Sacramento Events

Dancing the dream

2013-01-31T23:32:07Z

The polished hardwood floor was awash in color and light, as dozens of dancers swirled and spun in perfect synergy. The dancers swept across the floor in elegant tuxedos and dazzling gowns, in sequins and chiffon. Waltzes and tangos, rumbas and foxtrots—there was something for everyone.

Many of the dancers present at the fifth annual Dancing in the River City competition and show have been dancing and competing for decades, while some were relative newcomers. Many have switched partners over the years, as their individual abilities and interests have changed. Some are current and former titleholders in national and international events, and some have relocated to different cities, states, or even countries to pursue their passion.

The common denominator for all of the dancers gathered at The Ballroom on Folsom Blvd is just this: passion for dance, and in particular, passion for same sex ballroom dance.

The competitors and fans at Dancing in the River City (DITRC) were all there to support one of Sacramento’s most unique and enduring events, the North American Same Sex Partner Dance Association’s annual national championship. NASSPDA is the organization which sets the standards and rules for competitions for same sex dance in the US and Canada.

Same-sex Dancesport, also known as Equality Dance in Europe, took hold in Sacramento in about 2002; the first National Championship competition was held here in 2005. Former Women’s Latin World Champions and Gay Games gold medalists Camille Wojtasiak and sisters Kilee and Jamie Cooper taught the first same-sex classes in Sacramento. Many of the students from those early classes are at the heart and core of DITRC today. Same sex dance classes are now offered through several dance studios, including The Ballroom, which has fully embraced the same sex dance community.

This year’s event was a very special celebration for some of those same dancers. The theme for the 2013 popular dance show, held every year after the grueling full-day competition, was “Dancing the Dream—Do You Believe?”

Organizer and longtime dancer Cindy Mills was truly dancing her dream this year.

Mills fell in love with ballroom dance in that first long-ago class, and she pursued her dream with passion and intensity and talent—and a time bomb in her left quadricep. A rare and aggressive sarcoma cancer nearly ended her dancing dream. Mills underwent surgery, radiation, and physical therapy, and her strength of will and her newfound love for dance carried her through it all. In just a few months she was back on the dance floor, and over the next several years she danced her way across the world, competing in the Chicago Gay Games, in the World Championships, in London, Budapest, Copenhagen, and Cologne.

And five years ago, she was instrumental in creating the Dancing in the River City dynasty of United States National Championships.

There are many same-sex dance programs and competitions in San Francisco and Oakland, because of the larger field of dancers. “We want to keep Dancing in the River City as a viable competition…just a short drive from the Bay Area,” said Mills. Sacramento can be proud of what we have here.

Over the years, competitors have come from England, Germany, the Netherlands, and many other far-flung places to dance at the DITRC comps and shows. Three-time World Champion Robbie Tristan Szelei from Hungary became the principal instructor and coach for the same sex program at The Ballroom, and continues to dance competitively though he is now based in New York City.

And Mills and her partner of nearly 27 years, Annette Wegesend, along with fellow dancers Elly Bishop and Robert Aina have faithfully coordinated the competitions and shows every year.

The 2012 competition was tough for Mills, but she danced well even though she had recently been diagnosed with a recurrence of the cancer in her leg. Soon after the show, she faced months of surgeries, six in all, and placement of a rod in her leg; she was encamped in another state for several months as her medical team worked tirelessly to save her leg and her life.

“I am still working on walking and time will tell if I can dance, but that most certainly is my goal,” she said.

(That ordeal led to an extremely funny costume contest this year for the most glamorous hospital gown—and no, Mills did not win it. John Ponce claimed that honor.)

The entire assembly of dancers and guests cheered as Cindy she took the floor to compete in a single-dance salsa with another passionate dancer, Sue Cipolla, who suffered a debilitating stroke last summer. Both of these determined women had huge grins on their faces as they danced together. Robbie Szelei surprised the duo with the “Dancing the Dream” award, to the delight of the crowd.

Sue Cippola, stroke survivor, and Cindy Mills, cancer survivor, return to the dance floor (See three below).

The evening dance show was a delight as always, featuring many of the champions showcasing their talents in original choreography. Master of Ceremonies was the delightful Reverend Liberace (Wegesend).

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Show performances were varied and entertaining. The gorgeous Viennese waltz by Men’s American Smooth and Rhythm 9-Dance Champions, Kalin Mitov and Michael Winward was graceful and elegant.

Photon (Ron Jenkins and Photis Pishiaras), winners of the Men’s International Standard and titles in Single Men’s Tango, Foxtrot, and Quickstep performed a wonderful Hustle routine.

Insert # 4, #28 an #29

Royce Anders and Jaime Zarco, 2013 Men's U.S. Latin Champions

Women’s overall champions Emily Coles and Kieren Jameson danced a whimsical yet sultry foxtrot (See two below).

And the Cooper sisters, Kilee and Jamie, who were part of the very first same-sex teaching crew with Sacramento Dancesport, graced the DITRC floor with a modern, sexy duet.

Group performances (known as Formation Teams) were turned in by several groups. The Sacramento Sensations, choreographed by Cindy Mills, performed a funny tribute to all of their dance teachers through the years, beginning with watching their feet and counting out loud and moving through that first painful crossbody turn and foxtrot rise-and-fall footwork.

The Freeplay Dance Crew from San Francisco is a young and very talented hip hop ensemble; their dance “Regenesis” was intensely focused and energetic. The Vima Vice Squad did a sizzling “It Takes 2 to Tango”, with replacement dancers added at the last minute when two of the regular crew fell victim to the flu.

Freeplay Dance Crew

This year’s competitive field was somewhat flattened by the flu; many registered dancers were unable to compete. Dance is a strenuous athletic undertaking, and many dancers would have competed in up to a dozen heats, some consisting of nine different dances. Even those in perfect health are challenged to the limit by such intense work. To dance with the flu would have been dangerous not only for the stricken dancers, but also for those around them on the dance floor. Though both dancers and fans were disappointed to miss seeing some favorite competitors, there’s always next year.

And after a grueling five year term, Cindy Mills has announced her retirement from the DITRC Organizing Committee—could it be that she wants more time to dance in preparation for next year’s event? The smart money says we’ll see her, and Cipolla as well, on the floor next January, dancing their dream.

For more information on same-sex ballroom dance, and complete competition results, visit /www.dancingintherivercity.com/

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Music brings warmth to the homeless

2012-12-21T03:30:50Z

It’s a wonderful feeling when doing something you love also helps someone else.

The Sacramento Women’s Chorus has found a way to combine their passion for singing with their commitment to improving the lives of women.

And Maryhouse, a daytime hospitality shelter for homeless women and children operated as part of the Loaves and Fishes organization serves plenty of women in need of a little help.

Each December, the Chorus hosts a holiday concert, featuring a variety of holiday music from many cultural traditions, a community singalong and reception, and an opportunity for audience members to donate items for Maryhouse.

“This year, the Maryhouse staff let us know that they had a serious need for sleeping bags, blankets, and quilts,” said Rita Birdsong, chair of SWC’s outreach efforts. With temperatures dipping into the 30s and 20s at night, sleeping outside is very uncomfortable and even dangerous for the women and their children.

The 2012 concert was titled “Holiday Quilt: a Patchwork of Seasonal Song”, and guests were asked to donate new or gently used clean sleeping bags and other warm coverings for the homeless women and families.

The response was terrific, and this week several people from SWC delivered an entire van full of donations to Maryhouse. “Our audience and our singers were very generous,” said Jeanie Schultz, SWC board president.

The staff at Loaves and Fishes and Maryhouse agreed. Garren Bratcher on the loading dock dispatched a forklift with two huge crates to collect the donations, which were stacked to the cieling in Birdsong's van.

Sister Libby Fernandez, Executive Director of Loaves and Fishes was wearing a cheerful set of elf ears beneath her jaunty hat, and she expressed her appreciation for the donation with twinkling eyes and good humor.

Alyssa Gerber, a staff member at Maryhouse, was on hand to receive the warm blankets, and she offered a tour of the Maryhouse operation. Noting that the center serves over a thousand homeless women and children each year, she cited the need for blankets, toiletries, toilet paper, towels, and diapers.

She also discussed the Maryhouse “Undercover” campaign, which seeks donations of the things many women take for granted, but which can make a huge difference in the life of a homeless woman: clean new underwear, new or gently used bras, and maxipads and tampons. The chorus members had collected quite a load of these items and delivered them with the sleeping bags, because “every woman can relate to the need for those things,” as Schultz said.

Years past have seen “Sock It to the Holidays,” when chorus and audience members collected warm socks and shoes, and “Hats Off to the Holidays,” which gathered hundreds of hats, scarves, and gloves. The 2013 holiday effort will likely focus on providing towels, as each guest at Maryhouse is afforded the opportunity for a hot shower and clean clothes laundered on site.

For both the Maryhouse staff and the women of the Sacramento Women’s Chorus, the collaboration is a natural fit.

To learn more about Maryhouse, or to make a donation, please visit http://www.sacloaves.org/programs/maryhouse.

To learn more about the Sacramento Women’s Chorus, please visit http://www.sacramentowomenschorus.org
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Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Disclosure: Writer Mary Nares Nikakis is a longtime community contributor to the Sacramento Press, and has a special interest in choral music. She serves on the board of directors of the Sacramento Women's Chorus and sings first soprano with the group.

Master Singers' Celtic Christmas is a joy

2012-12-18T22:36:06Z

Nobody celebrates Christmas like the Sacramento Master Singers.

The Master Singers, under the direction of Dr. Ralph Hughes, have produced a holiday concert of beauty, musical excellence, and joy each season for the past 26 years.

This year’s offering, the first Celtic-themed event in the history of the Master Singers’ Christmas concerts, was delightfully different, and stood up well to the standard of excellence set in years past.

An unusual collaboration between the Master Singers and Men of Worth, a Celtic performance duo, set the tone and stirred in the flavor for this lively and charming concert.

The Saturday evening performance at St. Francis of Assisi church in midtown Sacramento was sold out, and the audience members queued in the cold chatted and reminisced about past Christmas concerts as they waited for up to an hour for the doors to open.

Inside, the lovely church was wreathed in simple evergreen decorations. The pews were soon filled with the sparkle of sequins and the excited chatter of guests shedding their heavy coats and settling in for an evening of musical entertainment.

Soon the lights dimmed and were then extinguished as the traditional candlelight processional began. Yet to audiences familiar with the plainsong and haunting chant of the processional in years gone by, the lilting Ecce Quod Natura was a lovely surprise. Arranged by Michael McGlynn, Dublin composer and founder of Ireland’s national choir, Aruna, the ancient text began the evening with a distinct Celtic flavor. The only accompaniment to the lovely choral harmonies was the crystalline sound of the hand chimes and the steady thrum of the bodrhan (Irish drum).

There Is No Rose followed, and then Angelus Ad Virginem, another McGlynn arrangement of a medieval Irish song once again lifted the chorus into the Celtic spirit. McGlynn’s sweet ballad Christmas Memories brought forth the full tenderness of each voice in the choir.

Men of Worth played a variety of instruments from their Irish and Scottish traditions: in addition to the bodrhan, James Keigher and Donnie Macdonald played guitar, mandocello, concertina, and the octave mandolin. Their rich voices, distinctive accents and quirky colloquialisms added greatly to the performance.

Clifford Shockney, esteemed composer, arranger and accompanist for the Master Singers, worked with the Men of Worth and the chorus to develop some collaborative treatments of songs from the choir’s repertoire and some choral arrangements of the traditional Irish and Scottish tunes sung by the Celtic duo. The resultant blend of traditions and vocal styles was a delightful departure for both groups.

The candlelight processional continued with one of these arrangements, The Rising of the Moon. Soprano Julie Jeness exhibited another musical talent as she played the flute with Tina Harris on piano.

The audience sat in profound silence as the Men of Worth sang Chistmas in the Trenches, John McCutcheon’s poignant ballad about the amazing and spontaneous truce the occurred in 1914 as opposing German and British forces in several locales across the Western Front. Soldiers crossed over no man’s land to exchange songs, small gifts of cigarettes and food, and even to play soccer together in recognition of their shared humanity, even though the following morning would find them once again firing at one another. This true tale evokes a deep spirit of the true love and joy of the Christmas season, and Keigher’s deep baritone was reverent and strong.

There followed Shockney’s arrangements of a traditional Scottish ballad, The Sound of Iona, the beloved Little Drummer Boy, and the Wexford Carol, a 12th century Irish carol, combining the voices and harmonies of the choir and the duo.

Closing out the first half of the program was a beautiful and intricate arrangement of the Peter, Paul, and Mary hit A ‘Soalin’.

The program continued with a blend of traditional carols and some surprising treatments of familiar songs, including Silent Night sung in Irish Gaelic and a wonderful a capella jazz version of The Holly and the Ivy arranged for women’s voices.

The men had their moment with a Patrick Rose arrangement of I Saw Three Ships.

Pat-a-Pan is a favorite French carol which has been reinterpreted many times, and the Master Singers delivered a joyous version as their penultimate selection.

As always, the program ended with the singing and signing of Peace, Peace, a beautiful wish for the world which blends beautifully with the audience singing Silent Night.

There were several interesting instrumental accompaniments throughout the evening. Bass singer David Robinson lent his skills on both the upright and the electric bass to several songs. Thomas Voight is an accomplished drummer and percussionist, and Joseph Silmaro played keyboards. Julie Jenness’ flute enhanced a number of songs as well.

Soloists throughout the program included Stephen Hill, Kevin Mirsepassi, Joseph Silmaro, David Manea, Justin Pratt, William Zinn, Jon Eric Hill, Carol Horner, Mia Watts, and Amber Lidskin.

The collaboration of the Master Singers and the Men of Worth came about “over a whiskey in a castle in Scotland,” according to James Keigher.

In addition to singing together for 26 years, and traveling the country bringing music education to schools and colleges, the Men lead guided tours to their home lands of Ireland (Keigher) and Scotland (Macdonald).

It was on one such tour of Scotland that Master Singers’ alto Mary Patt broached the idea of collaboration. Ralph Hughes seized on the possibilities and enlisted Shockney’s help in creating a blend of choral and troubadour repertoire.

Though the Men of Worth have occasionally sung with school choirs in their travels, this level of cooperation with a large choir is unprecedented for the duo. Neither Keigher nor Macdonald reads music, and having sung together for over two decades, they are so familiar with their repertoire and their individuals tastes and talents that they seem to intuitively grasp the right way to support one another instrumentally and harmonically.

“The biggest adjustment was rehearsing with the Master Singers,” said Macdonald. “We never rehearse, we just stand up and play.”

Both musicians said that they thoroughly enjoyed their work with the Master Singers, and even speculate about recording a joint CD.
As for Hughes, his choir has so enjoyed the Celtic music that he is planning a concert tour of Ireland in 2013 with a workshop with composer Michael McGlynn.

This adventure in music is yet another example of the power that comes from understanding and engaging in another’s experience of life. In recognition of our shared humanity and the language of music which all cultures have in common, The Master Singers are moving us yet one step closer to peace, peace.

The Master Singers and the Men of Worth will perform their Celtic Christmas twice more: on Thursday, December 20 at 7:00 pm, and on Sunday, December 23 at 3:00 pm. Both concerts will be held at St. Francis of Assisi church, 26th and K strees in Sacramento. Both performances are very nearly sold out, but there may be a very limited number of tickets available at the door; call the Master Singers at (916) 788-7464 for information.

The Men of Worth will be performing as a duo in Auburn on Saturday, December 22 at 7:00 pm at the Music and More Theatre; visit their website at http://www.menofworth.com/Calendar for information.

SCSO comes home for the holidays

2012-12-10T20:58:44Z

The Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra “Home for the Holidays” concerts are always delightful. This year, SCSO returned to the Memorial Auditorium on Saturday for a festive evening of beautiful music, a rousing audience singalong, and even a visit from Santa.

Each year, the SCSO opens the holiday program with a processional. The singers ringed the walkway around the first balcony and each held a luminous glowstick in blue, green, rose, or lavender. The darkened auditorium was very still as Sacramento Children’s Chorus sang a haunting a capella Hodie, Cristus Natus Est, followed by the adult voices singing Lara Hoggard’s Personent Hodie.

