A Musical Home For Every Child
At Kairos, children discover the joy of making music together while developing confidence, creativity, and lifelong friendships.
From their first musical experiences to inspiring performances, theater productions, and adventures in concert tours around the world, our young singers grow as musicians in a vibrant, welcoming community.
No previous musical experience neccesary. Come sing with us!
“Kairos…disciplined ethereal shine.”
– San Francisco Classical Voice
BELONG · CREATE · PERFORM · EXPLORE · SERVE
Berkeley’s premier youth choir since 1990!
For more than three decades, Kairos has brought young singers together to learn, perform, and grow as musicians. Our choristers sing in concerts across the Bay Area and on tours around the world. Many of the friendships they make here last a lifetime.
We are committed to nurturing talent and passion through diverse programs and performances in a warm, welcoming environment.
About Kairos
Our Story
An emphasis on choral music excellence has carried Kairos Youth Choir since its founding in 1990. Now in its 36th season, Kairos continues to be a vital part of the Bay Area community. Kairos Choir has appeared in many civic and cultural events, including the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, the Berkeley Opera, and the Hard Nut with the Mark Morris Dance Group. Kairos recently engaged in a musical collaboration with the California Bach Society for their award-winning performance of St. Matthew Passion, and have been selected for regular performances at the Junior Bach Festival. The representatives from this unique and soulful California choir have sung internationally at Tivoli Gardens in Denmark, throughout Norway in 2000, Tuscany, Italy in 2008, at the Festival of the Aegean in Syros, Greece in 2011, and in choral festivals in Austria and the Czech Republic in 2014. Kairos was invited for the honor of return performances at the Festival of the Aegean in Greece again in 2017, and in 2023, won double bronze medals at the Festival of Preveza.
Members of Kairos have different cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. With a common interest in music, they sing together and build relationships, which often grow into lifetime friendships. The choir maintains contact with growing numbers of Kairos alumni. Many describe the Kairos experience as one of the most important positive influences in their lives.
The program teaches music theory and vocal development, with a focus on how learning these skills can deepen and express our humanity. All choir education reflects an approach designed to nurture leadership, sensitivity, independence and self-discipline.
Our Mission
To inspire empathy, creativity, and a sense of collective humanity through the transformative power of choral music and shared artistic experiences during childhood’s formative years.
We believe music brings people together, builds meaningful communities, and nurtures compassionate, responsible relationships with one another and the world we share.
Discover Our Programs
Ensembles
Kairos offers young singers a complete path of choral training, from their very first musical experiences through high school. Singers are placed in ensembles based on age and prior musical training, so each child learns alongside peers at a similar stage and moves up as their skills grow. Our ensembles take their names from Greek, inspired by our founder Laura Kakis Serper’s heritage, and each one reflects a step in a young musician’s journey. Click to learn more about our ensemble structure.
Musical Theater
Every spring, Kairos singers take the stage in a full musical production, a highlight of our season. Choristers from across our ensembles come together to sing, act, and move as one cast, building confidence, stage presence, and teamwork along the way. Productions include costuming, set design, lighting, and sound, offering opportunities for growth behind the scenes as well as onstage. Past shows include Fiddler on the Roof, Hello Dolly, and The Sound of Music.
Retreats & Concert Tours
Kairos singers regularly leave the rehearsal room behind. Several times a year, our nature retreats bring choristers outdoors to sing, play, and explore together, building the friendships that make Kairos feel like a second family. Every few years, our choir takes its music abroad, performing in historic venues across Greece, Italy, Austria, and beyond, and earning double bronze medals at the Festival of Preveza in 2023. Next summer, we return to Greece and Italy for our next international tour.
Concerts & Ticketing
Kairos performs throughout the season, with a winter holiday concert, a fully staged spring musical, and appearances at community events across the Bay Area. Our concerts feature all of our ensembles, from our youngest singers to our high school choir, in a wide range of music from classical choral works to folk, jazz, and popular songs. Tickets are available online ahead of each performance, and every ticket sold directly supports our singers. Click below to see what’s coming up and reserve your seats.
Summer Camp
Our Kairos Summer Camp keeps the music going after the school year ends. Over a week of singing, games, and creative projects, campers build their skills, make new friends, and have a whole lot of fun. Camp is open to current Kairos singers and new families alike, making it a perfect way to get a taste of what Kairos is all about. This year, we’ll gather from June 7 – 11 in North Berkeley. Contact us at kairoschoir@gmail.com to learn more!
Leadership & Community Service
Kairos runs on the energy of our community, and there are many ways to get involved. Our student staff program gives older singers and alumni the chance to step into leadership roles, from assistant teaching with our younger ensembles to designing costumes and running lighting for our productions. Parents are the heart of our support team, helping with concerts, retreats, events, and everything in between. Whether you have an afternoon or a whole season to give, we’d love to have you.
Help Every Voice Be Heard
Every child deserves the opportunity to discover the joy of music.
At Kairos, financial circumstances should never stand between a child and the transformative experience of singing together.
Your generosity helps provide scholarships, supports exceptional music education, and makes unforgettable experiences possible for young singers, from local performances to international tours.
Short-Term Fundraising Goal: Help sponsor our incoming students so that we can continue to offer comprehensive scholarships for those in need! $2,500 covers the tuition for an entire year of a chorister’s Kairos journey.
Sponsor a singer: Sponsor a singer on our concert tour to Greece and Italy! $5,000 covers the full cost a singer to join us on our upcoming concert tour of Greece and Italy. We’ll match you with a singer in need of a scholarship, and you’ll receive updates on their travel and performance adventures!
Sponsorship Opportunity for businesses: Kairos is offering sponsorships for local businesses! It’s a great opportunity to help support our students while also reaching a broad array of future customers. Please email kairoschoir@gmail.com for more info.
Kairos is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible. Thank you!
Listen: Kairos Sings “Ave Maria” Composed and Published by Choir Member
Faculty and Staff
Laura Kakis Serper
Founder, Artistic Director
Arkadi Serper
Pianist and Composer
Asher Witkin
Managing Director
Frosene Phillips
Grant Writing & Marketing Consultant
Rita Lilly
Avghie & Anthos Conductor
Susy Porter
Asteria Director
Become a part of our musical family!
