News and notes
from around the state NORTHERN REGION At Sacramento City College, director Daniel Paulson invested in software called Rehearsal Live Share, which allows for a conductor to invite participants to a zoom-like space where choir members can sing and rehearse to pre-recorded accompaniment tracks and recordings, all while being synced up on the directors’ computer. The director can record the cyclical rehearsals on the spot and play them back for the ensemble, and the choir members can even sing along with themselves. Since last August, the choirs at Sacramento City College have been rehearsing weekly on Rehearsal Live Share and even presented four concert projects with the choirs singing at the same time, from their homes, synced on Rehearsal Live Share.
BAY AREA Choral music was active and vibrant in the Bay Area through online programs and presentations during Spring 2021. Highlights included the San Francisco Girls Chorus, led by Valérie Sainte-Agathe, collaborating with the King’s Singers in a virtual rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Sacred & Profane and Rebecca Seeman joined with La Nell Martin and the Oakland Youth Chorus Chamber Singers in a performance called Make Our World Anew: Black Voices Matter. Both of these performances are available for viewing on YouTube. The Bay Area has also gained a new choir during the pandemic. Martin Benvenuto has founded 21V, a select ensemble of soprano and alto
Send news of hirings, retirements, awards, commissions, premieres, collaborations, or projects to your regional representative!
voices of all gender identities, to perform 21st century music of the Americas.
CENTRAL COAST REGION Beth Klemm has been offering virtual voice classes for her students at the Atascadero Fine Arts Academy. The choir programs and all electives at Fine Arts are being offered in the “asynchronous” time slot and have concentrated on vocal development, musicianship and solo work. Students were involved in a virtual choir concert with local schools, adult choirs, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cuesta Choirs. Recently, her students discovered they can hear each other at the same time and sing in harmony using the Soundtrap program. In addition to the voice classes, Beth produces a weekly 30-minute general music video for the district’s 4th graders. Dr. Daniel Gee, in his first semester at Westmont College teaching the Westmont Choir and Chamber Singers, says that students were grateful to safely come together for rehearsal and performance singing outside under a parking lot tent, masked and distanced. On April 23rd, 2021, they presented their Spring Choral Concert with a performance of Faure’s Requiem featuring unique COVID adjustments and performance spaces. Dr. Scott Glysson at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has a featured article in the May edition of The Choral Journal, titled “One Trip: The Transformative Power of Cultural Exchange.” This spring the repertoire for Westmont’s Chamber Choir, Women’s Choir, Polyphonics,
26 • Cantate • Vol. 33, No. 3 • Spring 2021
and University Singers concert will have a special focus on positivity and optimism, with a performance planned for June 6th at 8:00p.m. They are looking ahead to spring 2022 for a very special collaboration with Chanticleer and a world premiere by Nico Muhly.
CENTRAL REGION In March, Julie Dana and the Fresno City College choirs gave their annual World Music concert a new twist: they turned it into a week-long event in which they released a virtual performance of a different piece every night. Julie invited choral educators from diverse ethnic backgrounds to teach a piece that represented their culture. Her guests included Dima Abdin, Middle East; Daniel Afonso, Brazil; Pawasut Jodi Piriyapongrat, Thailand; and Angel M. Vázquez-Ramos, Puerto Rico. After the students were divided into small groups, they researched all aspects of the pieces, and were asked to create a virtual presentation that would demonstrate their understanding of the historical context and musical features of the pieces that were studied. In February, Cari Earnhart (Fresno State University), and Julie Dana (Fresno City College) continued their tradition of collaborating and presenting an annual “Walk in Peace: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month” concert—virtually!
SOUTHERN REGION Teachers in the William S. Hart District in Northern Los Angeles County haven’t let COVID prevent them from giving their students
California Choral Directors Association
