News and notes
from around the state FAR SOUTH REGION The 3rd Coralifornia International Festival (“Un Canto sin Fronteras”) was held virtually in November, featuring over 10 days of concerts, talks, masterclasses, and workshops. Twenty-six choirs from Mexico, the United States, Cuba, Panama, and Colombia participated, including the San Diego Chorus, Common Ground Voices/La Frontera, Los Bordershop Quartet, and the San Diego Women’s Chorus. Emilie Amrein and André de Quadros co-hosted a conversation about the innovative and equity-centered work in The Choral Commons. SACRA/PROFANA commissioned Amy Gordon to write a new piece during the Covid-19 pandemic. “In times of Hibernation” is the intended middle point in a song cycle about the COVID experience. Artistic Director Juan Carlos Acosta directed the video, which may be viewed here: youtu.be/KSkJGGwSCxQ Stan Wicks retired from First United Methodist Church of San Diego after more than 22 years as Music Director. In addition to his music ministry, Stan continued the long tradition of the church-based community Masterwork Chorale and welcomed many musicians to join in frequent collaborative events and Summer Sings. San Diego Master Chorale moved to a full, virtual concert season this fall, presenting six events ranging from virtual performances to interviews with composers. Music Director John Russell also prepared and curated both brand-new and never-
Send news of hirings, retirements, awards, commissions, premieres, collaborations, or projects to your regional representative!
before-released recordings of live performances. In November, the Choral Consortium of San Diego hosted a free virtual singalong featuring nine choral directors representing a variety of choral ensembles from San Diego and Tijuana. Featured conductors included Dzaya Castillo (Centro de Artes Musicales), Kathleen Hansen (San Diego Women’s Chorus), Ruthie Millgard (San Diego Children’s Choir), and Keith Pedersen (Point Loma Nazarene University).
NORTHERN REGION The Mendocino Music Festival Chorale, under the direction of Jenny Matteucci, has published two virtual choir videos and made available several inspiring online workshops in January. See the videos and learn more at mailchi.mp/mendocinomusic/two-winter-songs! Vox Musica, under the direction of Daniel Paulson, presented a live performance in which they sang synchronously for their patrons. For this performance, Paulson utilized Rehearsal Live Share, which allowed the ensemble to sing synchronously with each other in the virtual environment. The performance featured new melodies sung alongside sacred Native American tribal songs. Elizabeth Unpingco, director at Bear Creek High School, Sacramento, has also enjoyed working with a senior choir (average age 65-70) and making music with them through Zoom and BandLab. Unpingco was initially reluctant to introduce these technologies to
26 • Cantate • Vol. 33, No. 2 • Winter 2021
“older” singers. They, however, soon proved her wrong and showed that with patience, you can teach anyone anything! Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra, under the direction of Donald Kendrick, have worked tirelessly to weather COVID-19 together. Their goal is to outlast the current pandemic and bring the gift of music and community back to the region. Check out and support their 2020-2021 virtual season at sacramentochoral.org/2020-2021-virtualseason-outline. Chanteuses Women’s Choir of Sacramento, under the direction of William Zinn, is going to “reboot” a concert of “Poetry in Song” planned for last spring. They will work remotely through the Rehearsal Live Share software and assemble a concert with virtual choir recordings and perhaps some live recordings if the pandemic allows them in the coming months. They are very excited to have had their recent virtual choir offering, “The Work of Christmas” by Dan Forrest, reposted on the CCDA website!
BAY AREA Two San Francisco Bay Area youth choral institutions, Ragazzi Boys Chorus and Cantabile Youth Singers of Silicon Valley, are singing together using the JackTrip Foundation’s “Virtual Studio” technology. Thus far, both groups have successfully rehearsed and recorded music using this system since September, with up to 90 musicians (ages 6-18) participating in their respective rehearsals.
California Choral Directors Association
