This month From The Podium has gone MULTI-MEDIA! Enjoy video clips including excerpts from our California Freedom Tour, sneak preview performances of our next concert, and even a Pre-Concert Chat!
This coming Saturday, June 12, is our CLASSICS Concert titled Magnificat. For the first time, SFGMC is joining forces with the San Francisco Girls Chorus Alumnae. Another first is that this will be the first time SFGMC has presented a concert at Old First Church. The venue is near and dear to some in our Chorus who are members of this open and affirming congregation, and two chorus members, Dan Joranstaad and Bob Hermann, were married there.
As well as providing a stunningly beautiful setting for this program, the acoustics are positively dreamy. Below, you can learn more about our program by clicking on a video of me presenting a Pre-Concert Chat about John Rutter's Magnificat.
This month's From The Podium topics:
This coming Saturday, June 12, is our CLASSICS Concert titled Magnificat. For the first time, SFGMC is joining forces with the San Francisco Girls Chorus Alumnae. Another first is that this will be the first time SFGMC has presented a concert at Old First Church. The venue is near and dear to some in our Chorus who are members of this open and affirming congregation, and two chorus members, Dan Joranstaad and Bob Hermann, were married there.
As well as providing a stunningly beautiful setting for this program, the acoustics are positively dreamy. Below, you can learn more about our program by clicking on a video of me presenting a Pre-Concert Chat about John Rutter's Magnificat.
This month's From The Podium topics:
- MAGNIFICAT Pre-Concert Chat ONLINE!
- New Awards from KQED and The American Prize
- CD of the Month: California Freedom Tour 2010
- California Freedom Tour - 2nd Leg In Review
CONDUCTOR'S PRE-CONCERT CHAT ONLINE!
No, you don't have to show up early before the concert on Saturday. Instead, you can enjoy the Conductor's Pre-Concert Chat right now in the comfort of your own home or office! Simply click below. (Thank you, Ken McPherson and Bud Dillon, for filming and producing this clip).
Also, view the two clips below for concert preview/promo (the first was produced by Sean Chapin). The audio provided in all clips were recorded at rehearsals over the last two weeks. (Thank you, Joseph Pritchard, for your assistance with audio recording.)
I hope these videos will encourage you to come and enjoy the whole concert on Saturday!
In rehearsal on Monday, June 7 at Old First Church, San Francisco:
AWARDS NEWS...
2010 marks the inaugural presentations of The American Prize. The American Prize is a series of new, non-profit national competitions unique in scope and structure, providing cash awards, professional adjudication and regional, national and international recognition. Each year, The American Prize rewards the best recorded performances of music by individuals and ensembles in the United States at the professional, community/amateur, college/university, church and school levels.
"...in cities large and small all across the United States, great music is being made–in schools and churches, in colleges and universities, and by community and professional musicians. The media does not always tell us about these artists, but they are there, entertaining audiences, educating young people, and contributing to the quality of life in the communities they serve. It is time their work was recognized. That is the reason for The American Prize..."
Here is an excerpt from a media release published May 16, 2010:
12 of 22 COMMUNITY CHORUS SEMI-FINALISTS ADVANCED to FINAL ROUND
Twelve of twenty-two semi-finalists in the community chorus division for The American Prize in Choral Performance have been advanced to the final round of the competition. In making the announcement, chief judge David Katz was exuberant in his praise of the applicants.
"Of all the spring 2010 contests of The American Prize, the most exciting may be the competition for The American Prize in Choral Performance in the community chorus category. Just to select the twelve finalists from the original twenty-two was a challenge. Here is everything any judge could wish for—committed, exciting, vibrant and beautifully sung recordings in a broad repertoire, presenting a level of technical skill and bravura that is truly astonishing.
"If there is any area of music-making in this country that is too often overlooked by the broader national media, it may be our community choruses, and to that end, The American Prize hopes to help by offering regional, national and international visibility. Each ensemble is worthy of praise on its merits, worthy of our admiration, and our heartfelt thanks. We must pick a winner from among them all, but happily, the decision-making is shared. It will not be easy. Ultimately, in this company, there can be no loser." - David Katz, chief judge, The American Prize
To view a complete list of finalists, visit:
http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/
SF LGBT Pride turns 40 this years, and as part of its celebrations, organizers have invited all of the Community Grand Marshals to be honored once more for their contributions towards 40 years of Pride in San Francisco. I was a Grand Marshal in 2006, so I will be one of the 40th Anniversary Grand Marshal this year. Keeps your eyes peeled for me in the Parade, also for SFGMC's fabulous Parade Float. The guys are really putting a lot into the Float this year!
KQED celebrates the richness and diversity of the greater San Francisco Bay Area by commemorating Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Month. In June, KQED Public Televison, KQED Public Radio, and KQED's digital television channels broadcast a special lineup of programs focused on LGBT themes and issues. For a listing of programs, visit kqed.org/heritage.
This year, I am proud and humbled that KQED has selected me as a 2010 LGBT Local Hero, along with Shane Snowdon (LGBT Resource Center, UCSF), Gloria Soliz (The Last Drag), and Anne Tamar-Mattis.(Advocates for Informed Choice). You are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony at the Castro Theatre on Tuesday, June 29, 6:30 pm. The ceremony will be followed immediately by a free screening of the film, The Castro. If you wish to attend, you must RSVP. Details are below.
