Written by Mary Dan Eades on September 1, 2014
The 2014-15 season will commence rehearsals Wednesday September 3 and with it may come the need to replace or update supplies! If you’re new to the chorus and need a black music folder (or if your old folder is a little ragged from long use) you can support SBCS when you purchase a new one here. This one comes with inside pockets and either elastic bands to hold the music or rings, if you prefer. Nothing more embarrassing than having your music fall out in the middle of a concert!
One of the biggest benefits of singing with SBCS is the chance to really improve your vocal musicianship. JoAnne mentioned the Ottman Music for Sight Singing texts, used in many college and university choral performance programs as one good way to improve sight reading skills. While not cheap, by any means, the benefit clearly outweighs the cost! The text is available in both soft cover and in Kindle editions for use anywhere, anytime from an iPad or smart phone. That’s what I got and it couldn’t be more convenient!
How about a tuning fork? Haven’t you always wanted one to be sure your pitch is pitch perfect?
American baritone, Ralph Cato has travelled the world extensively, telling stories in song with his warm, clarion baritone voice.
Tenor, Benjamin Brecher has performed over fifty operatic roles with many of the world’s most prestigious opera companies, specializing in the high lying lyric tenor repertoire. He has performed 16 roles with New York City Opera alone. Career highlights include performances with Opera Orchestra of New York, L’Opera de Nice, Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, L’Opera de Montreal, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, among many others. His orchestral solo repertoire includes Mozart, Handel, Orff, Bach, Haydn, as well as many performances of Britten. In 2000 he began performing the great Irish Tenor songs in a concert produced for him entitled A Celtic Celebration, Twenty years later, the show has become a North American hit with performances with 45 Symphonies in North America. Ben continues his discography having added his twelfth recording in 2016 Forgotten Liszt, with pianist Robert Koenig, and will record a new release in 2022 entitled “Three Centuries of Thomas Moore” including the music of Britten, Berlioz, and Sarah Gibson on MSR Classics. He is a Professor of Voice at University of California Santa Barbara, where he has served as the Head of Voice.
Tracy Van Fleet is pleased to return to the Santa Barbara Choral Society. As a soloist, she has performed with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Lüneburg Symphony in Germany, Orquesta Filarmónica de Boca del Río in Mexico, Pasadena Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Los Angeles Bach Festival, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, Colorado Philharmonic, USC Symphony and Chorus, and others. She has had many appearances with the Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Opera Pacific, San Diego Opera and Opera Colorado.
Born and raised in Southern California, April Amante is a versatile soprano with expertise and facility in repertoire spanning from early music to contemporary musical theater.