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SAN FRANCISCO: To convince the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies to pick them, 43 choristers from the San Francisco Boys Chorus and 43 from the San Francisco Girls Chorus paired up.
They recorded only one song, America the Beautiful, on a CD and sent it off, fingers crossed. And the song got the kids from California an invitation to Washington DC.
The boys range in ages from eight to 12, the girls from 15 to 18. They are all well aware of the significance of this booking.
Dominique Shaw from the San Francisco Boys Chorus said: "It's an honour, because we're going to be singing for the first African American president."
Another chorister, Zak Pedersen, said: "I'm really glad that our world is changing."
Amelia De Snoo from the San Francisco Girls Chorus said: "... we really get to represent the youth of America at the inauguration."
The programme includes the world debut of a song set to the words of Obama's acceptance speech on November 4.
In addition to song selection, the artistic directors faced a number of challenges, "such as getting 86 kids and chaperones, and adults and etcetera three thousand miles across the country," said the artistic director of San Francisco Boys Chorus, Ian Robertson.
Like all performers, the choristers seemed to thrive on all the attention.
After more than a month rehearsing after school, the choristers were at the San Francisco City Hall to try out their inaugural programme with a free concert.
- CNA/yt
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