DEAR FRIENDS,
In this month's issue:
- Sneak preview: RockAria! Concert
- SFGMC Partners with Mission High School
- Out And Loud Choral Festival, New Zealand
- CD of the Month
On Thursday, April 22, 8 pm, SFGMC will present RockAria! at Davies Symphony Hall. We will encourage you to take your seat and fasten your seatbelt as together we fuse classic rock, choral music, choreography and social media on an epic scale. During the concert, we will give you cues to take photos, post, and tweet so that you can share the experience with your friends! And, speaking of (new) friends, we are excited to welcome our special guests, the Mission High School Chorus (read on - more details about this below).
The songs in our program represent the four decades in which SFGMC has existed. Following on from the success of last year’s ‘60s concert, Tune In, Turn Up, Sing Out, members of the chorus were eager this year to bring you some of their favorites from the ‘70s to the present day. Narrowing down four decades was certainly a challenge; the songs selected are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many wonderful tunes that have created the soundtracks of our lives.
The chorus has been working hard for months not only practicing their music, but also rehearsing complicated choreographed routines. The full chorus will dance, plus a group of specialty dancers (trained by our very talented Steve Valdez) will "wow" you as only SFGMC can! Also joining us on stage will be Cheer SF.
Our program is divided into several categories. We begin with Classic Rock, including our concert title piece, “Rockaria!” by the Electric Light Orchestra. ELO’s quintessential strings are restored here by members of the Community Women’s Orchestra, who appear again in Act II. Also in Act I are songs made famous by Women In Rock, and artists who found their roots in the Motown label and Rhythm and Blues. Mission High School Chorus brings us “Love” by Kirk Franklin. Although this is a gospel/R&B rather than rock selection, R&B hits have crossed over into the rock arena since the ‘60s.
In Act II, we bring you hits made famous by bands from the San Francisco Bay Area, Rock Ballads, a fabulous Rockin’ Sing-Along Medley, and hits of the New Millennium. Gay artists are represented along the way via Freddie Mercury ("Somebody to Love", "We Will Rock You"), Elton John ("Crocodile Rock"), and if you list very carefully, you may even hear a tribute to recently "out" Puerto Rican singer, Ricky Martin (pictured right).Here's is complete list of the program, including 29 fabulous rock hits. I look forward to seeing you on April 22 for a very special, high-energy night of incredible entertainment!
RockAria! Act 1
CLASSIC ROCK
Rockaria!
by Jeff Lynn (Electric Light Orchestra), arranged by Kathleen McGuire
Solo: Erik Green (Ken Graham) / Frank Federico (Chris Wardell)
Living On A Prayer
by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child (Bon Jovi), arranged by Tim Sarsany
Leave It
by Trevor Horn, Trevor Rabin, and Chris Squire (YES), performed by The Lollipop Guild
Paul Saccone, Music Director
Somebody to Love
by Freddie Mercury (Queen), arranged by Kathleen McGuire
Solo: Edward Moose Maravilla (Jose “Sapo” Lizarraga)
WOMEN IN ROCK
Venus
by Robbie van Leeuwen (Shocking Blue), arranged by Kathleen McGuire
Material Madrigirl
by Peter Brown and Roberta Rans (Madonna), arranged by Anne Albritton, conducted by Garry Hanna (Assistant Conductor)
Mickey
by Michael Chapman and Nicky Chinn (Toni Basil), arranged by Steve Milloy, choreography by Sanford Smith
Special Guests: Cheer SF
RHYTHM & BLUES
Don’t You Worry ’Bout A Thing
by Stevie Wonder, arranged by Steve Milloy, performed by Vocal Minority
Carl Pantle, Music Director
Love
by Kirk Franklin, directed by Steven Hankle, performed by Mission High School Chorus
Pianist: Eric Young
MICHAEL JACKSON MEDLEY
arranged by Kurt Schneider, re-voiced for men’s chorus by Kathleen McGuire
originally performed by Sam Tsui on YouTube
Solo: Gregory J. Gorman / Edwin Morales / Oky Sulistio
Beatbox: Joseph Klaypeen S. Peralta
I’ll Be There
by Berry Gordy, Bob West, Hal Davis, and Willie Hutch
Man In The Mirror
by Siedah Garrett and Glen Ballar
Thriller
by Rod Temperton
Beat It
by Michael Jackson
Smooth Criminal
by Michael Jackson
Billie Jean
by Michael Jackson
RockAria! Act 2
SAN FRANCISCO ROCK
Don’t Stop Believin’
