hopes to continue the efforts Machado brought to the choirs.
“He's a wonderful music educator, he's passionate. That's one of the things I've noticed, as I've observed some of his rehearsals. He just brings a life and a zest to the experience,” Matthews said.
As Artistic Director, Matthews will take the role of administering all the choir groups and assisting the music teachers. Along with those roles, he will also direct the advanced choir in the organization called “Cantate.” This group is typically comprised of 6th - 9th graders.
“I'm really excited about the chance to join forces with the amazing team of gifted music educators. As people come together, they share their love of music, but then they have that opportunity to create, what hopefully is unbelievably beautiful, in terms of the music,” Matthews said.
A unique challenge Matthews is looking forward to is what style of music the children will sing. In children's choirs, you have the positions of soprano and alto, but no tenor and bass. While that can be challenging, Matthews says it also “opens a whole new world in music literature,” and will provide variety to the song choices.
“I know that I want it to be a wide variety of songs from Bach, to Beatles to beyond, a wide variety of styles,” Matthews said.
With five choirs total, averaging about 30 to 40 children in each, Matthews is looking forward to seeing what opportunities come for the children.
“And the kids have just an amazing musical experience and more than musical experience, an amazing life experience, in which they're just immersed in a positive, friendly environment, with other great singers and kids that just love music and want to make it.”