The combined choirs, over 200 singers, then filed down the stairs and through the audience to take their places on the risers behind the orchestra as Kendrick directed the musicians in the Leroy Anderson medley, A Christmas Festival.

The program continued with a wonderful variety of holiday music, from the lush and lyrical I Wish You Christmas to the more familiar carols The First Noel and Deck the Hall.

The Children’s Chorus sang a lovely arrangement of Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day, and their clear voices underscored the innocence of that air.

One of the most delicious treats was the world premiere of The Festival Magnificat. The work from Randol Alan Bass was jointly commissioned by the SCSO and the Children’s Chorus to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Children’s Chorus.

The youth organization came into being two decades ago as a Sacramento State Masters’ project for Lynn Stevens under the tutelage of Donald Kendrick. It has grown to become one of the most impressive of Sacramento’s arts organizations, and under Stevens’ direction has garnered state and even international honors.

The Children’s Chorus now includes six separate age-specific choruses. Both the Cantoris and Capella groups performed in the Festival Magnificat.

One of the more startling offerings of the evening was the Nigerian carol Betelehemu, as arranged by Barrington Brooks. Accompanied only by driving percussion, and featuring a solo by baritone Tim Mascarenas, the carol was presented with choreography, rare for the SCSO, including a visually arresting sequence of hand moves.

The audience singalong was great fun. It is not often that non-singers are afforded the opportunity to sing along with a full orchestra and chorus in the company of over 2500 other people, and the audience enthusiasm was heartwarming.

Throughout the program, the Choral Society orchestra played with the professional expertise for which they are known. The orchestral rendition of the Leroy Anderson favorite Sleigh Ride was sprightly and surprised the audience when director Kendrick’s podium was briefly usurped by an interloper dressed in red velvet and fur. Apparently Santa Claus counts among his many other magical qualities an aptitude for orchestral conducting.

SCSO is a longstanding champion of bringing great music to the community, and to making the arts accessible to as wide an audience as possible. Many people are seldom exposed to live performance of the important and beautiful works of the orchestral and choral repertoire.

As funding for the arts had decreased dramatically in our schools, many students are never exposed to classical music at all.
This focus of the SCSO mission found a champion this year in Wells Fargo, the major sponsor of this concert.

Wells Fargo sponsored several hundred students from three local elementary schools, Leataata Floyd (formerly Jedediah Smith) Elementary, St. Patrick’s Elementary, and St. Joseph’s Elementary.

All of these schools are identified as Title One schools, which serve a large population of economically disadvantaged families. Many of these students might never have attended a live musical performance of this caliber without the joint sponsorship of the SCSO and Wells Fargo. Additionally, the Sacramento Adventist Academy sponsored 85 of their students to attend.

The concert held special meaning for Loren Weatherly. Seated in the first balcony, Weatherly was hearing the chorus and orchestra as an audience member for the first time.

He has spent several years on the risers with SCSO, first as a baritone and now as a bass. He is on leave of absence this season as he pursues an educational opportunity, and said that he was greatly enjoying the performance.

Even listening with a critical ear, inevitable in a singer who has performed in prestigious choral groups since 1988, Weatherly said he had only praise for the performance. He spoke about the freedom to just enjoy the evening “worry-free: I’m not nervous about 'do I have my music? Will I remember the words?' It's wonderful.” He was especially impressed by the excellence of the balance between the orchestra and the delicate voices of the children.

The audience seemed to share his appreciation of the beauty, fun, and balance of the concert. In the Memorial Auditorium, everyone was truly home for the holidays.

SCSO is a unique Sacramento arts organization which provides their audiences with quality programs several times a year. To learn more about SCSO’s upcoming productions, please visit the website at http://sacramentochoral.com/.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

SGMC Concert Lights your World

2012-12-02T00:48:41Z

The Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus lights up the holiday season with their 28th annual seasonal show, Light Your World.

SGMC delivered a beautiful performance on Friday night at the First Methodist Church in Midtown. There was a little something for everyone, from solemn sacred music sung in Latin to lighthearted musical skits and an audience singalong.

The chorus has grown to include some 60 voices, and their sound is richer and more rounded for the expansion. Whether showcasing their trademark lyrical harmonies in songs like “Ding Dong Merrily On High” and “Silent Night”, or camping it up on the premiere of Eric Lane Barnes’ “Social Network Christmas”, the men sing with precision and style.

The most moving piece was a beautiful blending of “The First Noel” and the iconic Pachelbel’s Canon. For this lovely and haunting work, the chorus was accompanied by the St. John’s Handbell Choir. The blend of rich voices in delicate harmony with the ethereal sound of the bells was breathtaking.

This concert introduced SGMC’s new small group ensemble, Boy Howdy, made up of ten versatile singers including the delightful Paul Jones, former artistic director who has reclaimed his place on the risers and retained his infectious enthusiasm and energy.

Boy Howdy was featured in several numbers, including the hilarious “Insubordinate Clause”, in which guest soloist Lauren Parrot as Mrs. Clause informed her elves that she’d be “heading south on Christmas Day!” The ensemble also backed soloist Patrick Van in the comic “PC Christmas”.

As always, the concert incorporated imaginative costuming and choreography. The beautiful lighting, designed by Arteen Kharrat, provided a lush, dramatic complement to Philip Rice’s elegant stage setting.

SGMC’s new director is Steven Johnson, an accomplished pianist and choral conductor well known in Sacramento for his work as music director for St. John’s Lutheran Church. He brings a new level of choral musicianship to the SGMC, and has been inspired by his connection with this group of singers.

Johnson says that accepting the position of Artistic Director with SGMC was both “The worst business decision, and the best spiritual and musical decision I’ve ever made.”

He spoke about the experience of accompanying the SGMC to the 2012 GALA Choruses Festival in Denver. There, some 6000+ singers from gay and lesbian choruses from around the world met and shared songs and experiences, and sang together in a massive Festival Chorus.“The GALA event changed my life,” Johnson said. “There is a sort of divine spirit about this organization. These musicians are breaking boundaries, singing as a way of getting in touch with our shared humanity, beyond any affiliation with nation or religion.”

With a solid background in church music for many years, Johnson is thrilled to be able to expand and explore a new and rich smorgasboard of musical styles and expressions. He foresees further growth for the SGMC community in a variety of ways: in numbers, musically, and spiritually.

Principal accompanist Kay Hight shimmered at the grand piano, and was occasionally joined by Johnson for a four-hand accompaniment, as in “Ding Dong Merrily on High”. Other musicians included two organists, three percussionist, a violin, a bass, and Bill Damian on flute; his duet with Johnson on James Galway’ arrangement of a Fantasy on ‘I Saw Three Ships’ was beautifully played.

The St. John's Handbell Choir was joined by three wonderful percussionists as they performed a complicated medley of traditional Christmas music, “Noel Francais”. Their precision and range of expression was surprising and delightful as the performers not only rang their bells but also produced a variety of other sounds by striking the bells with padded mallets or by dampening the sound by striking the bell against the padded table.

Handbell players are quiet but intense and serious musicians; the choir is made up of several people who have been playing in church handbell choirs for anywhere from a few months to 20 years or more. There are two married couples in this choir, and a lovely mother and daughter (Marion and Sarah Zamzow) who enjoy playing together. In March, Sarah’s first child will be born; Marion joked that the baby is already “in training” as a possible third-generation handbell player.

Although handbells have been in use in this country since the early part of the 20th century, and in England since the late 17th century, their use has largely been limited to churches and sacred music. However, rumor has it that Sacramento audiences may soon hear a Lady Gaga song performed by this handbell choir.

The Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus has proven yet again that they are an area treasure. Their holiday concert is not to be missed.

Tickets are still available for the performances on Saturday, December 1 at 8 pm and on Sunday, December 2 at 4 pm. Visit SGMC at http://www.sacgaymenschorus.org/index.php for tickets or information.

Choral Society soars

2012-10-30T17:46:46Z

The Sacramento Choral Society opened its 2012-13 season with an exquisite sold-out program Sunday.

The Stained Glass Concert One, “Portals of Heaven,” brought back to Sacramento the wonderful sacred music that has thrilled and captivated Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra audiences for the past 16 seasons. The 17th season promises to be an unqualified success as well.

The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament was filled to capacity with SCSO’s faithful fans. Music lovers eager to experience the glorious music of this renowned choral organization ringed the block, standing three and four abreast in line for nearly an hour.

The singers themselves, clad in their tuxedos and long black gowns, milled about Cathedral Plaza, waiting for the last of the parishioners to clear the building after the 1 p.m. Spanish Mass. Vendors of chicharrones and paletas finally furled their rainbow-hued umbrellas and trundled their pushcarts away, as the great doors swung open and both audience members and singers made their way into the lovely restored cathedral.

The 150 members of the Choral Society took their places on the risers as organist Ryan Enright played the John Stanley Voluntary in D, with brilliantly clear trumpet work by Michael Meeks in the second movement.

The Gabriel Faure Requiem in D Minor was composed in 1888, a year before the Cathedral was built. It is one of the brighter and more hopeful Requiem settings, omitting the traditionally thunderous and ominous Dies Irae and Tubus Mirum movements. While these traditionally provide a dramatic showcase for the baritone, Faure instead composed two gloriously angelic sections, the Pie Jesu and In Paradisum, which feature the soaring voices of sopranos.

Atop the podium, Dr. Donald Kendrick coaxed and exhorted his singers to a masterful reading of the work, with gorgeous solos from baritone Daniel Yoder and soprano Katherine Jolly.

Antonio Vivaldi wrote the Gloria in D Major in 1715, when he was the priest and music teacher at a girls’ orphanage in Venice. Vivaldi composed hundreds of works to be played and sung by the girls’ orchestra and choir.

The beautiful Gloria again featured Meeks on trumpet, and Ruth Stuart playing oboe. Soprano Jolly and mezzo Julie Anne Miller joined in glorious duet in Laudemus Te. Both Jolly and Miller’s voices enraptured the audience, as they sang in turn Jolly’s ethereal Domine Deus, Rex Coelestis and Miller’s rich Qui Sedes, Ad Dexteram Patris. As the last notes of Cum Sanctu Spiritu were sung, and the final amen gave way to silence, the audience rose to their feet in tribute to the masterful musicianship of this fine organization.

The SCSO is a rich cultural treasure for the Sacramento community; it enriches the lives and the experiences of countless patrons each season. An important part of SCSO’s mission is musical education and outreach to all sectors of the community.

In keeping with these goals, over 200 disadvantaged Title I schoolchildren will be sponsored by Wells Fargo to attend the “Home for the Holidays” concert at Memorial Auditorium on Saturday, Dec. 8. Ticket sales for the popular holiday program are already brisk, and another sold-out event may be expected.

For details about the December concert, the second Stained Glass Concert in March, also at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, or the May Armed Forces Salute, or to purchase tickets, please visit sacramentochoral.com.

Music Man (and Music Mom)

2012-08-02T16:57:00Z

Perennial favorite “The Music Man” opened in Sacramento this week, for its 10th go-round at the Music Circus.

The show is set in River City, Iowa in 1912, and is about as American as apple pie. It features the squeaky clean sensibilities of a tight-knit Midwestern community, which is transformed in unexpected ways by the arrival of con man “Professor” Harold Hill.

The beloved musical remains the same; there were no surprises in the current production, directed by Glenn Casale. The minimal, evocative sets, the lovely costumes, and the orchestra directed by Dennis Castellano were as professional and enjoyable as always. The company of ensemble actors, singers and dancers — including the very talented youngsters of the junior company — carried off their parts with verve and showcased the exuberant choreography beautifully.

But what brings a special treat to this Music Circus production is the unusual pairing of a legendary actress with her son in the lead roles.

Theatergoers are most familiar with the 1962 film version of “The Music Man,” which starred Robert Preston, the original Tony-winning Harold Hill, and Shirley Jones as Marian the Librarian.

Sacramento audiences will be delighted that the role of Mrs. Paroo, Marian’s mother, is played here by the very same Shirley Jones, a beloved veteran of Broadway and an Oscar-winning actress, later well-known as the matriarch of television’s “The Partridge Family.” Jones is still active in film and television, and the remarkable voice that first brought her fame in the 1950s still has power and clarity.

Jones’ son Patrick Cassidy plays Harold Hill. Cassidy was in utero during the filming of the 1962 blockbuster. His collaboration with Jones in this Sacramento debut may be the beginning of a 50th anniversary tour of the show. Although Cassidy does not bring the same strength and charisma to the role as did the inimitable Robert Preston, he manages to make con man Hill just smarmy enough to be untrustworthy, without making him unbelievable.

The luminous and extremely talented Brandi Burkhardt plays Marian Paroo.

Burkhardt’s clear soprano brought Marian’s longing to life. Though 50 years have passed since Jones sang “Goodnight, My Someone” in the film, the song remains as tender now as it was then. Burkhardt also sang “Will I Ever Tell You” and “Till There Was You,” with all the sweetness and loveliness of the character she portrays.

Carter Thomas is charming as Winthrop, Marian’s shy younger brother. His voice is strong and clear, and as his character blossoms with confidence, Thomas’ performance grows until it fills the stage. This young man has great promise.

“The Music Man” continues through Aug. 6 at the Music Circus’ venue, the Wells Fargo Pavilion, at 1419 H St., Sacramento. Performances occur at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Thursday and Saturday; and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets and information are available at 916-557-1999, online at www.tickets.com, or in person at the Wells Fargo Pavilion box office.

Sacramento Women Sing for Joy

2012-05-09T21:37:19Z

“We Love To Sing!”

That’s the tagline and the underlying motivation of the Sacramento Women’s Chorus.

This diverse group of enthusiastic women is gearing up for their spring concert, “Sing Out, Sisters!” which will be presented this Saturday, May 12—just in time for Mothers’ Day.

At a recent rehearsal, the thirty women on the risers were relaxed and focused as artistic director Robin Richie ran through the concert selections, offering an occasional comment, correction, or joke. Various members of the chorus stepped forward for a solo, or to take up a drum or violin to add depth to Jane Stave-Viemeister’s piano accompaniment. One lighthearted comedy number dissolved into laughter.

The air of camaraderie and genuine joy in singing with the chorus is inspiring. The singers take their music seriously, striving for the tight harmonies and dynamic range that makes choral music so rich. But this experience is much greater than simply getting the notes right.

SWC has a deeper mission. Far beyond the simple joy of singing, the chorus has existed for 25 years as a vehicle to bring to the audience a message of hope, connection, and strength.

“We have a commitment to use our music to give a voice to the voiceless—to stand up and sing for peace, justice, and equality,” said board member Jean Schultz. The chorus chooses music from many different cultural traditions to illustrate and celebrate the lives of women around the world and through the ages. Recent selections include an African freedom song, love ballad sung in Italian, and a Hebrew lineage song.

In keeping with this commitment to singing music with a message, SWC has sung for many groups whose missions and values align with their own. Partnerships with WEAVE, CARES, and Women Take Back the Night have brought together diverse audiences for performances. SWC has consistently participated in the annual Gay Pride parade and festival, and has sung for PFLAG’s Service of Remembrance, World AIDS Day, Kaiser Hospice remembrance ceremonies and for Marriage Equality events.

This year, SWC partnered with the Heart of Central California Girl Scout Council. The women sang on the Capitol steps to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts, and taught the assembled crowd of nearly 1000 girls and their leaders the commemorative song "Century Celebration". SWC also conducted two Saturday workshops to teach the Girl Scout Choir the music which they sang with the chorus at the Forever Green 100th Anniversary celebration at Cal Expo-- an event attended by 13,000 enthusiastic Scouts.

“Many chorus members have fond memories of our own Scouting days as girls, troop leaders, camp counselors, and administrators. Partnering with the Scouts was a logical way to honor that experience and to share the joy of music with a new generation of girls, many of whom were totally unfamiliar with the camp songs that were once an integral part of the Scouting experience,” said Shultz.
The Girl Scout Choir will be SWC’s special guests at the May 12 concert.

“Sing Out, Sisters” will be presented at 7:00 pm on Saturday, May 12 at 9249 Folsom Blvd (Christ Unity Church). Tickets are available from http://www.sacramentowomenschorus.org or at the door.

Disclosure: Mary Nares (Nikakis) has been writing about choral music for the Sacramento Press for the past three years, has sung with the Sacramento Women's Chorus for several seasons, and is a current SWC board member. Kati Garner is an associate member of SWC.

