Diamond Jubilee Celebration Concert: Shining Through the Decades

Join us as we come together in music to celebrate El Camino College’s 75 years of serving students and the community!

DIAMOND JUBILEE CELEBRATION

CONCERT Shining Through the Decades JOANNA MEDAWAR NACHEF Artistic Director

DAVID BENOIT & DANE TETER Guest Conductors

ERIN WOOD, LIZBETH SANCHEZ, CHRIS CRAIG, ANTHONY MORENO Soloists

FEATURED ENSEMBLES AND ARTISTS: ECC Symphony Orchestra, Chorale, Concert Choir, Women’s Chorus, Joanna Medawar Nachef Singers, Torrance Civic Chorale

Friday, June 3, 2022 @ 8 p.m. | Marsee Auditorium COVID-19 safety protocols are required for all guests.

The use of cameras and/or recording devices of any sort is strictly prohibited during this performance. Artists and programs are subject to change.

MESSAGE FROM THE

PRESIDENT Welcome to the Diamond Jubilee Celebration Concert “Shining Through the Decades” celebrating El Camino College’s 75th Anniversary. This special event brings together our community to enjoy guest artists, talented alumni, and musical surprises that will make this an entertaining and truly memorable evening.

This concert showcases our students, alumni and community partners who are here tonight to help us celebrate. We are pleased to have El Camino College Artistic Director Joanna Medawar Nachef lead the El Camino College Symphony Orchestra, Choral, Concert Choir, and Women’s Chorus. Also joining us this evening are El Camino College alumnus and Grammy-nominated pianist/ composer, David Benoit, and the Torrance Civic Chorale which has been providing the South Bay with exceptional music and instruction since 1961.

Thank you for joining us tonight to celebrate El Camino College and 75 years of educating generations of students!

Brenda Thames, Ph.D. Superintendent/President

~ Program ~ “O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana.............................................. Carl Orff (1895-1982), arr. Jennifer Holly Cannon Selections from Water Music................................... George Frederic Handel (1685-1759) II. Air VI. Hornpipe Overture to Candide........................................................ Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, op. 19.......... Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) I. Allegro con Brio I-Chun Kuo, pianist Soul to Seoul, East meets West: A Time for Hope.............................. David Benoit (b. 1953) David Benoit, guest conductor Salute to Ol’ Blue Eyes............................................................ arr. John Moss (1948-2010) Dr. Dane Teter, guest conductor Highlights from the Finale of Symphony no. 9 in D Minor, op. 125.... Ludwig van Beethoven Erin Wood, soprano Lizbeth Sanchez Montenegro, alto Christopher Craig, tenor Anthony Moreno, baritone

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~ Translations ~ O FORTUNA O Fortuna velut luna statu variabilis, semper crescis aut decrescis; vita detestabilis nunc obdurat et tunc curat ludo mentis aciem, egestatem, potestatem dissolvit ut glaciem.

O Fortune, like the moon you are changeable, ever waxing ever waning; hateful life first oppresses and then soothes playing with mental clarity; poverty and power it melts them like ice.

Sors immanis et inanis, rota tu volubilis, status malus, vana salus semper dissolubilis, obumbrata et velata michi quoque niteris; nunc per ludum dorsum nudum fero tui sceleris.

Fate – monstrous and empty, you whirling wheel, you are malevolent, well-being is vain and always fades to nothing, shadowed and veiled you plague me too; now through the game I bring my bare back to your villainy.

Sors salutis et virtutis michi nunc contraria, est affectus et defectus semper in angaria.

Hac in hora sine mora corde pulsum tangite; quod per sortem sternit fortem, mecum omnes plangite!

Fate is against me in health and virtue, driven on and weighted down, always enslaved.

So at this hour without delay pluck the vibrating strings; since Fate strikes down the strong, everyone weep with me!

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ODE TO JOY O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!

Sondern laßt uns angenehmere anstimmen, und freudenvollere.

Oh friends, not these sounds!

Let us instead strike up more pleasing and more joyful ones!

Freude!

Freude!

Joy! Joy!

Freude, schöner Götterfunken Tochter aus Elysium, Wir betreten feuertrunken, Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!

Deine Zauber binden wieder Was die Mode streng geteilt; Alle Menschen werden Brüder, Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.