FREE SCREENING OF "THE CASTRO"
KQED celebrates LGBT Pride month with a special free screening of their award-winning documentary The Castro. Join KQED President and CEO John L. Boland as KQED honors local heroes from our community, followed by a screening of "The Castro," the 90-minute documentary that tells the dramatic story of how a quiet corner of San Francisco became the cornerstone of a movement--an international symbol of gay liberation.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010, 6:30–8:30pm
The Castro Theatre, San Francisco
Please click here to RSVP and register for tickets
CALIFORNIA FREEDOM TOUR - 2ND LEG
On the weekend of Harvey Milk's Birthday, two bus loads of chorus members traveled to Fresno and Bakersfield, performing at the Tower Theatre and Fox Theatre in those cities. Performing to audiences of about 400 in each venue (exceeding our expected 300), the chorus brought its unique brand of fun and important messages to these conservative locales. In Fresno, SFGMC was joined by Fresno Gay Men's Chorus, and in Bakersfield, the Rainbow Voices.
Pictured above: SFGMC performs "If You Were Gay at the Tower Theatre, Fresno. Photo by Howard K. Watkins.
Sean Chapin put together the next video to commemorate SFGMC's participation in this first, official Harvey Milk Birthday day in California:
Below: SFGMC performs in Fresno, May 22, 2010
CD OF THE MONTH:
CALIFORNIA FREEDOM TOUR 2010
SFGMC's Summer Madness CD Sale continues (only $4.99 each for back catalog CD), AND you can avail yourself of SFGMC's brand new, hot off the press California Freedom Tour CD!
May 22 (Milk's birthday) was the release of SFGMC's California Freedom Tour CD, which was recorded on the first leg of the tour back in January, when the chorus visited Redding and Chico. The new CD features music from the Tour. Sales will help to cover the cost of touring so that local nonprofits as well as co-presenter PFLAG will benefit fully from the tour.
CD Insert Notes:
If there were ever any question as to the role that culture plays in social change, that question was answered by the Chorus and its partners when the 2010 California Freedom Tour debuted in Northern California in January.
Voices were raised, lives were changed, and hearts were opened on both sides of the footlights. Chorus members, audiences, local residents, and communities communicated in the universal language of music to begin a process of healing and change. The theatres were sold-out; audiences rose spontaneously - not once, not twice, but three times - as transformation after transformation moved them. The impact was immediate and palpable, and will continue to resonate in the lives of all who were touched by this memorable occasion.
We hoped that it would be an affirming experience for everyone touched by our music and energize grass roots organizing for social change. The tour – SFGMC’s gift to the people and communities of California – is exceeding our wildest dreams.
We shall always remember this time as a mountaintop experience and hope that, as you listen to the live, unedited magic, you will be inspired in your own personal quest for freedom.
No, you don't have to show up early before the concert on Saturday. Instead, you can enjoy the Conductor's Pre-Concert Chat right now in the comfort of your own home or office! Simply click below. (Thank you, Ken McPherson and Bud Dillon, for filming and producing this clip).
Also, view the two clips below for concert preview/promo (the first was produced by Sean Chapin). The audio provided in all clips were recorded at rehearsals over the last two weeks. (Thank you, Joseph Pritchard, for your assistance with audio recording.)
I hope these videos will encourage you to come and enjoy the whole concert on Saturday!
In rehearsal on Monday, June 7 at Old First Church, San Francisco:
AWARDS NEWS...
2010 marks the inaugural presentations of The American Prize. The American Prize is a series of new, non-profit national competitions unique in scope and structure, providing cash awards, professional adjudication and regional, national and international recognition. Each year, The American Prize rewards the best recorded performances of music by individuals and ensembles in the United States at the professional, community/amateur, college/university, church and school levels."...in cities large and small all across the United States, great music is being made–in schools and churches, in colleges and universities, and by community and professional musicians. The media does not always tell us about these artists, but they are there, entertaining audiences, educating young people, and contributing to the quality of life in the communities they serve. It is time their work was recognized. That is the reason for The American Prize..."
—Preamble to Creating the American Prize, 2008
SFGMC has been selected as a Choral Performance Finalist, and I have been selected as a Choral Conducting Finalist. Winners will be announced later this month. Fingers crossed! Even if we don't win, being selected as Finalists is a great honor as there were many applicants from across the United States.Here is an excerpt from a media release published May 16, 2010:
12 of 22 COMMUNITY CHORUS SEMI-FINALISTS ADVANCED to FINAL ROUND
Twelve of twenty-two semi-finalists in the community chorus division for The American Prize in Choral Performance have been advanced to the final round of the competition. In making the announcement, chief judge David Katz was exuberant in his praise of the applicants.
"Of all the spring 2010 contests of The American Prize, the most exciting may be the competition for The American Prize in Choral Performance in the community chorus category. Just to select the twelve finalists from the original twenty-two was a challenge. Here is everything any judge could wish for—committed, exciting, vibrant and beautifully sung recordings in a broad repertoire, presenting a level of technical skill and bravura that is truly astonishing.