Sacramento Gay Men's Chorus Glitters!

2012-05-06T05:02:39Z

The Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus delighted their audience with “Glitter”, their 27th annual spring show on Friday evening. The men delivered a generous helping of glitz and glamour from Hollywood to Broadway and beyond in their surprising new performance venue at the California Automobile Museum in Sacramento.

Artistic Director Paul Jones, in his final season on the podium, led the men through a solid repertoire featuring the music of gay composers, and the selection meandered from the tender to the raucous to the hilariously campy. Jones will rejoin his chorus on the risers for the coming season.

Opening with a medley of show tunes, from “Let Me Entertain You” to the “Broadway Ladies Medley: The Gold Diggers Song, Big Spender, and Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets” the chorus set the tone for an evening of familiar hits despite the distraction of two young dancers at the foot of stage right.

Among the choral performances, standouts included “Sometimes When We Touch”, a Top-40 ballad from 1977 which was imbued with a moving tenderness by the 40 men on the risers. “Children Will Listen” was very well sung, and “The Prodigal” was a poignant end to the first act.

Immediately following a lovely arrangement of “Over the Rainbow” in the second act, the audience was delivered a rare and wonderful treat. SGMC commissioned a song this season and its world premier was a showstopper.

Local poet Jovi Radtke is well known to fans of spoken word performance. She read “Voices Carry”, her work about the power of song and voice to free people from the pain and indignity of the closet, the metaphorical refuge and prison of LGBT citizens. Her poem spoke of the crimes of violence, bullying, shame, and self-hatred which are so common in the gay community. She suggested that one day, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people would no longer sing because it is the only way to be heard in the fight against injustice and ignorance, but because it would someday be a reclaimed expression of joy.

Parts of the poem were incorporated into a stirring, energetic song by local composer and performer Graham Sobelman. When the chorus performed the piece, the surging movement of the various voice parts was the perfect vehicle for the theme of release through song and the power of the human voice to carry the weight of change forward through the ages. The song was challenging both for the chorus and for the listener; in contrast to the relatively naive show tunes of times gone by, its 21st century rhythms and the subtext of layered musical themes was engaging and far beyond the toe-tapping simplicity audiences often expect.

The chorus handled it masterfully, and brought the audience to its feet in recognition of a major new collaborative songwriting team. The show concluded not with the traditional “Rhythm of Life” singalong but with a musical primer on “How to End a Show”—sure to be a new audience favorite in the next season and beyond.

Principal accompanist Kay Hight, resplendent in the most glittery of sequined gowns, coaxed wonderful music from the Yamaha keyboard, and sign language interpreters Drea Atkinson and Vanessa Jet added their ownsparkle with elegance and sparkle.

The performance space, sequestered from the high-ceilinged, hangar-like museum displaying hundreds of vintage vehicles , was surprisingly comfortable and acoustically sound. The ample off-street parking, the spacious area available for refreshments and raffle sales, and the easily accessible seating made the choice of venue a pleasant change from the unforgiving pews and crowded anterooms of the churches where SGMC usually performs.

This may be the dawn of a new chapter in the life and direction of SGMC.After 27 seasons, they are certainly good at what they have been doing,and it will be a delight to see what’s next.

"Glitter" will be presented once again, at the California Automobile Museum, 2200 Front Street, Sacramento at 4:00 pm on Sunday, May 6th.

Tickets are available through the website, http://www.sacgaymenschorus.org, or at the door.

A few more photos from "Glitter":

RSVP: "Life Songs" Without Reservation

2012-05-03T03:31:31Z

A remarkable choral collaboration occurred Friday evening.

The very talented singers of the Reconciliation Singers Voices of Peace presented an evening of beautiful music in support of Music Partners in Healthcare. They were joined by the Cantus choir of the Sacramento Children’s Chorus.

The program was varied and carefully chosen, and the recently restored sanctuary of St. John’s Lutheran Church was a splendid venue for the tonal clarity and delicate harmonies of the beautiful music.

Throughout the program, the audience sat spellbound as the healing and uplifting power of music was revealed.

Artistic director Lynn Stevens led her chorus of fifth- through ninth-grade singers through a lovely set of five pieces, including the haunting 19th century ballad of “Annie Laurie” by Lady John Scott and a rousing tongue-twister, “Peter Piper” by Lon Beery.

The 16 voices of RSVP captured the sense of connection among all Earth’s creatures in their first two selections: Mack Wilberg’s “Wonder” and “Earth Song” by Frank Ticheli. Their program continued with music from a variety of genres, including folk songs, spirituals, doo-wop and jazz, and a beautifully silky version of Mercer and Mancini’s “Moon River.” All of RSVP’s music is sung a cappella, and their beautiful harmonies are precise and exquisite.

These songs were the framework for the presentations of Aileen Kelly and Elizabeth Wendt, founders of Music Partners in Healthcare, a nonprofit organization which brings music to the bedsides of critically ill patients in a number of area hospitals and other health care settings.

Kelly and Wendt explained their program and the general role of certified music practitioners in providing patients with comfort, support and the healing energy of live music. Both women are accomplished harpists. They each played and sang some of the music they have used in their work with premature infants, the critically ill and injured and individuals approaching death.

The audience and RSVP sang along with Wendt’s renditions of “You Are My Sunshine” and “Edelweiss,” as her Alzheimer’s patients have often done.

The final triumphant song, “The Voice” by Brendan Graham, included RSVP, the Sacramento Children’s Chorus and instrumental accompaniment and was rewarded with a standing ovation.

The concert was delightful in itself. The program was repeated on four evenings and in three locations, and all proceeds were directly contributed to the Music Partners in Healthcare.

This is the truly inspiring part of the story: RSVP sings beautifully and has been doing so for 12 years. Founder and director Julie Adams, is an accomplished musician and vocal teacher who created RSVP specifically to make a positive difference in our communities.

RSVP performs a wide variety of music and has done so in support of some 24 deserving charities and programs in the area. The musicians all volunteer their time to provide music for the benefit of organizations which promote peace, education, family support, disaster relief, services for seniors and children, the homeless and health.

The group has also produced three CDs, two of which were recorded at St. John’s, which they offer for sale through their website.

RSVP is a community resource that clearly demonstrates that the individual efforts of a few can make a huge difference in the lives of many. The group certainly deserves a wide audience both for their musical talent and for their dedication to improving our world one song at a time.

SCSO's Musical "Feast" Feeds the Soul

2012-04-16T05:36:46Z

The Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra returned in triumph to their original home at the Community Center Theater on Saturday night with the third concert of their 16th season, “English Grandeur”.

The program was carefully selected by conductor and artistic director Donald Kendrick to showcase the lush and passionate works of two exemplary English composers, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Sir William Walton. Both men wrote in the lyrical Romantic tradition brought forth into the twentieth century; their work includes operatic, orchestral, and choral music as well as music for the movies.

“A Song of Thanksgiving” (originally Thanksgiving for Victory) for narrator, soprano solo, children's chorus, mixed chorus, and orchestra was written in 1944 to celebrate the certain victory of the Allies over Germany in World War Two.

In the ambitious work, Vaughn Williams extols the solid English values of service, loyalty, bravery and perseverance through text borrowed from the Biblical books of Isaiah and Daniel, Shakespeare, and Rudyard Kipling. The section written for children’s voices is as clear as any English brook and as haunting as a bombed-out chapel. Though the work is an anthem to peace, it still conveys the anguish of the foregoing years of dreadful devastation and violence.

Also featured in “A Song of Thanksgiving” were narrator Kirk Blackinton, lyric Soprano Carrie Hennessey, and the Sacramento Children’s Chorus under the direction of Lynn Stevens. The full orchestra and massed voices of the combined Choral Society and the Sac State University Chorus lent this selection the power and gravitas of a truly stirring performance.

It is in recognition of this composition, and the Walton choral symphony which ended the evening that the concert was dedicated “to all Displaced Peoples and Occupied Nations” in celebration of our universal desire for freedom.

The second Vaughan Williams selection , “Five Mystical Songs” featured acclaimed bass baritone Clayton Brainerd in the series of songs set to five of the 169 religious and mystical poetry of 17th century Anglican priest George Herbert. Of these, the first, “Easter” makes a clear statement that music is the most effective vehicle for praise, a hypothesis which is surely borne out by Vaughan Williams’ lovely settings of the simple phrases of Herbert’s heartfelt poetry.

To end the first portion of the concert, Kendrick directed the exuberant “Let the People Praise Thee, O God”, the anthem written by William Mathias for the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. The chorus and orchestra truly raised the roof with the enthusiasm and naked Anglican sentiment of this selection, which was also featured in the October “Stained Glass I: Canticles of Praise” concert at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.

Following intermission, the audience was enraptured by the amazing “Belshazzar’s Feast”. The 1931 choral symphony by Sir William Walton tells the ancient story of the enslavement and eventual liberation of the Jews in Babylon in the sixth century B.C.

“Belshazzar’s Feast” is a huge, grandiose epic of drama, betrayal, suffering and divine retribution, and eventual triumph. Once again, bass baritone Brainerd contributed the awesome power of his voice to the sweeping saga of an ancient city brought to ruin through the braggadocio of its king, Belshazzar. When Brainerd thundered of the appearance of a disembodied human hand writing upon the king’s wall, “Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting”, chills crept up every spine as the arrogant king was declared doomed to death.

The Hollywood theatricality of the composer is clearly evident. Although there were a few shining moments when the massed power of the superb chorus struck the impressive majesty which the audience has come to expect, there was often an overpowering swell of the orchestra in full sound. The brass section excelled in its full glory, the tympani thundered and the furious strings soared with fierce fire, while the hundreds of human voices struggled to be heard and understood.

The totality of the performance was masterful. The audience leapt to a standing ovation as the last dramatic crescendo rent the hall with resounding triumph.

One of the most enjoyable features of an SCSO concert is the occasional pre-concert talk by Director Kendrick, in which he explains the music of the evening’s repertoire. Kendrick is an outstanding conductor of both orchestra and chorus. His vast knowledge and enduring passion for the music, and his expertise in musical circles is renowned. His ability to connect with each member of the audience, as well as with his musicians, makes him such an inspiring presence. His wit and animation are legendary, and his personal charisma is so great that he can easily communicate his passion to the audience.

Kendrick seems to have unlimited energy, and a raw spark of a classic showman comes through in his pre-concert talks. His perfectly timed facial gymnastics alone are priceless. On Saturday night, his inimitable and highly entertaining style and a thorough understanding of the music and the backstory of the evening’s program made his talk a delightful prelude for the performance.

SCSO has been delighting audiences for 16 seasons. Whether performing in Sacramento, at Carnegie Hall, or in China or Prague, this venerable and unique organization always delivers the best in choral and orchestral music. Sacramento is fortunate to have such a cultural treasure.

The final performance in the 2011/2012 season will be the “Stained Glass Concert II, European Traditions” on June 2 at the Fremont Presbyterian Church, and will feature works by Vivaldi, Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Bruckner. Tickets are available at http://sacramentochoral.com , or by calling the SCSO office at (916) 536-9065.

Melodrama: family entertainment from a simpler time

2012-03-23T19:51:31Z

Our world is just too complicated sometimes. We are surrounded by politicians, economists, scientists, and religious leaders who dazzle us with conflicting misinformation about how the world works and what our place in it should be.

Nothing is clear anymore. It’s really hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys.
Used to be, it was much easier to know who to cheer for.

Take, for example, the legend of Robin Hood. The guy was a clear hero, an outlaw who stood up for the poor and downtrodden against the greed and evil of a corrupt government. He outwitted the minions of darkness and brought hope and security to the powerless and exploited peasantry.

He was the champion of the 99% in 13th century England.

In Old Sacramento, aboard the historic Delta King riverboat, a small theater company has brought the legend of Robin Hood to the stage in a most unusual fashion.

Sacra-Melo is a musical parody company which presents Robin Hood in old-fashioned melodrama style.

There’s something really satisfying about knowing exactly who the bad guys and the good guys are. The melodrama format makes this even easier by engaging the audience in cheering for the heroes and greeting the villains with hisses and boos. Cued by the live piano accompaniment (Bonnie Otto, at stage right) as well as by the broad posing of the actors—Robin (Alexander Hogy)strikes a hero pose with hands on hips and jutting chin, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Gregory Smith) leers evilly with an upraised eyebrow—the audience becomes an enthusiastic participant in the production.

A third cue, of whinnying whenever Maid Marion’s lady-in-waiting Lady Clydesdale is mentioned, was obviously nabbed from Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein”. Nonetheless, the audience loved the opportunity to snort and neigh.

The cast is able to really chew the scenery in this type of production. Broad hamminess and ad-libbed asides direct to the audience are encouraged by director Gary Winterholler, who also plays Sir Guy, henchman of the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. Maid Marion (Jennifer Morrison) and Lady Clydesdale (Bethany Hidden-Cauley) are both accomplished singers as well as delightful actors, and they lend their voices from backstage to beef up the musical parody numbers sprinkled throughout the show.

The entire cast is enthusiastic, the simple sets and costumes work, and the production is suitable for a family audience. There are a few rather racy double entendres throughout, but nothing too objectionable even if the youngsters do manage to catch on.

The small theater deep in the hull of the riverboat is comfortable, the popcorn is free, the ticket prices affordable, and the comedy is light. The production is altogether a good entertainment value and brings a breath of fresh air to the Sacramento theater scene.

Robin Hood runs for five more performances, on Friday and Saturday evenings through March 31st with a Sunday matinee on March 25th. Sacra-Melo has also been contracted for a four-show season next year, starting in September.

For information or tickets, please visit http://sacramelo.com

Loudon and Leo: Acoustic Lives

2012-02-17T05:23:41Z

The Mondavi Center in Davis hosted a Valentine’s Day party for fans of acoustic folk/blues guitar and irreverent topical tunes.

Tuesday night’s concert featured two legends of the 1970s and ’80s, but not everyone in the audience was over 50, and even the 20-somethings came away from the show with an appreciation of acoustic music played with humility and savoir-faire.

Loudon Wainwright III and Leo Kottke are prolific and talented musicians. Wainwright has released 28 albums over the past 41 years, and Kottke has 39 titles to his credit, including film soundtracks and compilation CDs. The two performers have garnered accolades including two Grammy nominations for Kottke and a Grammy win for Wainwright.

Between them, they have written for and performed in dozens of television programs, films and Broadway shows. Each has collaborated with an impressive array of other musicians and performers, including Chet Atkins, Joe Pass, Lyle Lovett, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris and Rickie Lee Jones. Kottke has written an orchestral concerto. Wainwright had a recurring role on the television series “M.A.S.H.”

Wainwright opened the show, playing a solid set of tunes laced with droll, self-deprecating commentary. He is well known for his sardonic, farcical lyrics and his general irreverence about the conventional American vision of life and love.

His latest album, “Songs for the New Depression,” features the wry tongue-in-cheek cynicism for which he is famous. A bittersweet ballad about a couple who have to stay in their troubled marriage because they just can’t sell their depreciated house was followed by a song for “my demographic,” the over-50s who laughed through the pharmaceutical catalogue of “My Meds.”

Wainwright’s lyrics are often laced with raw language fitting his viewpoint. In his tale of the airline representative in Durango, Colo., who destroyed his beloved Martin D-28 dreadnought guitar, “Susie” is consistently referred to as “that *itch.” There are plenty of f-bombs as well, so he’s not exactly a family performer.

He does, however, draw a lot of material from his family experiences, including his divorced parents and his own ex-wife and estranged children. Now reconciled with his adult children, including son and musician Rufus Wainwright, he still sings about the scars of his failed marriage and his general disillusionment with romance and marriage, a curious mockery on Valentine’s Day.

"So Damn Happy" is a very funny yet poignant song about the relief of leaving a bad relationship, and it pretty much summed up Wainwright's entire performance:
“It's crucial that it doesn't matter/ Vows of love are idle chatter/ To feel this good has to be bad / I'm so damn happy that it's sad.”

Kottke took the stage after intermission and immediately launched into the intricate fingerpicking runs and riffs that prove him to be the master of the 12-string guitar. He alternated between the 12- and-six string guitars, often employing an open tuning.

He has long resisted the label of singer/songwriter, preferring to concentrate solely on his virtuosic guitar work. He has likened his vocal talents to “geese farts on a muggy day.” Still, his understated baritone growl works well on the few songs he sang, such as “Ring, Ring.”

