Camerata California & The Music Man

Camerata California has a fund raiser coming up on Sunday afternoon and evening, June 10.  After drinks at 4:00, and dinner at 5:00, 6:30 will see the start of a choral read-through of "The Music Man," and guests are invited to sing along (scores will be provided).  The all-inclusive price is $60 or two for $100, and proceeds will benefit the Camerata California's student scholarship program.  Call 916/483-1386 for more information or to reserve a place.

Folsom Gold - First Public Performance

The 9-member mixed chorus, Folsom Gold, has been incubating for the past year and will give its first public concert on Sunday afternoon, June 10 at the Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Folsom.  The concert is titled "Cafe Cabaret" and promises a mix of music:  contemporary, patriotic, and jazz.  Directing the group is Fred Weber, founding director of the Sierra Community Chorus, which enjoyed so much success under his leadership at Sierra College in the 1990s.  There is more information about this event at this link.

Barbershop Harmony Society Contest and Convention

This is a big deal. Although I haven't yet attended one of these events, I know something about the Society and the work that goes into preparing for these contests. The standards for musicanship and showmanship in this organization are very high, and chapters work all season to refine their performance entries to the nth degree. The result is a show that is bound to be highly entertaining, with a full day of contests will involve 9 choruses and 15 quartets. The event is sponsored by the Sacramento Capitolaires.  They will be competing along with 4 other choruses covered by the Sacramento Choral Calendar:  American River Chorus, Sierranaders, Gold Rush Chorus, and Folsom Harmony Express. I've rearranged my schedule to be able to attend, and I'm anticipating a memorable day full of good music.  There is more information at this link.

Sacramento Valley Chorus Wins 2nd Place!

Congratulations to the Sacramento Valley Chorus for winning second place in the Sweet Adelines Region 12 competion last weekend!  The competition involved 14 choruses, and was held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno on Saturday (April 28).

I saw them perform their "package" of two songs at their "Family and Friends Night" a couple of weeks ago, and I thought they were terrific: great blend and great energy and style in their choreography.  The Bay Area Showcase Chorus (from Santa Clara), must have worked some magic to edge out the performances I saw.

Sweet Adelines chapters typically put on a free "Family and Friends Night" as a preview of their competition routines.  These highly polished and creatively choreographed numbers are tremendously entertaining.  It's an opportunity not to be missed when it comes around again next year.

Camerata California Goes to New York

California Camerata will be participating in a Martin Luther King Day concert on Sunday, January 20, 2013 at New York City's Carnegie Hall.  The event is sponsored by Distinguished Concert International New York (DCINY) (http://www.dciny.org/) and will feature "A Great and Glorious Victory," conducted by its composer Jonathan Willcocks (http://www.jonathanwillcocks.com).  The performing chorus will also include Willcocks' UK-based Chichester Singers.  You can listen to an excerpt of the 33-minute piece at this link.

But why not hear the whole piece?  It will be part of Camerata California's traditional Memorial Weekend Concert on Sunday, May 27 at 4:00 p.m. in Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sacramento.  The anchor piece of the program will be Haydn's "Missa in Angustiis" (Lord Nelson).  Also presented will be the West Coast premier of contemporary American composer Lee Hoiby's (http://www.leehoiby.com/) "The Last Letter Home."

More information at this link.

California Capital Vocal Jazz & Show Choir Festival

This severely underpublicized event is coming to the Woodlake Hotel (formerly the Radisson) this weekend (March 16 & 17). The event is sponsored by the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, and two of the key organizers are Fred Weber (formerly Music Dept. Chair at Sierra College) and Cherry Hayes (former Choir Director at Bear River HS). Fifteen choirs from nine schools will be competing, and there is a full performance by the American River College Jazz Choir late Friday afternoon and a "command performance" by winning choirs Saturday at noon.
Here is a pdf file with the 2-day schedule, and you can get more information in the Sacramento Choral Calendar at this link.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

This iconic group is coming to the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Grass Valley, Monday evening, February 27 (and tickets are still available). For information, visit http://thecenterforthearts.org.

Josquin des Prez Anyone?

Dr. Lee Lovallo, director of the Antelope Renaissance Choir, is seeking singers to participate in a concert of music by 16th century composer, Josquin des Prez. The program will consist of Missa Pange lingua (arguably Josquin's most famous mass setting), and the motet, Ave Maria virgo serena. Rehearsals will be held Saturday mornings, 10 to noon, at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Antelope. For more information, contact Dr. Lovallo at ltlovallo@gmail.com or 916/320-8423.

