AUGUST 2009

DEAR FRIENDS,

This month:

• Auditions: Join The Chorus!
  
• Catered By The Chorus
  
• Paula West sings at SFGMC's Crescendo
  
• Holiday Music Survey - Thanks!
  

CATERED BY THE CHORUS
This month is SFGMC's Catered By The Chorus! Chorus members host dinners in their homes or at restaurants. There are still several dinners available. This is a great chance to get to know me or a chorus member in an intimate setting.

Click here to learn more or sign up for a dinner: https://sfgmc.musetta.org/catered_by_the_chorus_meals

There are still a few seats available at my dinner on Wednesday, August 12, 6:30 pm. Please visit: https://sfgmc.musetta.org/catered_by_the_chorus_meals/27

Hope to see you there!

PAULA WEST SINGS AT CRESCENDO
Dinner guests from Catered By The Chorus then go to the Crescendo gala party (Sat. Aug. 15, 7 PM - this weekend!), which is included in the cost of dinner. (Separate tickets are also available to Crescendo for patrons not attending a dinner.) This year's Crescendo is bigger and better than ever, held at the San Francisco Westin Market Street, including unique auction items, the Walls Of Wine, and a performance by the inimitable jazz singer Paula West.

ABOUT PAULA WEST: With a particular dusky soulfulness, West has captured the hearts of critics and audiences alike from coast to coast. Known and respected for her creative and distinct repertoire, West adds her own depth and drama to whichever song she chooses for the moment, creating whole new frameworks of meaning for American favorites. Without fail, the songs come from a place of sincerity.

West has performed to sold out houses at The Rrazz Room in San Francisco and at The Oak Room in New York's Algonquin Hotel, increasing her international exposure through broadcasts and performances throughout Europe. West has also sung at major jazz festivals and has shared the bill with numerous jazz luminaries including the late Rosemary Clooney, Stacey Kent, Freddy Cole, Jimmy Scott, Oscar Brown Jr., Rita Rudner and Mavis Staples. Her critically acclaimed CDs include Temptation, Restless and Come What May, which received the California Music Award for Outstanding Jazz Album.

AUDITIONS: JOIN THE CHORUS!
Have you always wanted to sing in the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus? Here's your chance to join up! We're especially looking for first (high) tenors and basses at the next auditions in September.

The audition process is not as challenging or scary as you might think. We even hold an Audition Clinic the week before the audition (aka "everything you ever wanted to know about SFGMC auditions but were afraid to ask) where we walk you through the audition process with other audition candidates. You do not need to prepare a song. The entire audition takes about 4 or 5 minutes. You can also come to an Open Rehearsal, which gives you the chance to "audition" the chorus and see if you feel comfortable.

SFGMC auditions for new members twice yearly. Our next auditions will be held September 1, 2009, at 44 Page Street, San Francisco.

Audition Clinic - Monday, August 24, 7 PM
Open Rehearsal - Monday, August 31, 7 PM
New Member Auditions - Tuesday, September 1. Auditions by appointment.

To sign up or to learn more, please click on this link:
https://sfgmcdb.org/audition_registrations/new

HOLIDAY MUSIC SURVEY - THANKS!
In July, we collected responses from chorus and audience members to learn which are your favorite holiday songs sung by SFGMC since 1990! Some of you were astonished by the length of the survey, but 20 years is a long time. We received 285 responses, which is great! Thank you to those of you who responded. We will use the responses to inform decisions about the program for the 20th Annual Holiday Concerts this December. The chorus will start rehearsing music for the holiday concert at the end of August. We look forward to seeing you in December, when you can see if your favorites were selected!