Kottke’s work is truly original. His love for his instrument shines through in every song, and even though his admiration for other guitar greats such as Doc Watson, Chet Atkins, John Fahey and Lightnin’ Hopkins is evident, Kottke’s style is all his own. That so much music can be found within and drawn out of his unadorned acoustic guitars is awe-inspiring.

Even Kottke’s rambling commentary between songs, as he tuned and re-tuned for the perfect sound, painted a picture of a man who really wants nothing else in the world but to play beautiful music beautifully.

For 90 memorable minutes on Tuesday night, he succeeded.

Trockadero: Ballet with a Twist

2012-02-11T18:40:52Z

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo presented the best of classic ballet at the beautiful Mondavi Center in Davis Thursday night, playing to a near-capacity crowd.

Tchaikovsky, “Swan Lake,” tutus, pink satin pointe shoes, lifts and pirouettes and breathtaking spins: This performance had it all.

It was hilarious.

Trockadero has been bringing the grace and discipline of ballet to enthusiastic audiences across the globe for 38 years and has become a major player in the world of ballet companies.

The international cast is a wonderful troupe of serious dancers. Their athleticism and technical abilities are impressive, and the dancers have studied and performed with some of the best and most prestigious companies in the world.

They interpret a wide-ranging repertoire of classic ballets, from the divine Russians to the more modern styles of Balanchine and Merce Cunningham. The company has won awards for the best classical repertoire and for excellence in dance and has been the subject of television specials and documentaries as well.

All of the dancers are men.

Yes, male dancers are arrayed in tutus and dance en pointe. But there is no attempt to hide the essential maleness of the dancers. True, they wear beautiful makeup and wigs and false eyelashes. But they do not shave their hairy chests, or stuff their costumes with fake breasts, or hide their magnificent male musculature.

They dance classic ballet with mostly traditional choreography, and they incorporate the old-fashioned classic Russian ballet movements of hand and head. The familiar romanticism of the delicate, lissome female dancers audiences have come to expect is present also. Yet the entire experience is handled as a humorous parody.

Each dancer has two alter egos, as they dance both male and female roles, and their stage names are funny Russianized puns: Ida Nevasayneva, Svetlana Lofatkina and Marina Plezegetovstageskaya dance with Velour Pilleaux, Jacques d’Aniels and the five Legupski brothers.

The company plays for laughs, particularly in their signature piece, Act II of “Swan Lake.” The grace of the Dance of the Cygnets is punctuated by the collapse of a dancer who is bowled over by another.

The menacing street-brawl scene of fluffy swans threatening Benno the hunter begins and ends in a flash, leaving the audience wondering if they really did see those bunched muscles and the kick more suited to a steel-toed boot than to a pointe shoe. True, the pointe shoe is a men’s size 11, but it is still made of pink satin.

There are pratfalls and sendups of the hauteur of traditional ballerinas. Occasionally a dancer will break into an exuberant hoedown, or the swans will become a gaggle of barnyard chickens with bobbing heads, squabbling and scratching. A curtain-call tussle over the roses delivered to Odette is hastily squelched when the curtain rises again.

Thursday’s performance included a Pas de Quatre, a piece written in 1845 for the four reigning prima ballerinas of the day. It showcases the four ballerinas trying to outshine and upstage one another in grand diva fashion.

“Go for Barocco” was a delightful piece in the style of Balanchine, with unexpected near-grotesque steps and movements executed with grim technique by six mismatched ballerinas. The dry competitive battle of wills between Vanya Verikosa (Brock Hayhoe) and Yakaterina Verbosovich (Chase Johnsey) tickled the audience funny bone, and the speed-walking roundabout had everyone in stitches.

Just before the second intermission, the Dying Swan made an unannounced appearance, dancing the entire piece en pointe while copiously shedding swan feathers about the stage and milking the death throes for every last drop of emotive hamminess. Danced by Paul Ghiselin (Ida Nevasayneva, aka Velour Pilleaux), the Swan has become an audience favorite and is a perfect parody of the solo diva.

“Majisimas” was a lovely Spanish-flavored piece for four couples and the Corps de Ballet. The ballet displayed the most dazzling and intricate classical dancing of the evening, including magnificent leaps, lightning-fast spins and beautiful arched postures.

This final ballet brought the crowd to its feet, and the ovation continued for several minutes until the entire company regained the stage for a short and beautiful gypsy-tinged encore.

To understand the remarkable achievements and the staying power of this unique company, consider the grueling performance schedule: The Mondavi performance was the 12th of 17 U.S. performances in January and February. In March, Trockadero will leave for Europe, spending time in Italy, France and Switzerland. In April and May there will be multiple performances in Colombia, Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong.

June and July finds Trockadero returning to Europe, with two weeks at the Folies Bergere in Paris in September and October, and the remainder of the year will be spent dancing in Australia and New Zealand.

The dancers stay with Trockadero for years. Robert Carter dances Odette in “Swan Lake” (as Olga Supphozova) and is an amazing talent. He has been with “the Trock” since 1995. Paul Ghiselin has also been with the company for 17 years. He is the ballet master, and at the age of 50 he is one of the oldest working ballet dancers in the world. His solo performance is stunning testimony to the dedication to athletic and artistic excellence which Trockadero embodies.

An evening with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo guarantees an appreciation for classic ballet, a lighthearted entertainment with plenty of laughter, and a resolution to be certain to catch their next Sacramento area appearance.

Sacramento's Gone to the Veggies

2012-02-06T22:45:52Z

On Saturday, the third annual Sacramento VegFest was held at the Artisan Building on Del Paso Boulevard.

Hundreds of visitors came to explore the world of vegetarian and vegan lifestyle alternatives, to check out new products and ideas, and to attend presentations by some top chefs in the healthy food movement.

It was a happy crowd wending their way through the booths and displays on a sunny afternoon. Both guests and vendors were eager to share their enthusiasm for all things vegetarian.

The Sacramento Vegan Society had an information booth. So did the Sacramento Vegetarian Society, and representatives from both groups were careful to emphasize their particular focus, cautioning us not to confuse one with the other.

They are not rivals, or competitors; they are certainly friendly, recognizing that both groups are promoting a more healthful way of eating. But there are philosophical and practical differences between vegans and vegetarians, and the distinctions are important to both groups.

Vegans are ultra-vegetarians. They do not eat any animal products at all, including eggs, honey, or milk. Many vegans also eschew any other use of animal products, including leather, animal fat used in soaps or cleaning agents, or shampoos which include egg solids.

Vegetarians may be vegans, but in general they do not consume flesh or fowl—no fish, burgers, or chicken. But many vegetarians are likely to include eggs and dairy in their diets on a regular basis.

Mary Rodgers, a board member of the Sacramento Vegetarian Society, was pleased to point out that her organization is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. “We work with the Grange, which is a wonderful organization. We were the first vegetarian advocacy grange in the nation.”

Both vegan and vegetarian options were well represented in the displays and vendor offerings at the VegFest. In fact, one very popular station, sponsored by caterer Mama Kim Cooks, offered tasty samples of foods prepared both ways: the crostini with pistachio-crusted goat cheese topped with an heirloom red beet salsa was also available without the cheese—and was absolutely delicious either way. Their red kuri squash soup was delightful plain, yet when topped with frothy maple cream, it was heavenly.

Not all of the displays offered food. Michelle McCarty operates Wonder Wormin’ Vermicomposting systems, promoting the use of compact, efficient home composting systems which use the services of red wiggler worms to turn your household scraps into high-potency plant food.

Jillena Hernandez operates Eat Well, Live Free, a vegetarian food blog, and was handing out some very tasty chocolate oatmeal cookies from her mother-in-law’s recipe. “Our blog hopes to inspire people to eat more meatless meals and to support businesses who cater to our positive food choices,” Hernandez said.

V-Dog creates and sells healthy vegetarian dogfood. Never Felt Better is a midtown Sacramento store which sells grocieries, cookbooks, and other products in support of the vegan lifestyle.

The event was a success with both vendors and visitors. Said Lisa Chapman-Sorci, a teacher of mindfulness meditation , “People are exploring more than just the practice of vegetarian eating, it’s about the way you think about your food and your body. People here are very open, very curious and willing to learn.”

Veg Fest was sponsored by the Del Paso Boulevard Partnership. For more information about the participants, including links to their websites, visit http://sacvegfest.com/ .

Ballroom Dancers Compete in Sacramento

2012-01-19T21:56:43Z

The glamour and glitter of Hollywood, the unbelievable grace and beauty of ballroom dance and the amazing athleticism of international sport came together in Sacramento on Sunday.

The North American Same-Sex Dance Championships at The Ballroom of Sacramento was an exciting all-day competition of dancers from across the nation. The event culminated in an evening dance show, “Dangerous Liaisons: An Evening of Espionage and Intrigue,” featuring many of the champions and competitors. The competition was conducted under the auspices of the North American Same Sex Partner Dance Association, or NASSPDA.

From the time the first couple took the floor for the single dance events until the final formation team and show dance events, the competition was a whirl of action, grace and drama.

Beginners, intermediate dancers and professionals brought their best to the floor. Before a panel of five certified judges, men and women in sequins and rhinestones twirled and dipped, floated and flew through the intricate steps of more than a dozen dance styles.

Ballroom dance is divided into two major categories, called Standard and Latin in the International lexicon, and Smooth and Rhythm in the American version. The rules and criteria differ somewhat between the International and American versions. For example, in American Smooth, the partners are allowed to separate and dance around the floor, whereas International Standard dancers must remain connected.

The dances follow the same general categories, however. In Standard or Smooth, dancers must learn and compete in waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, quickstep and foxtrot (standard) or slow foxtrot (smooth).

In Latin or Rhythm, the dances are cha cha cha, samba, rumba, paso doble and jive (Latin) or cha cha cha, rumba, bolero, swing and mambo (rhythm).

Dancers train for years, and usually practice for several hours a week. It is a grueling and exacting sport, with attention paid to every line and nuance, and every step must be perfectly aligned with that of a partner. It can be an expensive sport as well, considering the cost of lessons and rehearsal space, fitness coaching, and travel for competitions.

Those dance shoes in a myriad of designs for different dance styles, the specially fitted dance tuxedos, and the beautiful swirly gowns sewn with thousands of crystal beads can cost many thousands of dollars per dancer.

Interest in ballroom dancing has risen dramatically with the popularity of television shows like “Dancing with the Stars,” “So You Think You Can Dance” and others. Argentine tango has become a very popular pastime for young urbanites, while dance clubs across the nation are packed every weekend with country western, salsa and swing dancers.

For the same-sex dance community, there are only a few welcoming programs among dozens of dance studios. In Sacramento, The Ballroom hosts a thriving same-sex program under the leadership of former world champion Robbie Tristan, and same-sex dancers are welcome at the Mirror Ball Dance Studio in Sacramento.

Dancing in the River City hosted the event as their fourth annual competition and show at The Ballroom. Under the leadership of Cindy Mills and her longtime partner Annette Wegesend, with dancers Robert Aina and Elly Bishop, DIRTC has built a strong organization of same sex dancers who are committed to holding this annual event. Since 2008, DITRC has been able to raise funds which have enabled Sacramento dancers to travel and compete in the Gay Games in Cologne, Germany in 2010 and in the North America Out Games in Vancouver, BC in 2011. The group is raising funds now to sponsor dancers to the 2014 Gay Games in Cleveland, Ohio.

Newly crowned champion Kieren Jameson (Women’s International Standard, Women’s International Latin and Women’s 10-dance, with partner Emily Coles) talked about what the same-sex dance community means to her.

“I’m very happy with our wins today, but the rivalries that you see are all on the floor,” she said. “Outside, we are all friends. You meet so many wonderful people from all over in the dance world. We all respect each other.”

Kalin Mitov and J. Michael Winward are the new men’s champions in International Standard, American Smooth, American Rhythm and Men’s Nine-dance. The Boston-area team have been dancing together for only a year, yet they move with such intense connection that they seem like lifelong partners.

Mitov started dancing at age 7 in his native Bulgaria and now teaches dance at Fred Astaire ~~an Arthur Murray~~ studio in Massachusetts. Winward is also an instructor at a different Fred Astaire ~~Arthur Murray studio~~ , and together they won the U.S. championship in Oakland last year.

“Same-sex dancing is more versatile, because you have to know every step, both leading and following,” Mitov said. Though many couples switch roles in same-sex dance, Mitov always prefers to lead. They practice together three mornings a week for at least two hours.

Jose Comoda and Chris Phan once again captured the Men’s International Latin title. They were champions in 2009 and 2011 as well.

Show dance offers the dancers an opportunity to interpret any dance in their own way. The 2012 show dance winners are local favorites Robbie Tristan and Robert Aina. Tristan is a former world champion who currently teaches at The Ballroom and works with students in Los Angeles and Albuquerque as well.

Tristan is a charismatic and energetic dancer who is extremely popular with his students. He is the driving force behind the same-sex dance program at The Ballroom and has recently begun work on a foundation to bring ballroom dance into the lives of at-risk youth.

LGBT youth are often at particularly high risk of suicide, bullying, abandonment, substance abuse and runaway/dropout status, due to the discrimination and lack of societal, family and institutional support they often experience. Giving these young people access to a sport where they are accepted and celebrated for their gifts regardless of their sexual or gender identity is a positive project which has been embraced by several same-sex dancers across the country.

Formation teams are comprised of several couples performing a choreographed number together and may be a single dance or any combinations of dances.

The formation dance medal was captured by the Vima Vice Squad, a company of eight dancers from the San Francisco Bay Area. The group includes Latin champions Phan and Comoda, Ron Jenkins and Photis Pishiaris (men’s standard second place winners who also dance together as Photon) and other competitive dancers. Their routines are always fresh and popping with crisp steps and catchy costuming.

The Sacramento Sensations formation team featured happy pirates doing a nightclub two-step routine. Other formation teams were the St. Louis Equality Dance Team, and Rolling, from the very active Oakland dance community.

There are additional single dance categories as well: country two-step, country waltz, West Coast swing, night club two-step, hustle, salsa and Argentine tango.

Bernadette Koh and Noreen Richards took second place in the women’s Latin level B final. Partners on and off the floor, they have been dancing together for 11 years, but because their home city of Albuquerque, N.M., is not at all welcoming to same-sex dancers, they travel to Sacramento to study with Tristan. They have competed for four years in the April Follies in Oakland, home to the U.S. championships in 2011. The pair has also competed in the Outgames in Copenhagen and in Vancouver, B.C., and in the Chicago Gay Games.

“Dance is a great outlet for your emotional energy, and it is based on trust and connection,” Richards said. “I love to twirl, and I love to travel. Dancing brings out your inner diva!”

Koh and Richards are not the only dancers who are willing to travel for the instruction and coaching that meets their needs.

Dancing in the beginner class, Michele Jang won several single dance and Pro-Am awards. She is a remarkably talented dancer who will definitely be rising in the ranks of the sport. She lives in San Luis Obispo and travels to Oakland for training at the studios of former world champion dancer Zoe Balfour.

Balfour’s former partner, Citabria Phillips, has switched from leading to following since Balfour’s 2011 retirement from competition. Her current partner in the women’s standard category is Angie Esswein. They have been dancing together for about nine months, and Sunday’s NASSPDA competition was Esswein’s first in 20 years, and her first as a lead. She danced for several years but then gave up the sport for two decades. However, the joy of dancing was never far from her heart, and when she decided to dance again, she donned a tuxedo instead of a swirly chiffon dress.

“It just feels more natural to me,” she said. Esswein and Phillips competed and won in several single-dance contests on Sunday.

By the end of the long day, tired and happy dancers had claimed their ribbons and medals. Some rivalries had played out in unexpected ways, some newcomers had made their mark, and some veterans had demonstrated their staying power. In the close-knit world of same-sex competitive dance, there is a sense of camaraderie and mutual support that is heartwarming to behold.

Despite their long hours of high-energy dancing, spirits remained high as the participants rehashed their performances and tucked into homemade chili and cornbread, and the 2012 winners sat down to dinner beside the champions they had unseated just hours earlier.

For more information on same-sex ballroom dancing, visit http://www.dancingintherivercity.com/, http://aprilfollies.com/ , http://nasspda.org/home/and http://www.theballroomofsacramento.com/

Editor's Note: This article has been edited after publication.

