This Choir Might Restore Your Faith in Humanity

At first glance, a choir may seem like nothing more than a group of singers. But look a little closer. Conductor Eric Whitacre's performers don't simply sing. They remind us of what it means to be truly connected.
Eric Whitacre's first TED talk, "A Virtual Choir 2,000 Voices Strong," was the basis for one of our most popular TED Weekends programs from the past year. So we decided to bring it back in time for the holiday season. In 2013, Whitacre followed up his initial video with an even more ambitious project, Virtual Choir Live, and we're encouraging our community to weigh in on how this powerful combination of technology and music is changing the way we think about collaboration and global unity.

Speakers Eric Whitacre: Composer, conductor

After creating and conducting a worldwide virtual choir on YouTube, Eric Whitacre is now touring with an astonishing live choir.

Why you should listen to him:

Eric Whitacre began his music career singing in his college choir; by 21, he had written his first concert work, Go, Lovely Rose, and advanced to Juilliard, where he studied under John Corigliano. Today, he has published more than four dozen choral works, conducted in some of the most esteemed halls in the world, and featured on dozens of recordings. His album Cloudburst and Other Choral Works earned him a Grammy nomination in 2007, as did his Decca debut Light & Gold, while his new album, Water Night, debuted at #1 in US iTunes classical charts.

You may know him, too, as the creator and conductor of the virtual choir, a network of YouTube-connected singers whose voices blend together online to become true magic. And he's now touring with the Eric Whitacre Signers, a 28-voice choir (yes, they're all in the same room).

"What hits you straight between the eyes is the honesty, optimism and sheer belief that passes any pretension. This is music that can actually make you smile."

The BBC Read more about Eric Whitacre on the TED Blog »