Written by Mary Dan Eades on July 9, 2014
Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation Celebrates Women in the Military
While women have always participated in wartime efforts, prior to the Korean War they were not allowed to serve as regular members of the armed forces — except for nurses — during peacetime. In 1948, however, President Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, which allowed females to retain permanent military positions. Nowadays, women hold myriad ranks and roles in the U.S. military alongside their male counterparts. Each year, Santa Barbara’s Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation, which was founded in 2003, holds an event in celebration of our soldiers.
Produced by board member Marilyn Gilbert, this year’s theme is “Honoring Women in the Military” and will be a musical tribute featuring a full orchestra, the Santa Barbara Choral Society, and bagpipers. Gilbert is currently looking to have as many area female soldiers attend as possible. “My idea is to have a phalanx of women march up the center aisle of the First Presbyterian Church to kick off the concert this year,” she said. “It’s time to honor the ‘silent majority’ and thank them for their service to this country.”
The event takes place Sunday, November 9, 3 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 21 East Constance Avenue. If you are a veteran or currently in active duty or know a woman who is, pass this opportunity onto her. All veterans and current military personnel are invited to attend free of charge. For more information, contact Marilyn Gilbert at 969-7183 or mgilbertsb@gmail.com.
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.