DMTC's 'Chicago'

2012-01-10T05:28:37Z

The latest offering from the Davis Musical Theatre Company is an enthusiastic production of the blockbuster musical “Chicago.” At Friday’s opening night performance, DMTC handled the show with sufficient grit and guts to bring the tale of crime, celebrity and sensationalism in the Jazz Age alive with fun and razzmatazz.

Chicago in the 1920s was a wide-open town where corruption and crime, scandal and bootleg gin filled the headlines. Women were crashing out of their sheltered roles as demure wives and mothers to smoke and drink and wear short skirts, to rouge their lips and bob their hair and demand their freedom to behave as boldly as their men.

For two women this freedom extended to murder, and their story was fictionalized in a 1926 play by Chicago Tribune reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins. This play was the basis for the musical, which opened on Broadway in 1975 and was revived in 1996. The show is still playing on Broadway, for over 16 years and 6,200 performances. Many audience members are familiar with the 2002 film version, which won six Oscars, including best picture.

In the DMTC production, director John Ewing has brought all the excitement of the Broadway musical to the small stage.

The talented cast sails through the fast-paced show with high energy. The onstage orchestra, under the direction of co-producer Steve Isaacson, has a good feel for the jazz and blues score, and Pamela Lourentzos’ choreography captures the bawdy flavor of the 1920s with her cast of scantily clad dancers.

Accused murderesses Velma Kelly (Jennie Ribadeneira) and Roxie Hart (Amber Jean Moore) await trial in the Cook County jail. Roxy’s husband, Amos (Dan Masden), hires celebrity attorney Billy Flynn (Tony Ruiz) to defend Roxy. Flynn is also Velma’s lawyer. His strategy is to make headlines for his clients and drum up interest and sympathy from the press — a famous client is an innocent client.

With help from the matron “Mama” Morton (Andrea Eve Thorpe) and the radio gossip broadcaster Mary Sunshine (D.A. Holmes), Flynn makes Roxie famous while making Velma jealous.

The play is riddled with flashy dance numbers as numerous and arresting as machine-gun bullets, and the dance troupe is skilled and sexy.

Both Ribadeniera and Moore have lots of vocal talent, although “All That Jazz” challenged Ribadeniera’s range on opening night, and “Funny Honey” didn’t have the power one would have wished from Moore. Thorpe’s solo “When You’re Good to Mama” was a showstopper, a fine showcase for her strong voice.

Ruiz plays Flynn with strength and style, and his tenor is smooth and easy as the slick lawyer’s patter to the press. Surrounded by feathery fan dancers, he almost convinces the audience that “All I Care About” is love.

Masden turns in a solid performance as the long-suffering patsy Amos Hart, and his “Mister Cellophane” was sad without being maudlin. Holmes brings a strong comic dimension to the slightly ridiculous Mary Sunshine role, with a unique performance of “A Little Bit of Good.”

DMTC has a 27-year history of ambitious productions and successful performances of Broadway musicals, and the all-volunteer company always turns in an impressive product. This is definitely one of the area’s most consistent values in musical entertainment.

Chicago runs until Jan. 29, with Friday and Saturday performances at 8:15 p.m. and Sundays at 2:15 p.m. Tickets are $18 general, $16 students and seniors and $14 per person for groups of 10 or more. Tickets are available online atdmtc.org or by calling (530) 756-3682. The PerformingArts Center is located at 607 Pena Dr. in Davis.

Masterful Master Singers Program

2011-12-13T23:14:44Z

People will go through a lot to hear beautiful music.

Each December, the line of people snaking around St. Francis Church grows. People arrive up to 90 minutes before curtain for the annual holiday performance of the Sacramento Master Singers. Many clutch their seat cushions as they chat with friends and friendly strangers waiting to enter the chilly church. They have braved rain, wind, and cold in years past; this year the autumnal weather lingering on into mid-December was a blessing.

Sunday’s matinee performance of “Glory to the Newborn King” once again hosted a near-capacity crowd. People came in groups and alone; multigenerational families crowded into the hard wooden pews. There were annual visitors from Napa and Yuba City and Richmond, and there were first-timers who decided to try something new this year.

The beauty of the old church, huge and ornate—and cold!—arrested their attention before the program began. It is a superlative setting for the Master Singers’ traditional candlelight processional, this year featuring both haunting plainsong and a gorgeous antiphonal double choir “Ave Regina Caelorum” by Elizabethan composer Peter Philips. The pure tones of the bells the choir plays as they assemble is precise and delicate, a fitting complement to the clear interplay of beautiful voices.

As the program progressed, the music advanced through the centuries, and the international flavor embraced by the Master Singers expands. Director Ralph Hughes has searched for music which brings the human experience of Christmas to all who hear it, the season of hope born in the darkness of winter.

By presenting old standards rearranged for interesting meter, audiences are welcomed into new music with ease. Jackson Berkey’s arrangement of “Joy to the World” was delightful.

As is usual for the Master Singers, the women sang two selections, including the audience favorite “Gaudete!”. When the men took the stage, their luscious “The First Noel” exemplified the rich depth of male voices blending in harmonies both haunting and exuberant.

The full choir finished the concert with a solid serving of lovely tunes and a spirited pantomimed “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” that brought chuckles from the audience and a thunderous applause.

And in time-honored tradition, the singers circled the hall and signed the words to “Peace, Peace”, which blended beautifully into “Silent Night” sung by the audience.

Hughes coaxes extraordinary performances from his 48 singers, and Hughes showcased several soloists throughout the program, notably sopranos Sara Haugland and Eva Cranstoun. The small size of the chorus fosters a feeling of familiar relationship with the singers; personalities are allowed to shine through the music, as in the interplay between soprano Elizabeth Johnston and alto Michelle Iwase in the beginning measures of “Gaudete!”.

Part of the enduring appeal of the Master Singers is the sense that these are friends bringing this lovely music into our lives. One can imagine inviting these talented singers into one’s home to bring meaning, beauty, and warmth to the holidays.

"Glory to the Newborn King" will be performed agin on Saturday, December 17 at 8:00 pm, Sunday December 18 at 3:00 pm, and Wednesday December 21 at 7:00 pm. All performances will be held at St. Francis Church, 26th and K Strees, Sacramento. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the Master Singers at www.mastersingers.org or call 916-788-7464.

Choral Society is Home for the Holidays

2011-12-13T07:17:23Z

The holiday choral music season is in full swing. On Saturday night, the Mondavi Center in Davis was host to the 15th annual “Home for the Holidays” concert presented by the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra.

This festive event demonstrates the close community connection between SCSO and its many faithful friends, sponsors, and fans. It is eagerly anticipated by the throngs who come from as far away as Modesto, the San Francisco Bay area, and even neighboring states.

They come to hear one of the largest choral groups in the United States, the only one to employ its own orchestra.They come to thrill at the harmony and majesty of the season’s most beautiful music performed with joy and precision by some of the most skilled musicians and singers around. They come to watch the elegant and animated Donald Kendrick direct with passion and great grace.

And they come to sing along with this august body, to be drawn fully into the magical experience of making music that lifts the spirit and moves the heart.

The program this year again featured sacred and secular works, most quite familiar works arranged for the complexity of a large choir.

The chorus sang the lilting “Personent Hodie”, a carol written in 1582 to a melody from the 14th century while ranged throughout the audience; and it took the entirety of Leroy Anderson’s “A Christmas Festival”, a sprightly long medley of familiar Christmas tunes for the massive 170-voice chorus to take their places on the risers. This is not a gather-‘round-the-piano informal chorus; to achieve the huge and masterful sound they produce, every voice is needed.

In the next three sections, the chorus gave the audience a wide sampling of different musical styles, from the quick and intricate “Carol of the Bells”, to a charming John Rutter composition, “Donkey Carol”, a shambling tale in 5/8 rhythm of the humble beast who bore Mary to Bethlehem.

The audience rose, as is traditional, for G.F.Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus”—after a caution from Kendrick that this was not a singalong version.

After the intermission, the audience was delighted to sing a medley of well-known carols with the chorus and orchestra. This audience participation is a much-loved feature of the Home for the Holidays Concerts, and is one of the many ways that the SCSO has connected the community with the joy of singing and the love of great music.

One highlight of the remaining three sections was Barlow Bradford’s beautiful arrangement of the old Austrian carol “Still, Still, Still”. He also arranged four other selections in the program. Bradford is a distinguished conductor and composer from Utah; he has worked extensively with the Utah Chamber Artists and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

The evening ended with a cheerful rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”, and the crowd mingling and chatting with the musicians and singers in the lobby carried their good cheer out into the night, heading home for the holidays.

Jingle All the Way with SGMC

2011-12-05T05:06:48Z

For 27 years, the first weekend in December has been marked by the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus singing in the season with their signature brand of holiday glee.

On Friday night, the tradition continued, bringing a substantial and happy audience to Midtown's First Methodist Church for another evening of high spirits, close harmony and popular musical entertainment.

This year’s event was just as jolly and campy as SGMC’s audiences would expect, opening with some of the most outrageous holiday headgear to adorn a stage this side of Beach Blanket Babylon, as choristers waltzed, pranced and swayed to a lively rendition of the classic “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”

“Christmas Angles” juxtaposed a cheery holiday-loving contingent with a cadre of Grinches who insisted that they hate Christmas.

The 38 tuxedo-clad singers then settled into a comfortable series of Chirstmas classics and poignant ballads and finished the first set with a lively percussion-assisted Nigerian Christmas song, “Betelehemu.”

Amid the traditional music with a twist in the second set, a charming and very humorous surprise was “Pop Goes the Season,” a medley of top 40 hits of the past 30 years rewritten to fit the holiday motif. Just imagine Joan Jett’s stomping bop-bop-BAM, bop-bop-BAM intro to belting out “I love Channukah/ Put another spin on the dreidl, baby!”

After a stylistic sampler of “Variations on Jingle Bells” and a jazzy, soulful "Hallelujah Chorus" that would have left G.F. Handel mystified and delighted, the concert ended with SGMC’s signature “Rhythm of Life” and a brief audience sing-along.

SGMC has found a new degree of sophistication with this production. The stage set was clever, the program diverse and well-sung, and the addition of drumming, percussion and a poignant tenor saxophone accompaniment added depth.

Principal accompanist Kay Hight added a splendid dimension to the event. The accomplished young woman was playing her first concert with the chorus, but her talent as a pianist has been honed over 20 years and far belies her tender age — she is just 24.

Artistic director Paul Jones has led the chorus for many years, and he is already starting work on the group’s spring show, “Glitter.” His energetic enthusiasm is as infectious as his brilliant smile.

A satisfied audience shuffled out into the brisk evening air, assured by this Sacramento tradition hallmark that the holiday season has now officially begun.

Master Singers' Season Opener is a Gem

2011-10-31T03:33:06Z

The American River College Theater was sold out Friday evening as the Sacramento Master Singers presented a wonderful ensemble concert to begin their 26th season.

“From Sand to Pearls: A Choral Tribute to Perla Warren” honored the longtime music instructor with an ambitious program involving four choral groups, several supporting instrumentalists and a solo jazz pianist.

Many of the musicians were former students of Warren and credited her with the transformation of young voices into accomplished musicians.

Dr. Ralph Hughes, artistic director of the Master Singers and a colleague of Warren, is also the director of the 26-voice American River College Chamber Orchestra. He led his young singers through a quartet of challenging pieces, singing in Italian, Latin, Cuban Spanish and the non-verbal language of Hutcheson’s “Lament for a Lost Child,” performed in eerie darkness with only tiny blue lights held beneath the chins of the singers.

This performance was testimony to the quality of the music program at ARC, and it seems certain that many of these talented students will go on to develop the depth and maturity evident in the alumni singers who followed.

1990-92 alumnus Jim Martinez is a classical and jazz pianist with an impressive résumé. He honored his former teacher with a sparkling medley of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Skylark” and the Harry Warren/Mack Gordon classic “There Will Never Be Another You.”

Another alumnus of Warren’s classes is Julie Adams, who directs the choir she founded in 2000, Reconciliation Singers Voices for Peace. RSVP is a talented group of slightly older singers who donate their time and talents to provide both beautiful music and financial contributions to local charitable organizations.

RSVP began their set with a whimsical, upbeat and complicated tongue-twister involving a poet and bananas, set in very difficult mixed meters. Their lovely rendition of the traditional “Poor Wayfaring Stranger” featured solos by tenor David Saul Lee and alto Gaw Vang.

Moodswing is a jazz quartet from the Bay Area, and Julie Ford and husband Paul Ford were both shaped and trained by Warren. Their sound is very close, tight harmony in a classic jazz idiom. Opening with Al Jarreau’s “Mornin’” and ending with the fabulous “Bernie’s Tune” from the 1950s, they delivered a clear and respectful reading of the genre. Yet it was the powerful and haunting “Calling You” from the film “Bagdad Café” which touched the audience with the strength of this quartet’s connection to their ARC roots.

The Sacramento Master Singers began their set with one of the most sprightly of Bach’s motets, “Der Geist hilft unser Achwachheit auf,” featuring a double chorus in a light and uplifting mosaic of voices.

In an early nod to the Christmas season, the women sang a delightful hymn of praise and rejoicing, “Gaudete!” The men followed with a beautiful arrangement of “The First Noel” and concluded their set with the charming and playful “Yo le canto todo el dia” including some complex hand-clapped rhythms.

As a finale, all the singers formed a mass chorus to present three lovely pieces, including one written by Paul Winter and Paul Halley based on themes heard in the eerie, plaintive recorded cries of a tundra wolf, and then echoed by the choir and soprano saxophonist Jason Galbraith. It was a haunting and unusual Kyrie from a Mass celebrating the whole Earth as a sacred place.

Warren’s choral groups, the American River College Chamber Singers and the American River College Jazz Choir, earned many honors and awards over the 30 years of her tenure as conductor. They performed in several countries and received numerous awards.

In her closing remarks, Warren beseeched the audience to keep music alive, in schools, workplaces and the world at large, especially in the hearts, hands and voices of all people. Her legacy is a dedicated family of musicians who will see that her vision is carried out.

Choral Society “Canticles of Praise” is divine

2011-10-31T03:20:32Z

The chic clubs and restaurants along the K Street Mall were swamped Saturday evening with young adult revelers in extravagant costumes. Yet amid the high spirited chatter of zombies and ghouls, witches and vixens, a more sedate group of celebrants slowly gathered in front of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacramento, intent on a different sort of transformation.

Classical music lovers had been eagerly awaiting the first Stained Glass Concert, “Canticles of Praise,” which opened the Sacramento Choral Society season.

The beautiful cathedral, built in 1889 and renovated in 2005, was packed with a diverse audience. It was a setting worthy of the magnificent sacred music to be performed.

Some 170 members of the choir entered to the strains of the Jongen Chorale, "Quatre Pieces pour Orgue" played on the magnificent pipe organ by David Deffner, who played throughout the program.

Conductor Donald Kendrick took the podium and raised his elegant hands, and the chorus launched immediately into the stunning 1965 composition “Chichester Psalms” by famed American composer Leonard Bernstein.

The three movements of this remarkable work encompass three complete psalms and excerpts from three more. It began joyfully and grandly, with exuberant voices singing in challenging 7/4 meter and punctuated by percussion.

Also featured throughout the work was a quartet including soprano Rachel Sprague, alto Ellen Simonin, tenor Marin Pavliuc and bass Tim Mascarinas.

The second movement included the beloved 23rd Psalm in its entirety and was sung with clarity and pure simplicity by boy soprano Jack Baer, with the entire chorus providing explosive counterpoint to sing excerpts from Psalm 2. The audience was transfixed by the contrast of vocal intensity and the quietly soaring soprano.

The final movement demonstrated Bernstein’s mastery of understatement, with a quietly intense choral passage that draws all the power of the ancient texts into pinpoint focus.

Belgian composer Joseph Jonger wrote his 1945 “Mass” to express his gratitude for the release of his young son from Buchenwald. It is a lyrical and more traditional work, gentle and poignant yet powerful and exultant. The chorus was supported by the SCSO Brass Ensemble throughout the six movements. The Benedictus was particularly moving, and beautifully sung.

The program concluded with “Let the People Praise Thee,” composed by William Mathias in 1981 to honor Lady Diana’s wedding to Prince Charles in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London.