Joy, beautiful spark of divinity, Daughter from Elysium, We enter, burning with fervour, heavenly being, your sanctuary!

Your magic brings together what custom has sternly divided.

All men shall become brothers, wherever your gentle wings hover.

Wem der große Wurf gelungen, Eines Freundes Freund zu sein; Wer ein holdes Weib errungen, Mische seinen Jubel ein!

Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund!

Und wer’s nie gekonnt, der stehle Weinend sich aus diesem Bund!

Whoever has been lucky enough to become a friend to a friend, Whoever has found a beloved wife, let him join our songs of praise!

Yes, and anyone who can call one soul his own on this earth!

Any who cannot, let them slink away from this gathering in tears!

Freude trinken alle Wesen An den Brüsten der Natur; Alle Guten, alle Bösen Folgen ihrer Rosenspur.

Küsse gab sie uns und Reben, Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod; Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben, Und der Cherub steht vor Gott.

Every creature drinks in joy at nature’s breast; Good and Evil alike follow her trail of roses.

She gives us kisses and wine, a true friend, even in death; Even the worm was given desire, and the cherub stands before God.

Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen Durch des Himmels prächt’gen Plan, Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn, Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen.

Gladly, just as His suns hurtle through the glorious universe, So you, brothers, should run your course, joyfully, like a conquering hero.

Seid umschlungen, Millionen!

Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!

Brüder, über’m Sternenzelt Muß ein lieber Vater wohnen.

Be embraced, you millions!

This kiss is for the whole world!

Brothers, above the canopy of stars must dwell a loving father.

Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen?

Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?

Such’ ihn über’m Sternenzelt! Über Sternen muß er wohnen.

Do you bow down before Him, you millions?

Do you sense your Creator, O world?

Seek Him above the canopy of stars!

He must dwell beyond the stars.

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~ Personnel ~ EL CAMINO COLLEGE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA VIOLIN I Wendy Chow, Concertmaster Brian Chiu Gail Gerding-Mellert Allison Marino Leila Nunez-Fredell Airi Ozawa Erika Schlarmann Jason Ward Sophia Zhang

VIOLIN II Jennifer Holly Cannon, Principal Anna Adkisson Laurie Driskill Alfina Eull Katherine Huynh Kenichi Okada Paul Strand Martha Zepeda

VIOLA Jody Rubin, principal Sylvia Mann Kathryn Meyer Mark Rynerson

CELLO Eunjean Lim, principal Cameron Johnson Audrey Ledford Joo Lee Garik Terzian

BASS Cindy Blandino Sarah Wager

PICCOLO Pat Maki

FLUTE Karen Case Pamela Conde Paige Rinnert

OBOE Naomi Ozawa Evan Sanchez

CLARINET Jonathan Bass Horn Martinez Rory Mazella Sarah Waterman

BASS CLARINET Dane Teter

BASSOON John Campbell Cathy Pavlakovich Roberta Shanman

HORN Scott Beck Kristen Morrison Ruth Ploen Richard Yurkovic

TRUMPET David Costello Jeffrey Lenhard David Ploen Catherine Ryan

TROMBONE Alan Jenkin Daryl Stover Jeremy Swem

BASS TROMBONE Travis Patrick

TUBA Joe Jackson

PERCUSSION Kris Mettala Joseph Mitchell Alan Peck

PIANO I-Chun Kuo Kenner Bailey

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~ Personnel ~ EL CAMINO COLLEGE CHORALE Dr. Joanna Medawar Nachef, conductor

SOPRANO Sarah Heinesh Brandi Morales Brenda Osorio Kayla Stefansson Mahane Tomizawa

ALTO Karen Bailey Devora Funes Daniella Omole Lindsay Upper Renee Zoota-Lucero

BARITONE Allan Morales Heinrich Muller

BASS David Molgren Rodney Rose

TENOR Ian Mendoza Travien Sears

EL CAMINO COLLEGE CONCERT CHOIR Dr. Joanna Medawar Nachef, conductor

SOPRANO Xi Chen Sarah Heinesh Rachel Stelter Danielle Sung

ALTO Leslie Flores Jacqueline Keller Arianna Mejia

TENOR Bryan Calderon Patrick Palmer Henry Ramirez

BASS Samuel Price Chase Yun

EL CAMINO COLLEGE WOMEN’S CHOIR Soyun Kang, conductor

SOPRANO Joyce Balajadia Deborah Blair Porter Juliet Cartolano Emma Del Mundo Sue Fisher Clare Jacobs Kay Kang Hanhye Kim Jacqueline Kim Laura Krothapalli Linda Ly Joan McKenzie

