Harmonizing Local Voices On The Edge of the Boundary Waters
Boundary Waters Choral Arts serves as the umbrella organization for the:
Boundary Waters Choral Festival,
Ely Community Choir,
The Ely Unforgettables,
Ely Community Youth Choir,
Ely Community Bell Choir,
and the
4th & 5th Grade Musical at Washington Elementary School.
Our purpose is to provide administrative and financial support to these ensembles, empowering them to pursue their individual creative and educational goals.
Why It Matters
At its core, choral singing is about community.
We breathe together.
Our hearts beat together.
Our voices unite us in a way
nothing else can.
Through music, we cultivate empathy, belonging, and joy
— strengthening the bonds that connect us all.
OUR MISSION
Harmonizing the Community Through Accessible Choral Arts
Our first endeavor, the Boundary Waters Choral Festival, united small rural school choirs into a shared choral experience.
The Ely Community Choir grew out of a need to sing together during the Covid pandemic by creating a virtual Christmas Concert. Now that the pandemic is over, the Community Choir prepairs concerts throughout the year for the Community in which we all live.
The Ely Community Youth Choir addresses a similar need for young singers, particularly as school arts programming has declined and churches lack sufficient numbers to sustain youth choirs.
The annual 4th–5th Grade Musical, a longstanding tradition funded entirely through community support, provides many children with their first experience in musical theater through a fully staged, hour-long production each May.
The Ely Community Bell Choir is a new and growing initiative. Originally formed within a church, it has expanded in response to strong community interest and is currently preparing for its debut performance as part of the Community Patriotic Concert.
Finally, the Ely Unforgettables reflect a deeply felt community need. Over the years, choir members experiencing physical and cognitive changes
have demonstrated how meaningful and grounding participation in music can be. This ensemble will offer a welcoming space for those individuals and their caregivers, with additional support from volunteer partners drawn from the broader choir community.
Together, these programs form a cohesive and lifelong pathway for participation in the choral arts—from youth through adulthood and into later life. Boundary Waters Choral Arts succeeds because of the intentional coordination among its ensembles, both in performance and in creating opportunities for continued musical engagement at every stage of life.
Our Choirs
Discover the six local choral groups under our umbrella, each dedicated to bringing the beauty of choral music to our community.
Ely
Community Choir
This talented intergenerational choir consists or singers from young adults to senior citizens joining together to sing and perform challenging music for our community.
The
Unforgettables
Made up of volunteer singers, care partners and those living with dementia or a type of cognitive impairment. This is an inclusive choir where all can experience the joy of music together.
Ely Community
Youth Choir
Exploring contemporary music and urban soundscapes through a choral lens.
The 4th & 5th Grade Musical
Advanced training and performance for dedicated choral students and professionals.
Ely Community
Bell Choir
Our recently formed Ely Community
Bell Choir will "ring" joy into your life. Join us as a ringer or in the audiance at one of our concerts!
Boundary Waters Choral Festival
Bringing small choirs from regional schools together to form a large choir experience under the direction of collegiate directors.