The Sacramento Choral Society continues to delight audiences with each successive season. Kendrick doesn’t hesitate to introduce new and challenging works to the public, and the chorus is professional and dedicated to their art. The musicians who play with the SCS Orchestra are of the highest caliber, and each performance is a discrete jewel in the crown of Sacramento arts.

The season continues with the traditional “Home for the Holidays” concerts at the Mondavi Center on Dec. 10 and 11.

For more information on the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra, including schedule and ticket information, please visit sacramentochoral.com.

k.d. lang at the Mondavi

2011-10-22T06:31:59Z

k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang delighted the capacity crowd at the Mondavi Center Thursday night with a wide-ranging show.

Her legendary voice delivered everything from a sultry growl to a soaring soprano heartache. Throughout the 90-minute set and two encores, lang’s remarkable voice delivered each note with an impeccable sense of timing and emotional nuance.

She never flinched from delivering a song with powerful bravado, as in her 1992 Grammy-winning “Constant Craving,” nor did she shy away from the almost unbearable tenderness and vulnerability of “The Perfect Word.”

The concert was almost evenly divided between songs from lang’s latest CD, “Sing It Loud,” and some of her older tunes, with a smattering of offerings from other artists: “Reminiscing” by the Little River Band (1978), “A Kiss to Build a Dream On” from her duet album with Tony Bennett, and of course Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”

Backed by her first band since The Reclines played on her first two albums, lang showed a sense of playful fun that has been missing from her recent work. Returning to the humor and high-spirited campiness that characterized lang’s early work some 25 years ago, there was no holding back on the enthusiasm and energy of the evening.

Siss Boom Bang is an accomplished group of five musicians with impressive credentials in the rock, pop and country genres. There was an obvious intimacy in the interplay among the players and lang.

This configuration seems to work well for all concerned, particularly the collaboration between lang and guitarist Joe Pisapia on several of the songs from “Sing It Loud.” Not since the early days with Ben Mink has lang had a consistent composing and arranging partner, and the chemistry shows to advantage in their work.

The first encore was a rousing acoustic chicken-scratch rendition of “Pay Dirt” from lang’s very first album, “Angel with a Lariat” (1987), and it exemplified the hoedown feeling of that younger “cow-punk” singer. It was a welcome homecoming, and the crowd embraced it with thunderous applause.

"Miss Saigon" at Music Circus

2011-08-26T01:48:47Z

Miss Saigon at the Music Circus

The final offering in the Music Circus 2011 lineup is the international spectacular “Miss Saigon.”

The stirring and visually stunning production is a solid reinterpretation of Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Madame Butterfly,” relocated to Vietnam on the eve of the fall of Saigon in April 1975.

This is a modern retelling of unexpected love found in an unlikely way, of the tragic separation of lovers and the dreams that sustain them through adversity, and the uncontrollable twists of fate that bring them back together under even more tragic circumstances.

Orphaned bar girl Kim (played by Ma-Anne Dionisio) meets American G.I. Chris (Eric Kunze) at the Saigon bar owned by The Engineer (Kevin Gray). The bar girls dance, Kim and Chris fall in love and the entire convoluted and desperately wrenching story unfolds from their one night of passion. The U.S. forces scramble to get out of Saigon, leaving Kim behind with only her unshakable faith in Chris’ love, his gun and their embryonic love child.

Gray is marvelous as the scheming, dreaming Engineer. He threads through the story like a snake in the bath: One can neither trust nor ignore him. His voice is big enough to handle the role, insinuating smarmily into everybody’s business in “If You Want to Die in Bed” and then booming in triumph in “The American Dream.”

Kunze has a versatile, powerful voice and is believable in the passionate “Why, God, Why?” and in his tender duet with Dionisio, “Sun and Moon.” He conveys strength and anguish in the first act and is convincingly defeated in confrontation with his wife near the end of the second.

Dionisio packs her role with emotion, power and ferocious tenacity. Her raw anguish in the dream sequence where she relives the Night of the Helicopters is heart-wrenching. She has a voice which is able to sustain the drama of the song with strength, yet which is capable of subtlety and nuance when it is available in the score.

Josh Tower delivers a strong presence as John, Chris’ Marine friend who later runs a program designed to reunite the children begotten by American soldiers with their fathers. One of the most moving numbers in the show is “Bui Doi,” which is the name these mixed-parentage children bear. It is said that a single photograph of such a child was the initial inspiration for the show.

Misty Cotton, as Chris’ wife Ellen, and Michael K. Lee, as Kim’s doomed fiance Thuy, are also believable, with voices well suited to their roles. Cotton shines on “Now That I’ve Seen Her.” Anne Fraser Thomas strikes a perfect balance between bawdiness and despair as the bar girl Gigi.

The audience was thoroughly won over by newcomer Aiden Kusaba, even though he did not speak or sing a note: He is a charming 5-year-old who ably plays the role of Tam, Chris and Kim’s child.

The Music Circus production is complete with all the theatrical spectacle one would expect from the creators of “Les Misérables,” Claude-Michel Schonberg, Alain Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr.

In true Music Circus style, the sets are spare and evocative, the staging innovative and the ensemble players talented and versatile. The costumes are lush and inventive, whether the rags of the post-occupation villagers or the risqué glitzy sequins of the bar girls.

The offstage helicopter effect was loud, disturbing and startling — exactly as it should be during the frenzied escape from a doomed city. Otherwise, the sound was consistent and worked well with the stage and lighting effects. The orchestra handled the score with complete grace.

“Miss Saigon” played on Broadway for nearly 10 years. Both Kunze and Gray played their roles on the Broadway stage, and Dionosio played Kim in London and Canada. The show is big, moving and well worth revisiting.

Performances of “Miss Saigon” continue at the Wells Fargo Pavilion, 1419 H St., though Sunday.

For showtimes and ticket information, please visit www.CaliforniaMusicalTheatre.com, or call (916) 557-1999.

Bill Maher: Stand-up Standup

2011-08-22T02:01:15Z

Bill Maher took over an hour and a half to do it, but in the end he gave every single one of the 2,422 audience members at least one opportunity to be offended.

His genius lies in the fact that every single fan was laughing too hard to notice – or to care.

Maher has inherited the essence of Will Rogers and Mark Twain. He channels Richard Pryor and George Carlin. He is the crazy uncle in the attics of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. And once he gets going, no one is exempt from his biting, incisive wit.

Friday night’s sold-out show at the Sacramento Community Center was a nonstop roast of all that is absurd in America today.

Maher is well known as the host of the weekly political comedy talk show “Real Time with Bill Maher” on HBO, and his previous show, “Politically Incorrect,” ran from 1993 to 2004. His 2008 documentary “Religulous” exposes the hypocrisy and contradictions of the business of religion across the spectrum of belief. And he's been doing stand-up since 1979. There are sacred cows on Maher’s barbeque every night.

This guy knows about political humor.

From the moment the slight man with longish, graying hair stepped onto the bare stage, he owned the place. The audience roared with laughter as Maher delivered line after line skewering the Tea Party, the GOP presidential hopefuls, religious fanaticism and even President Obama, for whom he voted but in whom he is greatly disappointed. He is an equal-opportunity comedian.

Maher is a concerned environmentalist, a strong supporter of gay marriage and backs both the legalization of marijuana and the death penalty. He is a man of strong convictions, and he is absolutely forthright about them. The light he shines on the absurdity and the shamefulness of the current political and economic state of the nation reveals how much he cares about his country. He holds us to a higher standard of integrity about the importance of political knowledge and involvement in all of our lives.

And he’s damned funny doing so.

SCSO Summer Sing

2011-08-15T05:23:59Z

This was a serious challenge.

Not everyone would pay good money to sing music they’ve never heard — in a language they don’t speak — in public. Sounds insane, right?

Apparently not. Some 250 Sacramento singers showed up at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Thursday night to join the Sacramento Choral Society in singing Johannes Brahms’ German Requiem.

After a little stretching, vocal warmup and pronunciation practice, Choral Society director Donald Kendrick conducted members of the Choral Society and audience members in an on-the-spot performance of the 19th century work.

The “instant concert” was the Choral Society’s annual summer fundraiser.

To be fair, only a few of the singers were absolutely new to the music. Most of the audience was made up of singers from dozens of choirs, choruses and schools, and most actually were familiar with the music. In fact, many brought their own scores, though scores were available at the door, and many have sung in German even if they do not speak the language.

Soloists Carrie Hennessey and Brian Leerhuber lent their considerable talents to the production. Hennessey’s gorgeous soprano soared through the beautifully restored sanctuary of St. John’s, and Leerhuber sang with power and solemn grace.

Accompanied by St. John’s music director Steven Janzen at the recently restored pipe organ, the on-the-spot chorus did a creditable performance of the seven movements of the requiem.

Janzen had painstakingly adapted the piano accompaniment to the organ, and his virtuosity on the instrument produced the illusion of a full orchestra complete with swelling strings and triumphant trumpets.

The requiem was written over a period of 11 years by the freethinking Brahms to honor his dear friend Robert Schumann and his mother. It is unusual in that it is sacred but not liturgical. The words “Jesus” and “Christ” appear nowhere in the text, and it is less a plea for mercy and salvation than it is a celebration of the comfort Brahms found in the cyclical nature of life and death. Brahms was said to have considered it a “human requiem.”

The Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra have long hosted a “Summer Sing” for two distinct purposes. First, it is a way to welcome back the singers from their summer hiatus and begin the work of preparing for the upcoming season.

Perhaps even more importantly, the Summer Sing is an outreach to the entire Sacramento community, an invitation to join the highly respected SCSO in continuing their mission of bringing great music to the public and building a strong, vibrant arts community.

SCSO will hold auditions for interested singers for their upcoming 16th season this month. Tenors are especially encouraged to apply. Experienced choral singers with good music-reading skills may send an e-mail providing background information and experience at scso2005@gmail.com or call (916) 536-9065.

Disclosure: The writer is a member of the Sacramento Women's Chorus, and was one of the singers. In fact, the writer had never seen or sung the music before and speaks only English. However, under Kendrick's direction, she sang the entire program.

Bump City in the River City

2011-08-15T05:09:37Z

The Grove at the Radisson rocked to a funky soul beat on Friday night, as Oakland’s Tower of Power brought their trademark horn-driven sound to town.

The excited crowd gathered in the cleared dance area in front of the stage to sip cocktails and reminisce about their Tower of Power fan experiences. People from the Bay Area, Los Angeles and even one couple from Arizona recalled the first time they danced to the powerhouse band.

Several people wore vintage T-shirts from concerts five, 10, even 30 years ago. Fans have generally sought out the group’s concerts multiple times over the 43 years the band has been in existence.

But before the music started, another type of celebration took center stage.

The concert was a fundraiser for Sacramento’s Francis House homeless resource center and a celebration of the life and work of the late executive director Greg Bunker.

Groups of friends of Francis House were circulating, greeting one another with hugs and laughter and sometimes tears as they remembered the Vietnam veteran who headed up the social service agency for 21 years.

A representative of Mayor Kevin Johnson’s office took the stage and presented Bunker’s wife, Stephanie Pierson, with a proclamation recognizing Bunker for his many contributions to the community.

The crowd reflected the dual nature of the event. Many people were there primarily to listen and dance to the unique sounds of one of the longest-lived bands in the country. But many were also there to mark what the mayor’s office declared as “Greg Bunker Day” in Sacramento.

Volunteers sold raffle tickets across the narrow walkway from the table selling CDs, shirts and vinyl LPs from the band, as well as the solo efforts of many of the musicians.

Opening the show were local favorites Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers, with guest Kyle Rowland, a teenage blues harp prodigy who is mentored by harmonica master Martin. The crowd got to loosen up their dance moves and tune into the funk-and-soul groove.

As the sun sank into an apricot dream and the gorgeous full moon rose in the east, the magic showed up on the stage.

When the 11 members of Tower of Power took the stage, the seating area erupted as fans flowed into the dance space. Wasting no time, the band surged directly into “We Came to Play.” The keyboard wailed, the guitars were hot and Rocco Prestia’s bass was a driving force in tandem with drummer David Garibaldi.

It is, however, the horns that make the band the big and blazing brassy explosion that it is. So tightly synched and exhilarating, the three saxes and two trumpets form the soul of the Bump City band. Founders Emilio Castillo and Stephen “Doc” Kupka have never wavered from their signature sound, and their horns have driven Tower of Power for 43 years.

Vocalist extraordinaire Larry Braggs gives every song everything his amazing voice has got, and his phrasing and energy work equally well on the solid funk of “Get Your Feet Back On the Ground” and the soulful ballad “Below Us Are the City Lights.”

All in all, the evening was a wonderful event, combining a good cause with some truly soul-stirring music, and the dancing, cheering crowd could not have asked for a better time.

For more information about Francis House, please visit http://www.francishouse.info/

Tower of Power: Bump City in Sacramento

2011-08-09T15:20:18Z

Get ready to dance, Sacramento! The big and brassy sound of the iconic Oakland bump-funk band Tower of Power is coming to The Radisson this Friday night.

Fresh from a European tour, the grand masters of Urban Soul will have The Grove at the Radisson movin’ and groovin’ with their Bump City Dance Party.

Tower of Power is a band for generations of soul/funk aficionados. The band has been laying down their signature horn-driven dance beats for over 40 years, and their sound is as fresh and tight as ever.

Their semi-annual appearance in Sacramento is eagerly anticipated by fans who have been dancing to the band since the 1970 release of “East Bay Grease”. With the release of each of their 25 albums, Tower of Power has acquired more fans, and the dance floor is now a mix of all ages.

All profits from the August 12th show will be donated to Francis House, a Sacramento counseling
and resource center for poor individuals and families.

Local favorites Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers will open the show.

Tickets are on sale now at Dimple Records, TicketMaster outlets or online at
www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone, call (800) 745-3000. This event is “dance party”-style with limited seating. Doors open at 6:30 PM.

George Winston's Summer Show

2011-07-25T15:06:50Z

The scruffy guy onstage at the Crest Theatre Friday evening was bantering with the piano technician. He looked like he might have wandered in off the downtown streets looking for a spare-change handout.

In worn jeans and work shirt, ball cap pulled down over an unruly fringe of dark hair, George Winston spoke with The Sacramento Press before his ”Summer Show.”

Grammy-winner Winston is known for his low-key approach to concerts. Before the photo shoot, he changed into his performance clothing: blue jeans, a sage green long-sleeved cotton shirt and gray wool socks, no shoes. He removed his cap and joked about not having gotten a haircut for the gig, sporting what he called his “Manson look,” and asked if he was presentable enough.

His guitar case looked like it had traveled 10,000 dusty roads to get here, in stark contrast to the shiny rented 9-foot Steinway grand he prefers to play. He neatly arranged a small square of sheepskin near his guitar case and adjusted the microphone stand, noting that he always brings his own stand so that “if something goes wrong, I know how to fix it.”

He chatted a bit about the different qualities a particular hall or audience can bring to the music, noting that a cough or a sigh from the audience can add a new dimension to a song or can “bring you into the room” in a recording. Winston often ends his songs with a 30-second fadeout into silence, so that at the end he can hear his own breath.

At the Crest, the audience of about 350 fans was absolutely silent until the last note of each song faded away and Winston finally lifted his bald and bearded head to allow the applause to wash over him.

In two sets, Winston covered each of his favorite genres in a smooth and mesmerizing show. From the exuberant stride piano of Fats Waller’s “Cat and Mouse” to the liquid riffs and rills of the early spring evoked in “Rain,” there was not a song that left the audience unsatisfied. The lovely, stately “Variations on Pachelbel’s Canon” was sandwiched between the surprise of a complex harmonica solo and a wonderful bluesy stride piece called “The Gulf Will Live Again.”

Winston also played some of his beloved Hawaiian slack-key guitar.

Winston is an anomaly, a solo artist who has sold millions of albums on three different labels but has never drifted into star-performer mentality, so at odds with his very personal interpretation of the music. He writes, interprets, arranges and plays music that he loves and that speaks to him on a deeply personal level.

The artist gives the impression of being so involved with his music that it wouldn’t matter to him if he were playing to an audience of 3,000 or 300 or just a handful of friends gathered in his Santa Cruz home. It is the music that matters to this humble man.