ALTO Stephanie Anderson Margot Coury Michelle Idell Young Hee Lee Colleen Magera Karen Mohan Irma Reinboth Marcia Whistler Miyuki Woodruff

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~ Personnel ~ JOANNA MEDAWAR NACHEF SINGERS Dr. Joanna Medawar Nachef, conductor

SOPRANO Lauren Beale Kathy Kerstein Nagihan Ozturk Amy Rodgers Vesta Sung Katherine Alton White

ALTO Mary Jeanne Buttrey Lauren Carpenter Cheryl Graue Soyun Kang Lorna Katz Chelsea Moore Trameka Richards Linda Swanson Shauni Withers

TENOR Iohn Black Chikezie Eze Erick Hernandez DeForest Kirkwood Samuel Tejada Jose Torres

BASS Ruther Daniels Isaac Durand Lucas Jett Richard Katz Billy Malone Heinrich Muller Rodney Rose Sherdale Smith Paul Strand

TORRANCE CIVIC CHORALE Dr. Edward Trimis, conductor

SOPRANO I Ruth Fleming-Stephens Jill Hoffman Molly Lingren Katie Moss Karen Peterson Susan Soto-Campos

SOPRANO II Joyce Balajadia Juliet Cartolano Claire Lyon

TENOR Linda Gohata

BASS Ted Gohata Matteo Marsella Peter Palmer Harold Williams

ALTO Barbara Jex Courter Kelly Graves Adrienne Vanderlei

GUEST & ECC ALUMNI SINGERS SOPRANO Danica Ardilla Susan Brekka Ingrid Diaz

ALTO Wilma Freeman

TENOR Alexis Ramirez Hamid Ala

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BASS Alarik Damrow Andrew Kim William Lang

~ Artist Profiles ~ JOANNA MEDAWAR NACHEF, is recognized as the first woman conductor from the Middle East. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, she moved to Los Angeles in 1976. Dr. Nachef is Director of Choral & Orchestral Activities at El Camino College, having earned her Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California.

She is founder and Artistic Director of JOANNA MEDAWAR NACHEF SINGERS and Artistic Director/Conductor of the newly formed Torrance Pops Orchestra. Since 1980, she has served as the Choir Director at Peninsula Community Church.

Dr. Nachef has directed both locally and in guest appearances in motion pictures, and toured nationally and internationally with her performing groups. Over the past 30 years, her concert tours included the U.S, Canada, Hawaii, Eastern Europe, Vienna, Lebanon and most recently Russia. Her guest conducting appearances have included 6 performances at Carnegie Hall, Al Bustan Summer Festival, “Beirut Chants Festival”, and the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra.

She is speaker and “Citizen Diplomat” for the US State Department, a charter board member and past president for the LA/Beirut Sister City Organization and alumnae of the U.S. Institute of Peace, Washington D.C. She has received numerous lifetime achievement and prestigious awards which most recently include the Daughters of The American Revolution’s 2015 State Americanism Medal, El Camino College’s Distinguished Faculty Award 2014-2015, was featured in the 2017 Book “100 Influential Lebanese Figures around the world”, and was the first recipient of TPAC 2019 “Peace and Harmony” Award.

In the summer of 2019, she coordinated, led and conducted her first US Dept. of State Grant-Funded international concert tour to Russia with her choral group, JMNS. JMNS was the first American Choir to be featured in the St. Petersburg 2019 “Singing World Festival” and their rousing performances of Gospel Music and Spirituals received high acclaim, both in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

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~ Artist Profiles ~ For four decades, the GRAMMY®-nominated pianist/composer/ arranger DAVID BENOIT has reigned supreme as one the founding fathers of contemporary jazz. When he was coming up, Benoit worked with singers Patti Austin, Connie Stevens, AnnMargaret, and Lainie Kazan as her musical director/conductor.