by Steve Perry, Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain (Journey), arranged by Adam Anders and Tim Davis, re-voiced for men’s chorus by Kathleen McGuire
Black Water
by Patrick Simmons (Doobie Brothers), arranged by Tim Sarsany
GREAT ROCK BALLADS
arranged by Kathleen McGuire
Solo: Jimmy White (Robbie Huddleston)
Recorder: Asa Stern
Stairway To Heaven by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad by Jim Steinman (Meat Loaf)
Eternal Flame by Billy Steunberg, Tom Kelly, and Susanna Hoffs (The Bangles)
A Horse With No Name by Dewey Bunnell (America)
ROCKIN’ SING-ALONG MEDLEY
arranged by Kathleen McGuire
Solo: Terrence J. McLaughlin (Stephen Camarota) / Sean Chapin (Steve Garber)
Rock And Roll All Nite by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons (KISS)
I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker (Joan Jett)
We Will Rock You by Brian May (Queen)
It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me by Billy Joel
Crocodile Rock by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, arranged by Tim Sarsany
NEW MILLENIUM ROCK
Viva La Vida
by Guy Berryman, Jim Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin (Coldplay), arranged by Kathleen McGuire
I Gotta Feeling
by Will Adams, Allan Pineda, Jaime Gomez, Stacy Ferguson, David Guetta and Frederic Reisterer (The Black Eyed Peas), arranged by Mark Brymer, re-voiced for men’s chorus by Kathleen McGuire
Performed with Mission High School Chorus
Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)
by Thaddis Harrell Jr., Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash, Christopher A. Stewart (Beyoncé Knowles), arranged by Steve Milloy
SFGMC PARTNERS WITH MISSION HIGH SCHOOL
For five years, Mission High School in San Francisco was without a music program. Recently, however, the school's new principal, Eric Gutherz, hired choral director Steven Hankle and the music program has come back to life. SFGMC is devoted to encouraging music education in schools, and is presenting a special lunchtime preview concert at Mission High School on Thursday, April 15. The concert will include selections from SFGMC's RockAria! concert. The 65-voice Mission High School Chorus will sing with SFGMC the Black Eyed Peas' hit, "I Gotta Feeling." Last week, I visited the school and taught the song to some of the students. Mission High School is a mostly African-American and Hispanic student body, and although there is a Gay-Straight Alliance group at the school, most students have little interaction with the LGBT individuals or the nearby Castro neighborhood.
The preview concert will be presented in the school auditorium for the entire school as part of a school-wide educational and awareness-raising week of events leading up to the National Day of Silence (April 16, 2010).
The National Day of Silence is coordinated by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Each year, hundreds of thousands of students come together to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior. The concert on April 15 will be the centerpiece of this effort. We have also invited the school choir to have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of joining SFGMC on stage at Davies Symphony Hall on April 22. Up to fifty of their classmates will be invited to attend the concert in the audience, on the condition that they then try out for the school choir.
Our goal in bringing this program to Mission High School is to entertain, inspire, affirm, and educate the students: entertain with great music; inspire students to connect with their artistic and humanitarian spirit; affirm the sexual orientation and/or gender identity of all student; educate by teaching music and providing a positive image of LGBT contributions to community life.
CD OF THE MONTH: SFGMC DOES QUEEN
In April, 2002, SFGMC presented a tribute to Freddie Mercury and the British Rock Band: Queen. A CD was made of the concert, and we pressed 3000 copies, all of which sold in the next few years, making it one of the most successful CDs in SFGMC's history. All of the tracks are now available online via such outlets as iTunes. This month, SFGMC will reprise a couple of arrangements from this album in the RockAria! concert, most notably the epic anthem "Somebody To Love." Portland Gay Men's Chorus is also planning a performance later this month including most of the Queen concert (paired with selections from SFGMC's ExtrABBAganza).