In his years with William Ackerman’s Windham Hill Records, Winston demonstrated a distinctly original style of piano he called “rural folk piano.” It is this haunting piano work that comprises his bestselling albums, “Autumn,” “ December” and “Winter Into Spring,” in which each piece presents the flavor, images and memories associated with the particular season. Another series evokes the mental and emotional geography of place: “Forest,” “Plains” and “Montana: A Love Story.”

Yet Winston also harbors a deep love and appreciation of the stride piano style of Fats Waller, Earl Hines and Teddy Wilson, piano greats of the 1920s and ‘30s. He has interpreted and recorded music of The Doors and of jazz great Vince Guaraldi of the “Peanuts” soundtracks fame.

On Winston’s own label, Dancing Cat Records, he has made many recordings celebrating the New Orleans R&B piano style of Professor Longhair, Doctor John and Henry Butler. The Dancing Cat label is also home to many recordings of Hawaiian slack-key guitar music.

Winston has also released two benefit albums, “Remembrance - A Memorial Benefit,” which was released shortly after the 9/11 tragedy, and “Gulf Coast Blues & Impressions: A Hurricane Relief Benefit” in 2006.

In Sacramento, Winston finished his slack-key guitar encore and bowed humbly to the second standing ovation, then picked up his battered guitar case and shuffled off the stage, once again a simple scruffy hobo resuming his wandering ways.

Raptor Rapture at Mather

2011-07-19T04:29:10Z

California’s predators come in many shapes and sizes. The mountain lion hunts the forests of the Sierras and the coyote stalks the grasslands and the foothills, but the clear California skies are the domain of a wide variety of predators large and small, the magnificent raptors.

On Saturday afternoon, several dozen people packed the small auditorium at the Splash Education Center at Mather Field to learn about these amazing birds.

The Raptor Rapture program was facilitated by special guests Bill Corbett and David Haro, falconers and raptor rehabilitation specialists.

Falconry is the ancient sport of training raptors to hunt from a human’s hand, usually hawks and falcons. In the United States, there are about 7,000 falconers and 700 of those are in California. It is a sport highly regulated by the California State Department of Fish and Game. Participants must be licensed and must undergo a rigorous training program, testing, a lengthy apprenticeship and a huge commitment of time, money and dedication.

Haro first introduced his 46 day old North American goshawk, Tweetybird, a two-pound bird not yet able to fly. She was purchased from a breeder. Though goshawks can be found in the wild in dense forest above 5,000 foot elevations, they are rare and hard to find. Besides this, a falconer may only own a captive bred bird.

Goshawks are very aggressive in the nest and they are the largest and rarest of the accipiters found in California. Their short, rounded wings and longer tails help them maneuver through the deep forest.

Tweetybird spent most of the program napping on her box.

Corbett then introduced Bob the screech owl. Bob is about 10 years old and resides at a raptor rehabilitation facility in Lincoln. Screech owls are common in the foothills, where they nest in the hollows of oak trees.

Other common area owls include the slightly larger burrowing owl, which nests in holes in the ground; the cream and white barn owl and the very large great horned owl. Like all owls, Bob is a nocturnal hunter and has feathers which allow silent flight.

With Bob safely tucked away, Haro brought out his newest rehabilitation bird, a 2 month old red tail hawk. At about six pounds, this adolescent bird presented a sharp contrast to the diminutive screech owl, and was every inch a fearsome-looking predator. Red tail hawks are very common in California and they are the only bird that a falconer may legally capture in the wild.

Red tail hawks are classified as buteos. Unlike the accipiters, they have very long and broad wings and shorter broad tails. They are designed to glide on the thermal air currents over open grasslands and can soar for extended periods without flapping their wings.

Haro’s bird was rescued after he fell out of the nest. He will be raised and taught to hunt, and will be released back into the wild when he is old enough and strong enough to survive on his own.

Finally, Corbett brought out Tesla, another resident at the Birds of Prey Foundation rehabilitation facility in Lincoln. Tesla is a golden eagle who was found after losing two toes to electrocution. Unable to hunt on her own, she has served as an avian ambassador and educator for most of her 18 years. Two years ago, she was nearly lost to West Nile Virus and suffered some neurological impairment. She is now fully recovered and back at work.

Tesla weighs a hefty 12 pounds, so Corbett had to prop the arm holding her on a specially designed rest. Even wearing the heavy leather glove of a falconer and having the bird tightly tethered by her ankle, Corbett struggled when the mighty bird decided to fly. The golden eagle’s wingspan is over seven feet, and the immense power when she spread and flapped those wings was felt as a stiff breeze even in the back of the room.

Described by Corbett as “the alpha predator of raptors,” the golden eagle has a natural range of about 50 square miles, hunting rabbits, squirrels and even small deer and unlucky housecats. Their eyesight is so keen that they can spot and track a mouse up to two miles away.

Corbett and Haro also gave the audience some information about falcons, the third major division of hawks flown by falconers. The small American kestrel is the other choice for a beginning falconer. The Peregrine falcon has been clocked in a dive, or “stoop,” at speeds over 200 miles per hour. Serious falconers can pay up to $25,000 for a gyrfalcon. A rare Russian gyrfalcon recently sold for over $50,000.

After the demonstration, naturalists from the Splash center took small groups out to the Lake Mather Park to look for birds. Several species were identified including red tail hawks, turkey vultures (the only hawk that feeds on carrion rather than hunting live prey) and a rare red shouldered hawk.

Be sure to look up to the sky on your next walk or hike. The predators above may be looking down at you.

For more information about the Splash Education Center and the Nature in the Neighborhood series, including an upcoming Night Walk, go to http://www.sacsplash.org. For information about falconry, visit http://www.calhawkingclub.org.

Pink Martini shakes it up

2011-07-08T02:41:26Z

What could be more refreshing on a hot July night than a nice, cool martini?

For a thousand fans at the Mondavi Center in Davis last night, the perfect martini was pink. Crisp and cool, elegant and sophisticated, Pink Martini was fresh and fun and funky.

Pink Martini is a “small orchestra” from Portland which manages to produce a sound both wildly exotic and comfortably accessible to their diverse audiences. The ensemble of talented musicians produces a repertoire spanning several continents, a few of centuries and a baker’s dozen of genres.

Ravel’s “Bolero” led off the program, starting with some hand drums, string bass and Pansy Chang’s beautiful cello. As the piece built and expanded to include the entire orchestra, the rapt audience settled in for an evening of Pink Martini’s signature performance magic.

Throughout an entirely enjoyable program, the Pink Martini musicians showcased their considerable talents as they traded off solos and riffed against each other. From a Mozart violin concerto to a raucous jazz piece, each number illuminated another side to this popular group.

As most members of the group have studied languages, cultures and music from far beyond America, the program is spiced with songs in Spanish, French, Chinese and Turkish.

Two entirely different tunes were created from the base of Schubert’s “Fantasie in F Minor” for four hands. The Afro-Cuban-flavored feisty tango “And Now You’re Gone” is sung by a woman fed up with her faithless lover. The lover then responds with a hilarious Cab Calloway-style jazz riff on the same Schubert theme “And Now I’m Back”.

Elegant, torchy Storm Large was substituting for veteran vocalist China Forbes, who is undergoing throat surgery and a lengthy recovery. Although Large was also having some throat issues and so did not possess her full range and power, she brought both haunting beauty and barroom bawdiness to the stage.

The 12 musicians are led by Thomas M. Lauderdale, a charismatic and very talented pianist who set out to create beautiful and inclusive music for progressive political fundraising events. Pink Martini soon grew beyond Lauderdale’s initial vision and became an internationally successful recording and performance ensemble. The diverse members of the orchestra are each involved in other musical endeavors, as symphony artists, rock band members, teachers, composers and solo performers.

Pink Martini inspires slightly manic loyalty in its fans. The Pink Martini Ya Yas — five Woodland women wearing pink sequined hats adorned with lighted cocktail glasses — were invited to join the orchestra onstage and sing and dance along to the salsa-spicy “Yolanda.”

This little group of nurses has followed the group to Maui, Portland, Reno, Chico and Saratoga over the past eight years or so, and has special costumes or commemorative T-shirts made for each concert.

“There is just so much fun in this, so much life!” Ya Ya Peggy Gedatus said.

After the first taste of Pink Martini, it may become a delightful addiction.

for more info, or to order CD's or vinyl LP's, visit pinkmartini.com

Lovett and Hiatt: low-key delight

2011-06-13T04:33:50Z

As spring weather finally arrived in Sacramento on Friday, the Grove at the Radisson once again became a lovely small-venue showcase for some impressive musical talent.

Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt graced the stage on the eighth stop of their 25-city acoustic tour.

Both performers are known for their acoustic guitar work and their laid-back country-flavored songs about travelin’ and trucks, railroads and rivers, and horses and women and loneliness and love.

That about sums up Friday’s performance: just two middle-aged guys with guitars, sitting quietly on stage, trading off tunes and some gentle ribbing.

The crowd of about 2,000 fans loved every minute.

Hiatt ran through some of his older work, including haunting ballads “Buffalo River Home” and “Have a Little Faith in Me” and quirky comic whoop-and-holler songs “Tennessee Plates” and “Perfectly Good Guitar.” His guitar licks sparkled through bluegrass and blues and good old rock ‘n’ roll, and he was obviously having a great time.

Lovett’s mien was calm, nearly deadpan, even as he poked some fun at his friend’s seersucker jacket. His renditions of “Private Conversation,” “If I Had a Boat” and “Old Friend” were moving and sweet. His finger-picked “One Thing I Like About That,” a blues song from the 1920s, was lightning fast, and the Grateful Dead song “Friend of the Devil” further displayed his bluegrass talent. “My Baby Don’t Tolerate” was tongue-in-cheek blues, fast and fun.

The duo sang only a few songs together. Hiatt’s “Thing Called Love,” made famous by Bonnie Raitt, was one collaboration that had the audience dancing in their seats.

As Lovett recounted, these two friends started singing and touring together in 1989 and came together every few years to swap songs and play a few gigs.

Hiatt has released 19 well-received albums, has been nominated 11 times for Grammys and his new album is due Aug. 2. Lovett has released 13 albums and has won four Grammy awards. He has written music for many films and for television and has also developed an acting career.

Choral Society party wraps up season

2011-06-08T15:07:19Z

A brilliant rainbow directed fans of the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra to their season end party on Saturday night.

Reflected in the puddles lingering from the rainy day, the rainbow lent a hopeful sparkle to the gala at the Temporary Contemporary Gallery at 1616 Del Paso Blvd. Inside, aficionados of choral music enjoyed the company of singers, musicians and fellow music lovers.

Partygoers strolled amid the captivating art installations and helped themselves to imaginative refreshments and an assortment of wines. A pianist played softly near the speaker’s podium, and the hum of happy conversation rose above the clink of stemware. Recordings were available for sale, including SCSO’s latest recording of the Verdi Requiem, recorded in March 2011 at the Mondavi Center, and a DVD of the KVIE-produced documentary about the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra. A silent auction also drew the attention of guests.

The reason for the party was threefold. It celebrated the end of a very successful season for SCSO, introduced the 2011-2012 season calendar and raised much-needed funds for the venerable arts group.

Funding for the arts has been an early and dramatic victim of the economic downturn and recession, and will be slow to recover. SCSO ended this season about $30,000 in the red, despite generous donations from supporters. The members of the chorus actually funded the final program of the 2010-2011 season, “Easy to Love,” at the Mondavi Center. Singers donate thousands of hours to the organization they love as a matter of course; this season, they also raised and donated thousands of dollars as well.

SCSO President James McCormick greeted guests with gratitude for their support, and announced the August 11, 2011 Summer Sing, which will be a performance of the Brahms Requiem at St. John’s Lutheran Church.

McCormick then turned the podium over to conductor Donald Kendrick.

“We have been completely enraptured in wonder and love, in endless rehearsals and concerts, in tours and recordings and especially with some of the greatest music from Western civilization,” said Kendrick, describing the past 15 years, “All of these are life changing experiences.”

The programs and venues for the four concerts of the 16th season were introduced to excited applause and briefly described.

“Canticles of Praise” will be held at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on October 29 and 30, 2011. This Stained Glass Concert features music connected with three of the great cathedrals in Europe. Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms will feature a boy soprano soloist. Joseph Jongen of Belgium wrote his Mass in thanksgiving for his son’s release from Buchenwald in 1945. William Mathias composed a work for the 1981 marriage of His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer.

“Home for the Holidays” will be hosted by the UC Davis Mondavi Center on December 10 and 11, 2011. This is SCSO’s traditional Christmas concert, which features an audience singalong.

“English Grandeur” will be held at the Sacramento Community Center Theater on April 14, 2012 and will feature two works by Ralph Vaughan Williams and a “Biblical epic” by William Walton, “Belshazzar’s Feast.” The Sacramento Children’s Choir will join SCSO for this concert.

Fremont Presbyterian Church will host “European Traditions” on June 2, 2012. Fremont has recently refurbished their sanctuary and installed a magnificent Reuter Pipe Organ, so this concert will include works for organ and voices.
The evening’s program concluded with a parody from “The Sound of Music.” Rachael Sprague and Lorin Miller kept the guests laughing at the excitement and peril of being “Fifteen, Going on Sixteen.”

After a rousing singalong of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” the party continued for another hour. As McCormick said, “We love a good party!”

For more information about the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra, and for details on the upcoming season, visit their website at www.sacramentochoral.com.

Master Singers’ season finale: Fauré Requiem

2011-05-24T05:07:17Z

The final concert in the Sacramento Master Singers’ season was presented last Saturday and again on Sunday at the First United Methodist Church with guest conductor Vance George.

The program was built around the Requiem by Gabriel Fauré, composed in the 1880’s. SMS performed this durable work beautifully, aided by the Sacramento Children’s Chorus singing the Pie Jesu with angelic purity.

The concert opened with three hopeful selections, energetic and bright: the traditional Appalachian tune “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah,” Finzi’s “My Spirit Sang All Day,” and another Fauré selection. A Mendelssohn motet from “Elijah,” sung in German, followed.

Still, after all of this beautiful music, it was the Bach Motet #2 which brilliantly showcased the considerable talents of these fine singers. It was magnificent. It was written for double choir, and the intricate antiphonal structure and gorgeous harmonies were stunning, sung with precision and passion. With accompaniment by guest organist Heidi Van Regenmorter and a 19-piece festival orchestra, it was a glorious performance.

There were also two special performances sandwiched between the SMS selections. Lynn Stevens directed the Sacramento Children’s Chorus in three selections. The 34 clear treble voices blended in harmony, singing a sweet ballad from the British Isles, a traditional Thai folk song (in Thai and English) and an energetic spiritual, “Chariot’s Comin’.” These children may well be future Master Singers.

The annual Asya Pleskach Scholarships for vocal students were also announced. Elyse Rosky of Nevada Union High School was present to accept her award in the 14 to 16 age category. In Category II, for singers aged 17-19, the first place winner was Kristin Knotts, of Oakmont High School.

Knotts sang “Vergebliches Ständchen, Opus 84., No. 4” by Johannes Brahms, and amazed the audience with her clear soprano and her considerable stage presence. Her graceful phrasing and nuanced tone was unexpected in one so young. Her vocal coach, Sherry Anderson, praised both her talent and her work ethic.

The guest conductor for these performances, Vance George, is conductor emeritus of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. His wide experience was evident in his work with the SMS, as was his personal charm in connecting with the large audience. In his 23 seasons with the San Francisco group, they were awarded two Grammys for Best Performance by a Choral Group. George has also been instrumental in Emmy-winning orchestral and choral performances, and in creation of the film soundtracks for “Amadeus,” “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” and “Godfather III.”

"I'm thrilled to have the choir work with such an esteemed conductor as Maestro George,” said Ralph Hughes, artistic director and conductor of the Sacramento Master Singers. “He is like a living history book on choral music in the United States, and we've benefitted from his metaphors on how to use the voice, his immense knowledge of lyric diction, and his ability to coax new vocal colors from the choir. The choir simply sparkles on the Bach!”

This has been an outstanding season for the Master Singers. Dr. Hughes is celebrating 25 years with the elite choral group. He joined his chorus on the risers for this performance. Under his direction, SMC presented “Peace, Peace,” their annual holiday concert; “Jingle All The Way,” a holiday concert for children, and “Celtic Connections III” in March.

For more information about the Sacramento Master Singers, visit their website at www.mastersingers.org.