In 1976, Benoit released albums on the AVI label from 1977 to 1984. He later released several chart-topping recordings for GRP, including Freedom at Midnight (1987), Waiting for Spring (1989) and Shadows (1991), which both topped Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Charts at #5, #1, and #2, respectively. His other noteworthy recordings include Letter to Evan (1992), his tribute to another piano influence, Bill Evans, and Here’s to You, Charlie Brown: Fifty Great Years (2000). Benoit also recorded with Russ Freeman on their album The Benoit/Freeman Project (1994), and on their follow-up collaboration, 2 (2004), which was released on Peak Records. His other recordings for the label include American Landscape (1997) and Orchestral Stories (2005), which featured his first piano concerto, “The Centaur and the Sphinx,” and a symphonic work, “Kobe”.

He has received three GRAMMY® nominations in the categories of Best Contemporary Jazz Performance for “Every Step of the Way” (1989), Best Large Ensemble Performance for GRP All-Star Big Band (1996), and Best Instrumental Composition for “Dad’s Room,” the latter from the album Professional Dreamer (2000) and in 2010, David Benoit received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Smooth Jazz Awards.

He has also worked with an impressive potpourri of musicians including the Rippingtons, Emily Remler, the late Alphonse Mouzon, Dave Koz, Faith Hill, David Sanborn, CeCe Winans, Keiko Matsui, Hiroshima, and Brian McKnight.

David’s career as a contemporary jazz pianist began in 1977 and includes 40 solo recordings over the past 40 years. Many of these, including his 1987 GRP Records debut “Freedom at Midnight” and its Grammy nominated 1988 follow-up “Every Step Of The Way”, are considered influential classics in the genre, which became known as “Smooth Jazz.”

Among his other Grammy nominations are those for Best Instrumental Composition (for “Dad’s Room” and 1999’s Professional Dreamer), Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance (GRP All-Star Big Band) and voted “Keyboardist of the Year” in 2000 and 2001 by the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards, and on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart. Currently, David is topping the jazz charts with guitarist Marc Antoine with their CD recording, “So Nice” and hit single “Caminando.”

Benoit has also been a popular film and television composer. His most notable film scores are The Stars Fell on Henrietta, produced by Clint Eastwood and starring Robert Duvall; and The Christmas Tree, produced by Sally Field, voted Best Score of 1996 by Film Score Magazine; His association with Charles Schulz and the famed Peanuts realm led to over 10 years composing music for the Peanuts TV special on CBS. In addition, he has written 8

~ Artist Profiles ~ themes for the long running soap opera All My Children (ABC) and Sisters (NBC) and scored the “Movies of the Week” Final Descent (with the late Robert Urich) and Cadillac Jack (Starring Clint Black).

In collaboration with lyricist Mark Winkler, David completed his first Broadway musical, Something’s Got To Give about the life and times of Marilyn Monroe.

He has served as conductor with a wide range of symphonies including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Dresden Philharmonic, London Symphony, Nuremberg Symphony, Philippine Philharmonic, Toledo Symphony, New World Symphony Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, Long Beach Symphony “Pops” Orchestra and of course, theAsia America Symphony Orchestra, to name a few.

Piano performances have included Claude Bolling’s Suite for Flute & Jazz Piano, Suite for Cello & Piano, Concerto for Guitar & Jazz Piano Trio with Angel Romero, guest soloist with Lalo Schifrin and his orchestra and as a tribute to Charles M. Schultz, performed the Peanuts Piano Concerto and the music of Vince Guaraldi in conjunction with his recording of Here’s To You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years A long-time guest educator with the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, he received that organization’s Excellence in Music Award in 2001. His musical selections have been featured on The Weather Channel and his version of Vince Guaraldi’s “Cast Your Fate to the Wind” is included on compilation The Weather Channel Presents: Smooth Jazz 11 (2008).

At the age of thirteen, Benoit studied privately with pianist Marya Cressy Wright and continued his training with Abraham Fraser, who was the pianist for famed conductor Arturo Toscanini. He also studied music theory and composition, and later studied orchestration with Donald Nelligan at El Camino Junior College and film scoring from Donald Ray at UCLA. He studied conducting from Heiichiro Ohyama, assistant conductor of the L.A. Philharmonic, and furthered his musical education with Jan Robertson, head of the conducting department at UCLA, and UC Santa Barbara symphony orchestra music director Jeffrey Schindler.

