St. Charles Borromeo School Children's Choir

History

Ever since St. Charles Borromeo School opened its doors, there has been a Children’s Choir. Roger Wagner, who would go on to found the Roger Wagner Chorale which later became and still is the Los Angeles Master Chorale, led the Children’s Choirs (one for boys and one for girls) for some time after the school welcomed its first classes in 1939.

In 1949, The St. Charles Borromeo Children’s and Church Choirs came under the direction of Maestro Paul Salamunovich. Mr. Salamunovich would hold these positions, as well as Director of Music for the Parish, for 60 years. During his time here at the School, the Boys’ Choir appeared with Dinah Shore on the Chevy Show and the Lucy Show with Lucille Ball in 1965. Later that same year, the St. Charles Borromeo Boys Choir served as the Disneyland Boys Choir on the original It’s a Small World album of folk songs that is still sold and played at Disney theme parks today. 

While he held his posts here at St. Charles, Mr. Salamunovich also was Director of Choral Activities at Loyola Marymount University and Mount St. Mary’s College for over 25 years and was an adjunct professor at the USC Thornton School of Music. He also served as Director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale from 1991 to 2001.

Maestro Salamunovich retired in 2009 after six decades of dedicated service to our Parish and School.

Our Children’s Choir, which became co-ed in the 1970’s, is led by Choir Director Brian Genova who was a student of Mr. Salamunovich and is an alumnus of St. Charles School. He is a staff musician at the Parish and also serves on the clerical staff of the Church as Bulletin and Web Editor.

Choir Program

Choir Director:  Brian Genova

Choir is open to Grades 4-8   

Our choir rehearses bi-weekly during the school day. They perform regularly at Family Masses, Catechetical Sunday, Catholic Schools’ Week, Christmas, and Easter. The choir also sings at various fundraising functions with the St. Charles Adult Choir.

The choir also attends an annual Music Festival where they are adjudicated, along with other middle schools and high schools, by college-level music professors. They receive scores on a National Scale Rating. This Festival takes place at an Anaheim area College or Arts School. The Festival Day also includes a trip to Disneyland.