"If there is any area of music-making in this country that is too often overlooked by the broader national media, it may be our community choruses, and to that end, The American Prize hopes to help by offering regional, national and international visibility. Each ensemble is worthy of praise on its merits, worthy of our admiration, and our heartfelt thanks. We must pick a winner from among them all, but happily, the decision-making is shared. It will not be easy. Ultimately, in this company, there can be no loser." - David Katz, chief judge, The American Prize
To view a complete list of finalists, visit:
http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/
SF LGBT Pride turns 40 this years, and as part of its celebrations, organizers have invited all of the Community Grand Marshals to be honored once more for their contributions towards 40 years of Pride in San Francisco. I was a Grand Marshal in 2006, so I will be one of the 40th Anniversary Grand Marshal this year. Keeps your eyes peeled for me in the Parade, also for SFGMC's fabulous Parade Float. The guys are really putting a lot into the Float this year!
KQED celebrates the richness and diversity of the greater San Francisco Bay Area by commemorating Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Month. In June, KQED Public Televison, KQED Public Radio, and KQED's digital television channels broadcast a special lineup of programs focused on LGBT themes and issues. For a listing of programs, visit kqed.org/heritage.This year, I am proud and humbled that KQED has selected me as a 2010 LGBT Local Hero, along with Shane Snowdon (LGBT Resource Center, UCSF), Gloria Soliz (The Last Drag), and Anne Tamar-Mattis.(Advocates for Informed Choice). You are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony at the Castro Theatre on Tuesday, June 29, 6:30 pm. The ceremony will be followed immediately by a free screening of the film, The Castro. If you wish to attend, you must RSVP. Details are below.
FREE SCREENING OF "THE CASTRO"
KQED celebrates LGBT Pride month with a special free screening of their award-winning documentary The Castro. Join KQED President and CEO John L. Boland as KQED honors local heroes from our community, followed by a screening of "The Castro," the 90-minute documentary that tells the dramatic story of how a quiet corner of San Francisco became the cornerstone of a movement--an international symbol of gay liberation.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010, 6:30–8:30pm
The Castro Theatre, San Francisco
Please click here to RSVP and register for tickets
CALIFORNIA FREEDOM TOUR - 2ND LEG
On the weekend of Harvey Milk's Birthday, two bus loads of chorus members traveled to Fresno and Bakersfield, performing at the Tower Theatre and Fox Theatre in those cities. Performing to audiences of about 400 in each venue (exceeding our expected 300), the chorus brought its unique brand of fun and important messages to these conservative locales. In Fresno, SFGMC was joined by Fresno Gay Men's Chorus, and in Bakersfield, the Rainbow Voices.Pictured above: SFGMC performs "If You Were Gay at the Tower Theatre, Fresno. Photo by Howard K. Watkins.
Sean Chapin put together the next video to commemorate SFGMC's participation in this first, official Harvey Milk Birthday day in California:
Below: SFGMC performs in Fresno, May 22, 2010
CD OF THE MONTH:CALIFORNIA FREEDOM TOUR 2010
SFGMC's Summer Madness CD Sale continues (only $4.99 each for back catalog CD), AND you can avail yourself of SFGMC's brand new, hot off the press California Freedom Tour CD!
May 22 (Milk's birthday) was the release of SFGMC's California Freedom Tour CD, which was recorded on the first leg of the tour back in January, when the chorus visited Redding and Chico. The new CD features music from the Tour. Sales will help to cover the cost of touring so that local nonprofits as well as co-presenter PFLAG will benefit fully from the tour.
CD Insert Notes:
If there were ever any question as to the role that culture plays in social change, that question was answered by the Chorus and its partners when the 2010 California Freedom Tour debuted in Northern California in January.
Voices were raised, lives were changed, and hearts were opened on both sides of the footlights. Chorus members, audiences, local residents, and communities communicated in the universal language of music to begin a process of healing and change. The theatres were sold-out; audiences rose spontaneously - not once, not twice, but three times - as transformation after transformation moved them. The impact was immediate and palpable, and will continue to resonate in the lives of all who were touched by this memorable occasion.
We hoped that it would be an affirming experience for everyone touched by our music and energize grass roots organizing for social change. The tour – SFGMC’s gift to the people and communities of California – is exceeding our wildest dreams.
We shall always remember this time as a mountaintop experience and hope that, as you listen to the live, unedited magic, you will be inspired in your own personal quest for freedom.
- Dr. Kathleen McGuire, Artistic Director and Conductor
- Teddy Witherington, Executive Director
May 22, 2010
Tracks List:- Teddy Witherington, Executive Director
May 22, 2010
- California Here I Come
- Seasons Of Love from Rent
- In This Very Room
- William’s Song
- My Rising Up
- Over The Rainbow from The Wizard Of Oz as performed by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
- If You Were Gay from Avenue Q
- Michael's Letter To Mama from Tales of Michael Mouse
- Abraham, Martin, John
- Not In Our Town
- Oh, Happy Day
- Make Your Own Kind Of Music / New World Coming
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