David Benoit currently hosts a morning radio show on KKJZ 88.1 FM, CA, and continually tours & records, is composer in residence at Montalvo Arts, the Music Director a & Conductor for the Asia America Symphony Association, and resides in Palos Verdes, California with his wife Kei and daughter June Koko.

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~ Artist Profiles ~ DANE TETER served as Director of Instrumental Music at El Camino College from 1998-2021. He conducted the Symphony Orchestra and the Concert Band. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Music Education from the University of Southern California (USC). His Masters and Bachelors Degrees were granted from California State University, Chico, emphasizing woodwind pedagogy and music education. At El Camino, Dr. Teter was coordinator of the Applied Music Program, directed the instrumental chamber ensembles, and taught music appreciation, and beginning woodwind and brass instruments. He also had the opportunity to conduct the Monday evening Jazz Big Band and the acclaimed production of The Sound of Music.

A woodwind specialist performing on all the instruments of the woodwind family, Dr. Teter has concertized with numerous orchestra, concert bands, jazz bands, and played in the pit for more than 90 musical theatre productions and three world premiere operas.

Dr. Teter has often performed in El Camino College Artist-in-Residence recitals with his fellow faculty members and local musicians. A veteran conductor, adjudicator and clinician, Dr. Teter has worked with numerous bands, orchestra, and choirs from all over the Western United States. He has conducted premieres of compositions by Patrick Schulz, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, Sterling Maffe, Anibal Seminario, Lorenzo Ferrero, as well as numerous student compositions.

For nearly 20 years Dr. Teter has been working for WGS Music, editing and preparing for publication works of African-American composer William Grant Still. He has completed more than 80 scores and conducted performances of more than two dozen of the works.

Among the compositions are A Deserted Plantation, all five symphonies including Symphony No. 1 “The Afro-American Symphony”, Symphony No. 2 “Song of a New Race”, the five American Scenes suites, “…And They Lynched Him on a Tree…” for double chorus and orchestra, the ballet Sadjhi, and the operas Troubled Island, Costaso and Highway1, USA. In his spare time Dr. Teter has recently publish several of his arrangements including Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, for wind quintet, Ottorino Respighi’s Adoration of the Magi, for wind quintet and piano, and two pieces for concert band Highlights from “The Planets” by Gustav Holst, and Summerland by William Grant Still.

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~ Artist Profiles ~ MS. SOYUN KANG received her BA in Music at UC Davis and MM in Choral Conducting at Cal State University of Long Beach with the honor of the most outstanding graduate from the College of Arts and Phi Beta Delta. She has studied under Albert J. McNeil, Jane Hardester, Lynn Bielefelt, Robert Page, and Charlene Archibeque. Ms.Kang has taught conducting, voice, chamber singers, women’s choirs, community choir at CSULB(1996-2000) and El Camino College in Torrance (2004-2007). She also found and directed the children’s choir “Heavenly Voices” in San Jose (2010-2018). However, her most cherished music-making was serving as a church choir director since 1990 in Davis, Torrance, Anaheim, San Jose, and Brea. Currently, Ms. Kang serves as an assistant conductor at the Los Angeles Chamber Choir.

DR. EDWARD TRIMIS (BA, MA, EdD), has held several teaching and administrative positions in Los Angeles at all levels and has been responsible for many reforms and innovative music and arts programs in schools featured in several newspapers and local and national journals, has been an adjunct professor at several colleges and universities including USC and Pasadena City College, is a highly sought after presenter at local, state-wide, and national conferences, and frequently serves the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) as a visiting team chair. Trimis has directed choral groups at all levels for the last 40 years in Los Angeles. Trimis is proud member of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the Southern California Vocal Association (SCVA), the Jazz Educators Network (JEN), the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers (ASMAC), and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). You may find his complete bio at www.trimismusic.com/ed-trimis-bio.

