history

Twenty years ago in June of 1989, two members of the Lincoln School Arts Committee, Jody Simpson and Sally Smith, met for lunch to brainstorm about ways to enhance the arts programs at the school. At that meeting, PALS was both named and conceived. “PALS” stood for “Performing Arts at Lincoln School”. The concept was to extend the school day with a performing arts program that trained children to sing and act. An hour of each discipline twice a week would lead to a musical theater production at the end of the year. High standards of excellence, annual auditions for new and returning members and affordable tuition with scholarships as needed were central to PALS’ design.  On July 1, incoming principal Barbara Shea enthusiastically approved the committee’s proposal during an evening meeting at the end of her first day at Lincoln School.

That fall, sixteen children joined PALS, taught by parents Nat Warren-White (acting) and Jody Hill Simpson (singing). The first performance was at the Coolidge Corner Theater, singing at a benefit to raise funds for a new Lincoln School (“Bricklayers’ Bash”). The first musical was aptly called “In the Beginning” by Newton composer Aline Shader (1936-2002). The words “celebrate…life...love…joy...excellence…children” encircled the border of the program, and from that emotionally charged launching, PALS never looked back.

Early and memorable performances included the annual MSPCC benefit at the Copley Plaza, singing to vice-principal Treva Kranz  while in the hospital, and the premiere of the musical ‘BUS by Brookline composer Tony Schemmer.

Over the next few years the PALS staff was joined by three people who had major impacts on PALS’ remarkable trajectory:  Nancy Walker, executive director, Bret Silverman, associate music director and Sheila Stasack, drama director. PALS soon expanded to include students from schools all over Brookline and beyond.

Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony discovered PALS in 1996 (The Vietnam Oratorio by Eliot Goldenthal) and their relationship has continued over the years. PALS children have taken countless bows at Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, Tanglewood and the Kennedy Center under the batons of Ozawa, Levine, Fruhbeck de Burgos, Conlon, Robertson, Davis, Haitink, and Janowski. After September 11th, PALS appeared in a special televised concert with Ozawa, John Williams and Keith Lockart. They made a holiday CD with the Boston Pops and several other television broadcasts. Relationships with other prestigious Boston ensembles were forged, including the Cantata Singers, the Boston Early Music Festival and the Boston Philharmonic.

Founder and artistic director Jody Simpson was a champion of new music. Under her guidance, several major works for treble voices were commissioned and performed at the VOICES concert series at Jordan Hall. Music critics regarded PALS as an important artistic force, not merely a reputable children’s chorus, and often reviewed these concerts.

After 16 years as PALS’ Artistic Director, Simpson and her family moved to New Hampshire. For one year PALS was ably led by conductor Jennifer Kane. In 2007, Alysoun Kegel became PALS’ new Artistic Director. Under her inspired direction, PALS continues to live up to its founders’ original vision of celebrating “joy” and “excellence” and “children.”