More than 570 Teens to Sing in Santa Barbara
More than 570 students from 15 California high schools join the Westmont College Choir at the ninth annual Westmont Fall Choral Festival on Friday, Nov. 1. Half of the choirs will perform at 4:45 p.m. in First Presbyterian Church, 21 E. Constance Ave. The remaining half will perform prior to the Westmont ensembles at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian. Both performances are free and open to the public, although seating is limited. For more information, please call (805) 565-6040.
The afternoon concert features the Westmont Men’s and Women’s Chorales along with the first-year chamber ensemble. The Westmont Chamber Singers and College Choir will be the featured performers on the evening program. The Westmont College Choir will sing works by Hugo Distler, F. Melius Christiansen and Moses Hogan along with new works from Tanzania and the Philippines. The evening concert concludes with all choirs performing a mass choral piece, “Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11” by Gabriel Fauré.
At workshops before the performance, singers will work with Westmont professors Grey Brothers, Steve Hodson and Michael Shasberger, Adams professor of music and worship, and adjunct instructors Robert Rockabrand and Joanna Wasserman. Tom Davies, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo choir director, and KuanFen Liu, CSU Channel Islands choir instructor, will also be teaching.
This year’s participating high school choirs include: Arlington High School Chamber Singers, Cathedral City High School Lions’ Pride Chamber Singers, Frontier High School Concert Choir, Fullerton Union High School Vocal Ensemble, Highland High School Chamber Choir, Irvine High School Irvine Singers, Maranatha High School Mixed Ensemble, Oaks Christian School Oaks Chorale, Providence High School Providence Chorale, Redlands Adventist Academy Kantorei, San Marcos High School Madcappella Choir, Santa Barbara High School A Capella and Madrigal Singers, Saugus High School Concert Choir, Sunnyside High School Cantus Vocem and Woodcrest Christian School Chamber Singers.