Follow-up 1/30/12: Dr. Lovallo has sent out the following additional information about the music, including links to recordings:

Josquin, Missa Pange lingua

Performed by the Ensemble Clément Janequin with score, pitch is about ½ step low, YouTube recordings:
Kyrie and Gloria: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TavBr-ZjXc&feature=email
Credo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP9OKRh0gaI&feature=related
Sanctus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML_xCCQTnAA&feature=BFa&list=PLFE93E2BEC8146E71&lf=results_video
Agnus Dei: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZG5VQG1_IY&feature=BFa&list=PLFE93E2BEC8146E71&lf=results_video

Missa Pange lingua CD Recordings (some tracks may be downloadable):
Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips, dir., Gimell CDGIM 009, about m3 higher.
Choir of Westminster Cathedral, James O’Donnell, dir., Hyperion CDA66614, about M3 higher
Ensemble Clément Janequin and Ensemble Organum, Marcel Pérès, dir. Harmonia Mundi (#?), the source of the YouTube links above, includes chanted propers as well as the mass.
Kammerchor Josquin des Préz, Ludwig Böhme, dir., Carus/Naxos B004EHLMTS, pitch might be high, not sure, individual tracks are downloadable.
A Sei Voci, Bernard Fabre-Garrus, dir. and Orchestre Philharmonique de Pays de Loire (?), not sure about this one.
Metamorphoses Ensemble Vocal, Maurice Bourbon, dir., Arion ARN 68043, pitch sounds high, downloadable tracks.

Josquin, motet “Victimae paschali laudes”
Passion/Orlando Consort, Metronome 1015

Josquin, motet “Ave Maria, virgo serena”
Oxford Camerata, Jeremy Summerly, dir., Naxos 8.553428

January Is the Time to Join a Chorus

With Christmas concerts completed, most choruses are looking forward to a new concert season and are ready to welcome new members. Some have formal auditions, some have "auditions" that are very informal, and some will take anyone who can carry a tune. The Sacramento Choral Calendar has inaugurated a directory of auditions that covers the intake policies of 20 choruses. Click on this link for basic information from choruses that are actively seeking new members.

Trinity Cathedral's Choir Festival - January 21

On Saturday, January 21, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral will hold its Twenty-Sixth Annual Diocesan Choir Festival. The guest conductor of the Festival Choir will be Robert Simpson, FAGO/ChM, Canon for Music, Christ Church Cathedral and Conductor of the Houston Chamber Choir. According to Trinity's announcement, everyone who loves to sing great church music is invited to sing in the Festival Choir. There are morning and afternoon rehearsals the day of the festival, and the event culminates in a late-afternoon Evensong service at the Cathedral. The repertoire is (1) "Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in F" by Peter Aston, (3) "Pilgrim's Hymn" by Stephen Paulus, and (3) "Hide Me Under the Shadow of Thy Wings" by John E. West (ed. by David Link).

Participants must order their own music from Nashville, and are requested to bring their own choir robes and a choir folder. The registration fee is $20 (which includes lunch), and registration must be received at the Cathedral Music Office by January 18. Full details (with contact information) are in the PDF document at this link.

The Family Choir

Everyone should have the opportunity to sing. That’s the idea behind the Colla Voce Family Choir. It’s part of Colla Voce of the Sierra, the parent organization of the very accomplished Colla Voce Chamber Singers (see www.collavoce.org). According to Colla Voce Artistic Director Janine Dexter, the Colla Voce Family Choir is “a multi-generational choir that meets every other Thursday, 6:45-7:45 … in Meadow Vista. No auditions necessary. It is a chance for grandparents, parents and children to sing together. They sing a bit of everything: Bach to the Beatles, Folk Songs, and popular songs from every generation.” If this great idea is something you’d like to participate in or learn more about, you can contact Janine at director@collavoce.org. In the words of the old hymn: “Let all the world in every corner sing.”

Straight No Chaser - March 20, 2012

For those who haven't seen one of their YouTube videos, Straight No Chaser is a 10-member men's a cappella group that began at Indiana University in 1996. They're now a pop music sensation, and they're coming to the Crest Theatre in Sacramento on Tuesday evening, March 20. They produce a well crafted sound that has wide appeal, and with their choreography and humor, they put on an impressive show. You can sample their music and check out their videos in their website, www.sncmusic.com. For more information about their Sacramento appearance, with ticket information, follow this link.