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~ Artist Profiles ~ Mezzo-soprano ERIN WOOD’S portrayals of Verdi and Wagner heroines have received praise for her “soaring soprano”, her “immense voice full of grit at the bottom and transcendent radiance at the top” and her “volcanic outpouring of sound”. For Lyric Opera of Chicago, Ms. Wood has portrayed 13 roles since her tenure with their Ryan Opera Center. She has been featured with the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Opera Colorado, the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Anchorage Opera, Opera Pacific, Opera Grand Rapids, Toledo Opera, the Grant Park and Ravinia Music Festivals, as well as the Milwaukee, Macon, Bakersfield, Pacific and Lake Forest Symphonies. Concert engagements include Verdi Requiem with the London Symphony Chorus, Wagner Wesendonck Lieder, Mahler Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Mahler Fourth Symphony, Brahms Requiem, Strauss Four Last Songs, Handel Messiah, Beethoven Ninth Symphony and Whitbourn’s Annalies. Awards include the George London Foundation’s Kirsten Flagstad Award for up-and-coming Wagnerian singers, and she was finalist at the Lauritz Melchior International Singing Competition for Wagnerian Singers in Aalborg, Denmark. Ms. Wood is an alumna of UCLA, is seen weekly on the Hour of Power and is a member of the El Camino College voice faculty where she frequently collaborates with her fellow faculty in concert and recital.

Mezzo Soprano LIZBETH SANCHEZ MONTENEGRO is a South Bay resident who regularly performs locally. A current member of Joanna Medawar Nachef Singers, she has performed various types of repertoire as well of solo work. Notable roles include Dinah from Trouble in Tahiti, Meg Page from Merry Wives of Windsor as well as Carmen Understudy from Carmen.

Notable scene roles include Adalgisa from Norma, Angelina from La Cenerentola and Marika from Lakme. She received her Bachelors degree in Vocal Performance from Chapman University, Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music. And later her Masters Degree in Vocal Arts from California State University, Northridge, with great accolades. She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Music Fraternity. She is excited to represent El Camino College as an Almuni, with a degree in Music.

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~ Artist Profiles ~ CHRISTOPHER CRAIG, tenor, is a Los Angeles based vocalist.

He has performed with artists such as Andrea Bocelli, Kathleen Battle, and Placido Domingo. Since studying music at El Camino College, Christopher studied at San Francisco Conservatory of Music and is currently performing at Los Angeles Opera.

ANTHONY MORENO, DMA, has performed with the LA Opera chorus, LA Master Chorale, New Opera West and LtD Opera. He is currently a member of Tonality, an award winning professional choir representing the diverse cultures and ethnicities of the Los Angeles area whose mission is to deliver authentic stories through voice and body in order to incite dialogue, understanding, and positive change. He has received the California State Senate Certificate of Recognition in Performing Arts and was a regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Dr. Moreno began studying music at El Camino College and served as President of the ECC Society of Music, a student organization created to support ECC’s music program. He then became a Bob Cole Scholar atnCalifornia State University, Long Beach where he obtained his Bachelor of Music Degree. He went on to complete his Master of Music Degree and Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at the University of Southern California. Dr. Moreno has brought his experiences full circle and now proudly teaches as an adjunct faculty member and applied voice teacher at El Camino College and Fullerton College.

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~ Artist Profiles ~ Born in Taipei (Taiwan) I-CHUN KUO began her piano studies at the age of four. She was awarded first place at the 1991 Taipei Piano Competition and received an Honorable Mention at the 1992 Taiwan Piano Competition. After studying with Dr. Karen Follingstad at San Diego State University, she continued her studies with Prof. Lois Roberts and Dr. Rafael Liebich in the Applied Music Program at El Camino College. At ECC, I-Chun was awarded the Norma Kayser Memorial Endowment for the Arts and Mu Phi Epsilon Scholarship; She also received jury honors and was selected to perform in the master class for Kenny Broberg (2017 Cliburn Silver Medalist). Her experience as a performer includes college recitals, and acting as an orchestra pianist and soloist for the chorale concert. She volunteers as a pianist in the church in Torrance and is also a Yamaha certified teacher. Her time at ECC has nurtured her passion for piano performance, and I-Chun continues to engage in musical activities as a chamber musician and a piano teacher.

The EL CAMINO COLLEGE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA is a college and community orchestra dedicated to the rehearsal and performance of the finest traditional and contemporary orchestral literature. Its membership is comprised of musicians from ECC, with both full- and part-time students, music majors and non-music majors, and community members with a myriad of occupations and ages.

The EL CAMINO COLLEGE CHORALE provides an opportunity to participate in a small chamber chorale ensemble. Choral literature of all styles will be performed including folk songs and show tunes. Singers in this ensemble will perform on campus and in the community as well as on concert tours.

