SoCal Choirs Join voices in Choral Fest

The Westmont Fall Choral Festival, combining the voices of more than 450 students from 13 local high schools, is Friday, Oct. 30, at 4:45 p.m. and 7 p.m., both in First Presbyterian Church, 21 E. Constance Ave. Half of the choirs will perform at 4:45 p.m. and the remaining half will perform prior to Westmont ensembles at 7 p.m. 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 Heritage Christian School Grace Notes Women’s Choir, San Marcos High School Madcappella Choir, Academy of Music at Hamilton High School’s Advanced Women’s Ensemble, Saugus High School Concert Choir, Fullerton Union High School Vocal Ensemble, Fresno Christian Belle Voci, Sunnyside High School, Redlands Adventist Academy Kantorei and the Cate School Camerata. The Westmont Chorale Union, a combination of Men’s Chorale and Women’s Chorale, will conclude the performance.

The evening concert will include performances by the Oak Park High School Concert Choir, Nipomo High School Choir, Highland High School Chamber Choir, Oaks Christian School Advanced Women’s Chorus, Heritage Christian School Resonate Chamber Singers, San Marcos High School Madrigal Singers and the Academy of Music at Hamilton High School’s Chamber Singers. The performance will conclude with the Westmont Chamber Singers and the Westmont College Choir. The festival will conclude with all of the high school groups combining to perform a mass choral piece, “Salvation is created,” by Pavel Tschesnokoff.

Before performing, the students will attend workshops with Westmont professors Grey Brothers, Steve Hodson and Michael Shasberger, Adams professor of music and worship, and adjunct instructor Robert Rockabrand.

This year’s guest clinician is Nathan Kreitzer, founder and artistic director of the Santa Barbara City College Quire of Voyces. Kreitzer, director of choral and vocal activities at SBCC and director of music at First United Methodist Church, earned a master’s degree in choral conducting from the University of California at Irvine.