Eight children from French youth choir hospitalised after having “seizure‑like” symptoms at concert

24 July 2025, 12:57

Eight young singers were taken ill during a performance in Boston.

Eight youth choir members were hospitalised after experiencing “seizure‑like” symptoms midway through a concert in Boston.

The young singers, aged between 11 and 13 years old, were all from the Paris-based choir, Chœur d’Enfants d’Île-de‑France, and were performing at St. Paul’s Church in Harvard Square.

The choir were in the middle of a US tour and were taken to various Massachusetts hospitals. They have now all been released.

At about 7.30pm, crews were alerted that a child was suffering from a seizure inside the church, and when firefighters arrived, they found the child seated outside the entrance, breathing but distressed. Seven more children then began to exhibit similar seizure‑like behaviour.

Read more: Mozart’s music can reduce seizure frequency in people with epilepsy, study finds

La Passion selon Saint Jean de Bach par l'Académie Chorale d'Ile de France - avril 2025 - Teaser

Cambridge Fire Chief Thomas Cahill told WCVB: “This was somewhat unusual. It was a routine medical call that quickly escalated into transporting eight children to the hospital. Not common.”

There has been no confirmed cause for this incident, but officials have said that some people in attendance had noted smelling something “unusual” before the children began showing symptoms. No audience members came forward with any relevant symptoms.

The Cambridge fire department’s hazardous materials unit conducted a full environmental sweep of the church, performing air‑quality tests and ventilating the premises, which showed that no hazardous substances were present.