The EL CAMINO COLLEGE CONCERT CHOIR is a non-audition ensemble designed for the study and performance of choral works of various styles. Emphasis is placed on development of the voice in relationship to choral singing and the continuous growth of musicianship appropriate to choral literature. The ensemble will perform in concert at the conclusion of each semester.

The EL CAMINO COLLEGE WOMEN’S CHORUS (Voce Angelicus) provides an opportunity to participate in a women’s choral ensemble. Choral literature of all styles composed or arranged for women’s voices will be performed. Singers in this ensemble will perform at the conclusion of each semester.

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~ Artist Profiles ~ The JOANNA MEDAWAR NACHEF SINGERS (JMNS) was formed by Dr. Joanna Medawar Nachef in 2015 to share the “Universal Language of Music” with the world.

A high caliber of young vocalists offering a myriad of presentations with music of all eras and styles. From “Opera” to “Musical Theatre”, from “Motown” to “Rhythm and Blues”, from” Jazz” to “Rock and Roll”, from “Classical” to “Popular Music”, diversity and talent govern their shows. Members of this group have appeared on “American Idol”, “America’s Got Talent”, “The X Factor”, “The Voice”, “House of Blues”, supported “Andrea Bocelli” at the MGM Show in 2008 and appeared in MidAmerica Production’s 2018 concert series at Carnegie Hall. Their mission is to build bridges of understanding, dissolve misconceptions, nurture tolerance, and expand the strands of harmony across cultures through the powerful message of music. JMN Singers gave their first international concert tour to Russia on a grant from the U. S. Department of State in 2019. They collaborated with the Russian choral group Pokroff Chamber Choir on “Old Songs-New Bridges” Project, and were the first American choir to be featured in the 2019 “Singing World Festival” in St. Petersburg. JMNS received high acclaim for their incomparable and soulful performances of Spirituals and Gospel Music, both in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Join them for their upcoming “GOSPEL” concert on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at the Armstrong Theatre in Torrance.

Visit their website for tickets: www.jmnsingers.com Follow on Facebook: Joanna Medawar Nachef Singers Instagram: joannamedawarnachefsingers

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~ Artist Profiles ~ The TORRANCE CIVIC CHORALE has provided the South Bay with exceptional choral music, instruction and cultural enhancements since 1961. With 90+ singers, the auditioned Chorale is sponsored by the Cultural Services Division of the Community Services Department at the City of Torrance.

Since its humble beginnings in 1961, the Torrance Civic Chorale has grown to between 90 and 100 singers. Members come from the surrounding South Bay communities and encompass all age groups from young adults to people with over 50 years’ vocal music experience. The Chorale represents professions in aerospace, banking and investments, education, parenting, military, medical, governmental social services, professional antique dealers, students, retirees, and church employees. The choristers’ diversities span Japan, China, Chile, England, the Philippines, Spain, Korea, Scandinavia, France, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Scotland, Middle East and Central America.

The Chorale is under the sponsorship of the Cultural Services Division in the Community Services Department of the City of Torrance. Orchestras, bands, instrumental ensembles, and individual musicians are engaged to perform with the Chorale as needed. The Chorale is under the direction of Dr. Edward Trimis and it’s longtime accompanist, Diana Brownson.

The group’s musical repertoire varies widely from the classics to ancient ballads, pop tunes and Broadway musicals to newly composed masterworks. In Fall 2018, the Chorale premiered Daniel Newman-Lessler’s latest composition, E-mu-nah.

The full choir performs three major concerts per year, two in December and one in April, all held at the beautiful James R. Armstrong Theater in Torrance. Additional events include somewhat smaller groups performing for community outreach and holiday/ social occasions around the South Bay, such as the Torrance Memorial Holiday Festival and the City of Torrance’s 45th anniversary Sister City event with Kashiwa, Japan. Their international choral travel has spanned Europe, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and Canada and in November, 2018 performed the works of Randol Bass at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

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75 years. Building Dreams.

El Camino College started 75 years ago with a vision and has now become the destination for higher education excellence in the South Bay. Come find your purpose and passion here. Learn more at www.elcamino.edu.

16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506 www.elcamino.edu