Twenty-two years ago the Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC), made a commitment to mentor and train hundreds of young singers and their choir directors each year through the Los Angeles Master Chorale High School Choir Festival. The 22nd culmination of this yearlong mentoring program a model adopted by choirs worldwide, will take place on April 15, 2011 1:00 p.m., at Walt Disney Concert Hall in a free concert featuring the remarkable talents of 900 students from 24 Southland high schools will be showcased in a massed choir.
There will also be a special performance by the 80-voice Festival honor Choir, comprised of students from all 24 participating schools. Grant Gershon, music director of the LA Master Chorale, conducts both choirs.
The 900-voice massed choir performs Alexandra Pascanu’s Chindia, Sure on this Shining Night by Samuel Barber, and Alma Llanera composed by Pedro Gutierrez and arranged by Angel Sauce. Also on the program are Ola Gjeilo’s Ubi caritas, William L. Dawson’s Ain’ –a That Good News, and Hallelujah from Handel’s Messiah.
The 80-voice Festival Honor Choir joins forces with the LAMC’s professional Chamber Singers to sing Laudamus te from Francis Poulenc’s Gloria, David Dickau’s Stars I Shall Find, and the traditional Swahili spiritual Wana Baraka arranged by Shawn Kirchner. Students participating in the Honor Choir were nominated for the prestigious group by their choir directors. To prepare for the performance, they attended separate rehearsals with Mr. Gershon.
“The High School Choir Festival is one of the highlights of the Chorale’s season,†said Gershon. “These students and their choir directors work so hard to prepare for the festival and they are amazingly talented.”
Participating choirs include Arroyo High School, Chamber Singers (El Monte), Jennifer Stanley, director; Bassett High School, Chamber Choir (La Puente), Nona Watson, director; Central Los Angeles High School #9, Concert Choir (Los Angeles), Desiree Fowler, director; Culver City High School, AVPA Chamber Singers (Culver City), Dr. Tony Spano, director; El Monte High School, A Cappella Choir (El Monte), Joel Whisler, director; Glendale High School, Chamber Choir (Glendale) Grace Sheldon-Williams, director; Glendora High School, Royal Stewarts (Glendora) Dr. Brian Trevor, director; Granada Hills Charter High School, Highlander Honor Choir (Granada Hills), Craig Gruenberg, director; Knight High School, Travel Ensemble (Palmdale) John Crocker, Jr., director; Lakewood High School, Madrigal Singers (Lakewood) Ralph Siemsen, director; Loyola High School, Choir (Los Angeles), Steven Speciale, director; Mark Keppel High School, Aztec Singers (Alhambra), Tony Azeltine, director.
Also participating are: Marymount High School, Marymount Singers, (Los Angeles) Rebecca Florido, director; Montebello High School, Golden Keys (Montebello), Nancy Schwartz, director; Narbonne High School, Vocal Ensemble/Honor Choir (Harbor City), Carol J. Levin, director; Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, Varsity Voices (Palos Verdes Estates), Daniel Doctor, director; Pioneer High School, Titan Tones (Whittier), Evan Mooney, director; Rosemead High School, A Cappella Choir (Rosemead), Ruth Gray, director; South High School, Southland Singers (Torrance), Elizabeth Turner, director; Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Dorsey Dons Choir (Los Angeles), Crystal Nichols, director; Sylmar High School, Spartan Chorale (Sylmar), Greg Broadous, director; Venice High School, Allegros (Los Angeles), Wendy Kornbeck, director; Wilson Classical High School, Chamber Singers (Long Beach), Curtis Heard, director; and Woodrow Wilson High School, Choir (Los Angeles) Daniel Safford, director.
Event sponsors include the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs; the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; Metropolitan Associates; the Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation; the Lon V. Smith Foundation; the John and Beverly Stauffer Foundation; the Charitable Foundation, Agent Community Outreach of Prudential California Realty; and the Weingart Foundation. The Los Angeles Master Chorale High School Choir Festival was founded in 1989 by the Los Angeles Master Chorale Associates, under the leadership of Phyllis Rothrock.
The Los Angeles Master Chorale’s High School Choir Festival is FREE and seating is first come, first served. The Walt Disney Concert Hall is located at 111 South Grand Avenue at First Street in Los Angeles.
For information and to order free tickets for the concert, please call (213) 972-7282 or visit www.lamc.org/HSCF.