OUT AND LOUD CHORAL FESTIVAL, NEW ZEALAND
In Auckland, New Zealand, April 2 - 4, 2010, the first ever gay and lesbian choral festival was held. I was fortunate to attend (representing the Gay And Lesbian Association of Choruses) and participate as conductor of the American Compilation Choir. This was also a "first," as it was the first time individuals had traveled from the United States to participate in the antipodean festival that had previously been held in Sydney (2001) and Melbourne (2007). The small group of singers from the US (pictured below, including SFGMC member Gary Kukus) were supplemented by singers from Melbourne, Canberra, and Auckland, resulting in a group of about 25 singers in all. We performed "Will I" from the musical Rent, and Bernice Johnson Reagon's "We Are the Ones" from the vocal ensemble, Sweet Honey In The Rock.
The Festival included workshops for chorus leaders and for singers, and a gala finale concert at the Auckland Town Hall. All ten participating choruses from around Australia and New Zealand performed in the concert as individual groups, and they also joined forces as a massed chorus of over 200 singers. The massed chorus opened the concert, performing "One Voice" (which had been written for the Gay Games in Sydney in 2002) and "Pokare Kare Ana" (a traditional Maori song), conducted by Stephen Bowness (Music Director, Gay And Lesbian Singers, Auckland). The massed chorus also performed at the end of the concert, premiering a stirring new commission by New Zealand composer David Hamilton for two mixed choirs and featuring the newly-refurbished organ and the recorded sound of a native bird. The concert, before an audience of over 500, concluded with my arrangement of "Anthem" from the musical Chess, which had been performed previously at the Opening Ceremony of Gay Games in Chicago in 2006.
The choruses that participated in the festival included:
Guest conductor Dr. Karen Grylls (pictured right) directed the final two pieces. Grylls is Associate Head of Undergraduate Studies, Associate Professor in Conducting, and Head of Choral Studies at the University of Auckland. She took up the position of Artistic Director of the New Zealand Youth Choir in 1989, and founded Voices New Zealand in 1998. In addition to being the current Artistic Director of both these national choirs, Dr. Grylls also directs the University of Auckland Chamber Choir.
A graduate of both Otago and Auckland Universities, Dr. Grylls studied post-graduate Conducting and Music Theory at the University of Washington, Seattle. In 1985 she returned to New Zealand to teach at the University of Auckland, and to take up the directorship of the Auckland Dorian Choir. Under Dr. Grylls' leadership, both the New Zealand Youth Choir and Voices New Zealand have enjoyed notable international successes. Dr. Grylls has many CD recordings to her credit and is in demand as an adjudicator and choral clinician.
For five years, Mission High School in San Francisco was without a music program. Recently, however, the school's new principal, Eric Gutherz, hired choral director Steven Hankle and the music program has come back to life. SFGMC is devoted to encouraging music education in schools, and is presenting a special lunchtime preview concert at Mission High School on Thursday, April 15. The concert will include selections from SFGMC's RockAria! concert. The 65-voice Mission High School Chorus will sing with SFGMC the Black Eyed Peas' hit, "I Gotta Feeling." Last week, I visited the school and taught the song to some of the students. Mission High School is a mostly African-American and Hispanic student body, and although there is a Gay-Straight Alliance group at the school, most students have little interaction with the LGBT individuals or the nearby Castro neighborhood.The preview concert will be presented in the school auditorium for the entire school as part of a school-wide educational and awareness-raising week of events leading up to the National Day of Silence (April 16, 2010).
The National Day of Silence is coordinated by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Each year, hundreds of thousands of students come together to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior. The concert on April 15 will be the centerpiece of this effort. We have also invited the school choir to have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of joining SFGMC on stage at Davies Symphony Hall on April 22. Up to fifty of their classmates will be invited to attend the concert in the audience, on the condition that they then try out for the school choir.
