We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Troy Meeker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Troy below.

Hi Troy , thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Growing up, I dreamed of being a school choir teacher. I know, its certainly not on the top of many lists when you talk to a 7th grader, but it was for me. Choir was my home, and I was inspired by the idea that one day I could create a similar feeling for others. So, it was quite a surprise when after 16 years of teaching in the classroom Phoenix Children’s Chorus made my part time job, of the last 9 years, full time. Now I was faced with the questions many artists and creatives encounter. Can I really do this for a job? Will I make enough money? What if I fail? Am I good enough to do this? Would I be able to walk away from a stable job with benefits and retirement to the uncertainty of a nonprofit? Thanks to the encouragement of my amazing wife, Adrienne, in February of 2020 I took the leap. Little did I know what I would experience over the next 3 years. My job was to lead a choir program for kids at a time when we were being told that it wasn’t safe to sing or be in groups – pretty much the definition of choir! Since then, I have seen challenges I never expected and some of the most incredible moments I have ever experienced as an artist. I have had to innovate, adapt, and overcome, and yet, taking this risk has been completely worth it. I am now a part of impacting more lives and communities than ever, collaborating with other artists, and enjoying everything I am doing.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am the Artistic Director of Phoenix Children’s Chorus which means I lead the organization administratively while also serving as the conductor for our international touring high school choir. My job is multifaceted and rapidly changing. Currently, Phoenix Children’s Chorus serves more than 350 children in grades K-12 providing 4 general music classes and 8 performing choirs to kids from 92 different zip codes in the Phoenix area. PCC is not just about performing; we have developed a music literacy curriculum that helps children develop music skills that will allow them to grow into independent artists. PCC also provides workshops and clinics to local schools reaching more than 3,000 students annually. We are very proud that PCC is a place where children from diverse backgrounds experience excellence in music. Our impact is felt far and wide and we are proud of the difference we have made not only in the lives of the children and families we serve, but throughout Phoenix in the last 40 years.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I believe that music has to power to change lives. Plain and simple, I believe our entire world would change if we all just took time to sing together. Being part of a choir is so much more than singing – it is about being part of a community and learning to give a little of yourself for the greater good, learning about the world and other cultures through song, and personal development through the work. In singing together, we learn a common language that allows us to explore the deepest parts of our humanity. We learn compassion through singing the songs of others. We learn empathy as we search to connect with the songs we sing. We find joy and celebration in sharing songs with others. We learn that when others around us succeed our own successes are amplified. Notes on the page are a map, but the journey they can lead us on can take us to many incredible places. I would not be the person I am today without the things I learned in choir, and I want every child to have that same opportunity.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think the most rewarding part is sharing the experience with others. I often tell my choristers, “you can’t choir by yourself”. I know its cheesy, but it is true. This is an art that requires community. You get to be a part of something larger than yourself that you could not accomplish alone. One of my favorite parts of my job is the opportunity to develop collaborations with other artists and arts organizations. Not only does this create unique learning opportunities for our choristers, but it also allows us to use our platform to lift others up exposing our audiences to other local talent and building support for the greater arts community.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.phoenixchildrenschorus.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phoenixchildrenschorus/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pcchorus
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/PhxChildChorus

Image Credits
Rachel Huyett