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John Alston is a music director and entrepreneur. He founded the Chester Children’s Chorus and The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts.

Background
Alston grew up in New Jersey. Alston’s mother is Filipino and his father is African-American. As a child, he became involved in music with the Newark Boys Chorus of New Jersey. Altson went to Yankton College for his B.M. and University of Northern Iowa for his M.M. He earned his PhD in music at Indiana University.

Academic career
Alston became a music professor at Swarthmore College in 1990. He led the College Chorus for 22 years. During that time, he also conducted the College Jazz Ensemble, Orchestra, and taught jazz improvisation. Alston retired from his position as Associate Professor of Music in 2013 to focus on the Chester Children’s Chorus and educational institutions in Chester.

Work in Chester
In 1994, Alston founded the Chester Boys’ Choir to provide something like his experience in the Newark Boys Chorus for the underserved community of Chester, PA. The Choir started as seven boys from Columbus Elementary School. Alston brought the boys in the Choir to Swarthmore for rehearsal, and after growing for a few years, a day camp in the summer. In 1999, the Choir became co-ed and subsequently changed its name to the Chester Children’s Chorus.

Alston, executive director Anjali Gallup-Diáz, and director of development Andrea Hoff Knox grew the Chester Children’s Chorus to over 130 singers. The Chorus now includes a six-week Summer Learning Program that includes science, dance, reading, and other activities. In January 2015, Alston lead the Chorus in the inaugural celebration of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf.

Alston founded The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts in 2005 to provide the children in Chester with high quality educational opportunities. The fund opened the Chester Upland School for the Arts (CUSA) in 2008. CUSA is a district school that includes pre-K through fifth grade education. In 2012, the fund opened Chester Charter School for the Arts as a kindergarden through sixth grade public institution. They plan to add a grade each year.