Our goal in bringing this program to Mission High School is to entertain, inspire, affirm, and educate the students: entertain with great music; inspire students to connect with their artistic and humanitarian spirit; affirm the sexual orientation and/or gender identity of all student; educate by teaching music and providing a positive image of LGBT contributions to community life.
CD OF THE MONTH: SFGMC DOES QUEEN
In April, 2002, SFGMC presented a tribute to Freddie Mercury and the British Rock Band: Queen. A CD was made of the concert, and we pressed 3000 copies, all of which sold in the next few years, making it one of the most successful CDs in SFGMC's history. All of the tracks are now available online via such outlets as iTunes. This month, SFGMC will reprise a couple of arrangements from this album in the RockAria! concert, most notably the epic anthem "Somebody To Love." Portland Gay Men's Chorus is also planning a performance later this month including most of the Queen concert (paired with selections from SFGMC's ExtrABBAganza).OUT AND LOUD CHORAL FESTIVAL, NEW ZEALAND
In Auckland, New Zealand, April 2 - 4, 2010, the first ever gay and lesbian choral festival was held. I was fortunate to attend (representing the Gay And Lesbian Association of Choruses) and participate as conductor of the American Compilation Choir. This was also a "first," as it was the first time individuals had traveled from the United States to participate in the antipodean festival that had previously been held in Sydney (2001) and Melbourne (2007). The small group of singers from the US (pictured below, including SFGMC member Gary Kukus) were supplemented by singers from Melbourne, Canberra, and Auckland, resulting in a group of about 25 singers in all. We performed "Will I" from the musical Rent, and Bernice Johnson Reagon's "We Are the Ones" from the vocal ensemble, Sweet Honey In The Rock.
The Festival included workshops for chorus leaders and for singers, and a gala finale concert at the Auckland Town Hall. All ten participating choruses from around Australia and New Zealand performed in the concert as individual groups, and they also joined forces as a massed chorus of over 200 singers. The massed chorus opened the concert, performing "One Voice" (which had been written for the Gay Games in Sydney in 2002) and "Pokare Kare Ana" (a traditional Maori song), conducted by Stephen Bowness (Music Director, Gay And Lesbian Singers, Auckland). The massed chorus also performed at the end of the concert, premiering a stirring new commission by New Zealand composer David Hamilton for two mixed choirs and featuring the newly-refurbished organ and the recorded sound of a native bird. The concert, before an audience of over 500, concluded with my arrangement of "Anthem" from the musical Chess, which had been performed previously at the Opening Ceremony of Gay Games in Chicago in 2006.
The choruses that participated in the festival included:
- American Compilation Choir (formed for the Festival)
- Brisbane Lesbian and Gay Pride Choir, Australia
- Canberra Gay and Lesbian Qwire, Aust.
- Gay & Lesbian Singers, Auckland, New Zealand
- GLOW Singers, Hamilton, NZ
- Gay and Lesbian Singers of Western Australia
- Homophones, Wellington, NZ
- Melbourne Gay & Lesbian Chorus, Aust.
- Outloud Gay & Lesbian Choir, Cairns, Aust.
- Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, Aust.
Guest conductor Dr. Karen Grylls (pictured right) directed the final two pieces. Grylls is Associate Head of Undergraduate Studies, Associate Professor in Conducting, and Head of Choral Studies at the University of Auckland. She took up the position of Artistic Director of the New Zealand Youth Choir in 1989, and founded Voices New Zealand in 1998. In addition to being the current Artistic Director of both these national choirs, Dr. Grylls also directs the University of Auckland Chamber Choir.A graduate of both Otago and Auckland Universities, Dr. Grylls studied post-graduate Conducting and Music Theory at the University of Washington, Seattle. In 1985 she returned to New Zealand to teach at the University of Auckland, and to take up the directorship of the Auckland Dorian Choir. Under Dr. Grylls' leadership, both the New Zealand Youth Choir and Voices New Zealand have enjoyed notable international successes. Dr. Grylls has many CD recordings to her credit and is in demand as an adjudicator and choral clinician.
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