Sac Women's Chorus Book Sale

Sacramento Women's Chorus will be holding a book sale to raise funds for the Chorus.  It's taking place Saturday, Oct. 13 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 913 El Dorado Way (East Sacramento).

Follow-up Concert Sells Out

As a footnote to the August 11 article "Sierra Master Chorale Reprises 'The Armed Man,'" it's worth noting that this follow-up concert, 4 months after the original performances -- sold out the large Seventh-day Adventist Church in Grass Valley.

Perla Warren Memorial

Perla Warren, the beloved music teacher and choral director at American River College from 1975 to 1995 who gained a national reputation, died on July 29. Click here to read the brief obituary published in The Sacramento Bee on September 9. 

On October 28 & 29, 2011, Perla’s many students and colleagues assembled for two tribute concerts entitled, “From Sand to Pearls.” The program included performances by Sacramento Master Singers, RSVP (Reconciliation Singers Voices of Peace), the American River College Chamber Singers, jazz pianist Jim Martinez, and the quartet, MoodSwing. The concert ended with all the singers performing three pieces in a mass choir. Click here for a review of the concert published in the Sacramento Press, and click here for scores of pictures from the event. 

A memorial service for Perla was held last Friday, September 21 at St. Mel’s Catholic Church in Fair Oaks. At the service, Sacramento Master Singers performed selections from the Fauré Requiem, and RSVP sang “The Road Home” (from its recently-released CD by that title). At the reception afterwards there was a performance of Norman Dello Joio’s “Come to Me, My Love,” in recognition of the fact that Perla’s husband, Jean, passed on exactly two months before her death. 

Sacramento Master Singers has announced that its March 9 & 10, 2013 performance of Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem will be dedicated to the memory of Perla Warren (click here for details). A Facebook page for Perla's alumni and friends at this link is currently accumulating remembrances and tributes.

Camerata California Hosts Alpenfest

Camerata California hosts occasional fundraisers to benefit its "Emerging Young Artist Scholarship Program."  Here's how they describe their upcoming Alpenfest:  "Unpack your lederhosen and dirndls for an evening of singing and dancing to a live German band.  Enjoy traditional foods, great beers and wines.  Sample the region's finest beers and cast your vote for the winner."  The event will take place at the home of Mary Wesley in Carmichael on Sunday, October 21.  "Libations" start at 4:00 p.m., a "Deutsch Buffet" at 5:00 p.m., and sing-along and dancing at 6:30 p.m.  A donation of $50 get you past the gate.  To make a reservation, call 916/483-1386.  Click here for a flyer with more information.

Name Change: Renaissance Choir Sacramento

Dr. Lee Lovallo announces that the Antelope Renaissance Choir, organized last year, has changed its name to Renaissance Choir Sacramento.  Lee explains that the name change will better reflect the composition of the choir, since currently only two of the members are from Antelope.  (He adds that they could use a couple more tenors and basses -- from anywhere -- and who couldn't, especially tenors!)

Also new is the Choir's website at www.renaissancechoirsacramento.com.

The choir's next performance will be a “Choral Evensong with Music by Orlando Gibbons,” which will include the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis from the Short Service, “Almighty and Everlasting God,” and other music by Christopher Gibbons and Thomas Tallis. These performances will be on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 7850 Watt Ave., Antelope; repeated Sunday, Nov. 4 at 4 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 15th and J Streets, Sacramento.  (Events like this are not listed in the Sacramento Choral Calendar, which does not include performances that are part of a church service.)

For information about the Renaissance Choir Sacramento's forthcoming Christmas concerts, check their listing in the Sacramento Choral Calendar at this link.

 

Singing Clinic for Men

Here's a creative idea for recruiting men singers, especially "diamonds in the rough" who may be light on singing experience and confidence. The American River Chorus has an annual singing clinic coming up. There are four two-hour sessions on successive Thursday nights, starting Oct. 25 at the Collings Teen Center in West Sacramento. Sessions cover posture, breathing, articulation, etc., and there is no charge.  According to their press release, "This clinic is intended for male singers looking for a new and exciting musical experience.  Taught by world renown vocal coached and directors, attendees could be in invited to sing with the American River Chorus at its annual Holiday Concert at Three Stages, Folsom on December 2, 2012." For more information, check the special website at http://www.annualsingingclinic.org.

Capitolaires Open House

The Sacramento Capitolaires, a chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, announce their annual "Harmony Open House" on Tuesday evening, October 9, starting at 7:00 p.m. (at Pilgrim Hall, 890 Morse Ave., Sacramento).  Click here to view a flyer announcing the event.

Audition: Tenor Choral Scholar for Trinity Cathedral

Canon David Link, Music Director of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Sacramento, has announced auditions for a Tenor Choral Scholar.  This person acts as a section leader in the Trinity Cathedral Choir, and the position is paid.  Click here for a copy of the announcement of the audition; click here for the Choral Scholar job description.  The job description explains that "Choral Scholar positions are especially appropriate for talented vocal students who wish to gain professional experience in a safe, welcoming, friendly setting."

No specific date for auditions was given, but the announcement was disseminated on September 16, 2012.  Contact information for Canon Link is in the audition announcement. but for convenience, you may reach him at 916/446-2513, ext. 24 or sierracanon@gmail.com.

Music Sale - Sept. 21 & 22, 2012

Sam Schieber, Artistic Director of Samantics, has announced another of his occasional sales of music for Friday and Saturday, September 21 & 22, 2012:

"Here's a general list of the types of music that will be available:

THEATRE AND MOVIES
Broadway vocal selections
Movie songbooks and collections
Composer songbooks
Hardback Broadway musical scripts

CLASSICAL
Opera scores
Classical vocal collections
Piano music of all sorts

POPULAR MUSIC
Personality songbooks from all eras
Pop/Rock songbooks
Old favorites collections

Plus stacks of choral octavos, including lots of Christmas pieces, a few research books in several of the above areas, plus other odds and ends that I'm still pulling together.  At the moment I already have 10 file boxes filled, ready for the sale; there will be more.

It hurts me to throw away music, so I'm making it available for loving homes like yours, ALL AT LOW, LOW PRICES!   Fill in holes in your library!  Try some new composers!  Stock up on sight-reading materials for your students!  Better yet, send your students to find treasures for themselves at prices they can afford!"

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Contact information for Sam (phone and location of sale) are in the PDF document at this link.

The Titanic Lives Again

Yet another chorus has decided to reprise a successful program from this past spring.  Samantics will present its "Musical Tribute to the 100th Anniversary of the Titanic" on Sunday afternoon, September 30 at 4:00 p.m. in the Christian Science Church at 4829 Folsom Blvd. in Sacramento.

I saw this innovative, cabaret-style program when it was first presented in April, and my review of that extraordinary show is at this link.

With so many choral performances being planned for the end of November and for the few weeks in December before Christmas, it will be interesting to see if a proven program like this will succeed at a date and time when there is no competition from any other choral event, and even very little competition from other entertainment options.