Chanteuses: ‘Love … and Other Maladies’

2011-05-06T04:44:59Z

Sunday's spring concert from Chanteuses, “Love … and Other Maladies,” explored the idea of love as both rapturous ecstasy and terrible pain.

About 60 people gathered in a Carmichael church to hear these talented women sing.

This offering from one of the area’s few female choral groups featured a selection of sacred and secular works loosely connected by the theme of “sublime love.” The concert offered a suitable showcase for the precise harmonies of the 18-member choral ensemble.

Jovial director Chris Alford introduced each song, often adding translations of the Latin, French and German texts. His enthusiastic conducting drew from the singers the beautiful music we have come to expect from this small group of elite sopranos and altos.

Though most songs are presented a cappella, the chorus was ably accompanied on a few selections by pianist Ellen Koehler and flautist Francie Lawler.

Chanteuses’ repertoire leans heavily toward the liturgical, the medieval and the obscure. Though musically pleasing and well sung, the program flowed along with a somewhat disappointing sameness, bereft of much excitement and variety.

The selections in English were more accessible to many in the small audience. The rousing “Welcome” and three other selections of 17th century love poetry were well received, and five “Fragments from the Mass” were undeniably moving.

More engaging was a rousing French-Canadian market song, sung in a charming mixture of English and French and accompanied by a pantomime that called on the talents of two audience members using a variety of props to act out the tale.

Emily Dickinson’s poem “The Moon Is Distant from the Sea” provided the lyrics for one of the most poignant songs in the second portion of the concert.

As an encore, the lightning-quick syllables of a song based on Psalm 150 tripped flawlessly from the lips of the exultant singers and delighted the audience.

A reception to thank the audience was held immediately following the concert, underscoring the close community connections that Chanteuses enjoys.

Chanteuses has been producing lovely music for women’s voices since 1996. The group has released four concert CDs and will soon begin rehearsals for their Christmas 2011 concert, which will also be recorded and released in early 2012.

Easy To Love

2011-05-04T02:55:28Z

The Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra’s latest offering was “Easy to Love,” a marvelously entertaining concert of Broadway’s finest love songs.

Playing to a near-capacity audience at the beautiful Mondavi Center at the University of California, Davis, SCSO and four very talented guest soloists celebrated the “Barons of Broadway,” the composers and lyricists from the golden age of the Broadway musical.

Jerome Kern, Richard Rogers, Lorenz Hart, Oscar Hammerstein and Cole Porter might have written these songs especially for the musicians gathered on stage. From the overture to the final rousing reprise of “With a Song in My Heart,” the audience was entranced.

The concert began with a medley of some of the most beloved waltzes of Richard Rogers, and the entire theatre seemed to sway in three-quarter time.

The romantic lyrics and lush orchestral arrangements came alive as the soloists delivered solid performances all around. Soprano Christi Amonson and Mezzo Kristin Dauphinais were both beautifully expressive, bringing just the right amount of theatricality to such lovely ballads as “All The Things You Are,” “Hello Young Lovers” and “Where and When.”

Both ladies are possessed of lovely voices, and demonstrated great range and versatility. Whether singing alone with the orchestra, or in duet with Tenor Tevye Ditter or Baritone Ian Greenlaw, their vocal abilities were abundantly demonstrated.

Dauphinais was particularly delightful as she sang “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered” with the rare choral accompaniment of the 120 voices of the SCSO chorus. Her animated “Blue Moon” truly brought the unusual piece to life - Director Donald Kendrick was nearly dancing on the podium.

Greenlaw’s smooth baritone is equally adaptable, ranging easily from the intensity of “Some Enchanted Evening” and “If I Loved You” to the playful duet “I Could Write a Book,” where his voice was the perfect complement to Amonson’s clear soprano.

Ditter is a young tenor, and his potential is obvious. Though competent, his performance lacked the strength and expressiveness that he will undoubtedly develop over time. His musical theater experience is solid, and more operatic endeavors will serve him well. Still, his first performance with the SCSO was well received.

The choral contributions to this concert were beautifully sung, yet very minimal. SCSO President James McCormick explained that the Rogers and Hammerstein songbook is very tightly controlled by the publishers. As this music was mostly written for soloists, there are few choral arrangements available; almost none were written by the composers and it is prohibited to write any new arrangements.

Following a triumphant performance of the Verdi Requiem in March, SCSO has segued into another of its roles in the community, that of education.

“It is so important for us to do Broadway,” said McCormick. “We perform the great orchestral works, the sacred and our Christmas concerts. These works of the Broadway musical theater masters are an important part of the American songbook.”

“And the choir is very understanding,” said McCormick.

The chorus was able to sing accompanying arrangements for only six of the 26 numbers on the program. They did, however, have their shining moment as the chorus sang Rodgers and Hart’s beautiful “Quiet Night,” accompanied only by the orchestra. The selection featured a gorgeous a cappella segment which illuminated the passion and precision which this elite group brings to every performance, whether it be six songs or 30.

Director Kendrick coaxes the very best performances from the singers, the orchestra and the soloists, and he does it with such energy and panache that it is a joy to watch him direct. There is never a dull moment when the maestro takes the podium.

The SCSO has again proved that they are indeed easy to love. For fifteen seasons, this unique partnership of choral singers and professional orchestral musicians has been bringing quality performances to Sacramento area audiences.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

SGMC Hits the Road

2011-05-04T02:16:29Z

For the first time in a decade, the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus is taking their show on the road.SGMC has invited the audience to accompany them on a musical tour of the world with their latest offering, “One for the Road.” The program will be traveling literally as well as figuratively, with performances slated for Sacramento, Loomis, Davis, and Stockton.

Friday night’s premiere of this concert was received with enthusiasm.

After an introductory in-flight safety demonstration complete with instructions for seatbelts and oxygen masks, the chorus took off in flights of harmony that spanned miles and decades.

Artistic director Paul Jones and accompanist Mark A. Robinson led the 32 singers across the United States and, after intermission, across the globe.

After a rousing Gold Rush sea-chantey, “Blow boys blow! There’s plenty of gold so I’ve been told on the banks of the Sacramento!” we eased on down the road in our little deuce coupe - the road being Route 66, of course.

An overall-clad quartet regaled us with the tale of Pearl, a girlfriend with multiple personalities - the only high camp hilarity in the show. This was followed by a beautiful a cappella arrangement of the Stephen Foster classic, “My Old Kentucky Home, Goodnight.”

The set closed with some of Cory Hubert’s choreography featured in “All Aboard”.

Doug McGill narrated an amusing travelogue diary to introduce each number with a definite SGMC twist, including some sly double entendres and slightly naughty innuendoes. The sound was uneven, so some of the humor was lost, but the idea is fun and so was the script.

The second portion of the program had an international flavor, including a beautiful a cappella rendition of the haunting “Loch Lomond” and a lively Greek folk song. The words of Walt Whitman found a truly majestic expression in “Farther Sail;” It was by far the most moving selection of the evening.

Choreographer Hubert was joined by fellow tenors Johnny McMorris, Donte Mayer and Z Duy Ninh in an entertaining (though not particularly authentic) bare-chested island ‘hula’ as the chorus sang “Tahiti.”

Returning to the flowing, lyrical style at which they excel, the chorus sang “Homeward Bound,” “Home” and “America the Beautiful,” which included an impressive solo by tenor Byron Jackson.

The show closed with their signature “Rhythm of Life” from Sweet Charity, and a sing-along chorus of “Happy Trails.”

Director Paul Jones stated that he was “looking forward to the fact that we’re traveling again, which we haven’t done since [former director] Carl Naluia Jr.’s time. It’s going to be fun, and another chapter in the tribute to my late mentor.” Naluai died in 2009.

Said Joey McIlvery, who has been volunteering with the chorus for many years: “They’re a great, great group of men. They’ve come so far!”

McIlvery recruits many of her friends to take tickets, serve refreshments and handle the raffles, a popular feature of every concert.

The concert will be repeated in Sacramento on May 13 and 14 and in Davis on May 15. Visit SGMC online for more information or to purchase tickets:
www.SacGayMensChorus.org

Verdi's 'Requiem' an Exultant Success

2011-03-21T02:28:42Z

Verdi's 'Requiem' was an exultant success.

Howling winds and slashing blasts of icy rain overflowing streets and gutters made Saturday a terrific night to stay at home before the fire.

Yet the tempestuous weather and hazardous driving conditions could not dissuade some 1,400 fans from attending a landmark concert at the Mondavi Center in Davis.

The Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra performed Guiseppe Verdi’s “Requiem” to a hushed and enthralled audience.

Director Donald Kendrick conducted the 55-member of the orchestra, 180-voice chorus and four guest soloists in a stunning 90-minute performance. That he did so without working from a score was testimony to his deep love and respect for the music and his dedication to sterling performance.

From the quiet, tender opening notes of the “Requiem aeternam,” there was a palpable sigh of an audience caught in the certainty that they were experiencing a remarkable musical event.

Verdi’s masterwork then rushed into a powerful, terrifying tumult throughout the “Dies Irae” (Day of Wrath) movement. The full fury of the heavens was heard through the crashing bass drum and the fanfare of trumpets.

The remaining movements were of a more devotional and contemplative nature, dealing with redemption, salvation and hope.

The double chorus provided a glorious display of the majesty of massed human voices. The precise harmonies of so many beautifully trained voices lent magnificence to the work.

The four soloists brought operatic richness and great emotional texture. Soprano Karen Slack, mezzo soprano Julie Simson, tenor Bjorn Arvidsson and bass Kevin Thompson sang with passion and power, tenderness and brilliance.

Particularly gorgeous was the pairing of Slack and Simson in the “Agnus Dei.” Their voices beseeching the heavens for eternal rest and peace were spellbinding.

Arvidsson’s “Ingemisco” was performed with precision and intensity.

Thompson, a last-minute substitution for the bass scheduled to perform, demonstrated his rich bass in the lyrical “Tuba mirum.”

However, the most outstanding solo performance was Slack’s “Libera me,” the final movement of the operatic Mass. Her strength and emotive power sent chills through the audience.

Kendrick first conducted the Verdi “Requiem” at Carnegie Hall in 1995. The SCSO has also performed this work at the Sacramento Community Center Theater. However, James McCormick, president of the SCSO board of directors, said the group was eager to perform again at the Mondavi because “It is a much warmer hall,” lending a deeper richness to the sound quality.

“I am so proud of our audience, to brave the weather and come to support us,” McCormick said. “Our audience is wonderful. There are even people here from San Francisco.”

The SCSO will perform again at the Mondavi Center on April 30. “Easy to Love” is a Broadway tribute, a very different experience than Saturday’s “Requiem.” It will, however, be a guaranteed delight.

http://sacramentochoral.com/

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sacramento Master Singers: Celtic Connections

2011-03-20T00:33:53Z

The streets of midtown Sacramento were filled with green-clad revelers in pursuit of green beer and shiny shamrock beads on St. Patrick's Day.

At the corner of 21st and J Streets, a different sort of celebration drew a near-capacity crowd. The Sacramento Master Singers chose to honor the holiday with ‘Celtic Connections’, a journey through several centuries of music from the Celtic world.

Artistic director and conductor Ralph Hughes led the 45-voice chorus through an ambitious program of music from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England.

Acclaimed harpist Aileen Kelley provided accompaniment throughout the program, and also performed two solo selections. The ethereal, complex music of the harp is one of the most beloved features of much Celtic music.

From the solemn candlelight processional to the last poignant note, the Master Singers held the audience spellbound.

The program began with a segment entitled ‘Songs of Reflection’, which included an eighth century hymn and a motet in Latin, an Irish Christmas hymn in English, and an heroic hunting song sung partly in Gaelic.

The final selection in this segment, ‘Armaque cum Scuto’ brought together men chanting to the accompaniment of traditional drums with an overlay of otherworldly female vocals in a powerful Latin exhortation against the influence of Satan.

In testimony to the dedication and professionalism of the Master Singers, this first segment was performed by candlelight and the singers used no sheet music.

The traditional drums continued to provide a stirring foundation for the next segment, ‘Songs of Love and War’. Accompanist Clifford Shockney’s lovely arrangement of ‘My Lagan Love’ was followed by ‘The Minstrel Boy’, which was sung by the men alone.

The women rejoined the men for the final song of this section. ‘Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye’, as arranged by Alice Parker, is a heartbreaking, poignant exploration of the devastating effect of war on both the soldiers who serve and the loved ones they leave behind.

The men and the women traded off both the heart-wrenching verses and the low thrumming chorus in piteous recognition of the terrors of war. Their voices blended in such pure intricacy, and the emotion expressed was so mournful and tender that the audience was held in rapt silence. As the last plaintive note died, there was not a sound in the church. With the eventual exhalation of held breath, the crowd applauded in recognition of a very powerful experience.

During the intermission, several audience members mentioned that they had shed tears or experienced physical chills from the emotional piece.

After intermission, the women took the stage for a playful unaccompanied rendition in Gaelic of ‘Cunnla’, a joyous 14th century 'baby tickling' song. Assistant Conductor Tina Harris and alto Carol McCormick carried the solos on ‘Siuil a Ruin’.

After a beautiful harp solo by Aileen Kelley, the men returned to sing a glorious rendition of the most famous of Irish songs, ‘Danny Boy’.

The men continued the program with a rousing and animated Irish working song ‘Dulaman’, which is without a doubt the best song about seaweed ever written. Yes, seaweed. Sung in Irish with much enthusiastic choreography, the song was a definite crowd pleaser.

This segment of ‘Songs of the Irish Countryside’ concluded with Michelle Iwase singing the verse of ‘Blackthorn’ against the beautiful harmonies of the chorus.

‘Songs of England and Scotland’ were among the most familiar of the evening. After the entire company sang ‘The Sailor and Young Nancy’, the women presented a lovely rendition of “Scarborough Fair’, featuring the pure clarity of Emily Burr’s soprano.

The ‘Skye Boat Song’ and ‘Loch Lomond’ both tell of the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebellion against the English in 1746. ‘Loch Lomond’ featured beautiful solos by bass Chris Dainard and tenor Matt Metcalf.

The program closed with ‘The Voice’, a marvelous song celebrating the connection of the Irish people to their history, their homeland, and their spirit. It brought the audience to their feet in thunderous ovation.

The Sacramento Master Singers have been a cultural treasure of choral music for over 25 years under Hughes’ direction. They promise to continue providing beautiful music for many years to come.

The Celtic Connections concert will be repeated at 8:00 pm on Saturday, March 19 and at 3:00 pm on Sunday, March 20 at the first United Methodist Church, 21st and J streets in Sacramento. Tickets are available at the door or at www.mastersingers.org.

‘Equus’: Powerful Production from TAAC

2011-01-28T01:30:38Z

The current offering at The Alternative Arts Collective Theatre in Roseville is a remarkably muscular interpretation of ‘Equus’, Peter Shaffer’s groundbreaking 1973 play.

‘Equus’ follows the parallel experiences of two men as they struggle to understand and heal themselves of their inner demons. Thrown together are Alan Strang, a young man who has committed the heinous crime of blinding several horses with a hoof pick, and Martin Dysart, a disillusioned child psychiatrist.

As Alan resists acknowledging and accepting his actions and the inner sexual and religious turmoil which motivates him, Dysart explores his own limitations and the ultimate futility he sees in healing Alan. The psychiatrist comes to believe that by removing the young man’s pain, he will also excise the passion and capacity for worship which had been central to Alan’s experience. The crime was an aberrant expression of something both Dysart and Alan come to see as holy.

Contributing to the story are Hesther Saloman, the magistrate who recognizes Alan’s pain and wisely commends him to the psychiatric hospital and the care of Dysart rather than to prison; Alan’s parents, the ultra-religious Dora and hypocritical, harsh Frank Strang; and Jill Mason, a young woman whose attentions precipitate Alan’s break with rationality and lead to his crime.

The cast is well-rounded, with some familiar faces from the local theater community.

Zack Myers, as Alan Strang, displays just the right amount of adolescent posturing, as when he responds to Dysart’s initial questions by singing television jingles and refusing to speak. As the play develops, Myers reveals Alan's cunning side, yet is passive and vulnerable when the conflicted and disparate relationships with his parents (played by Hazel Stream and Bob Nannini) are introduced.

Myers is convincing in his religious rapture, and in his developing sensual and sexual involvement with the horse Nugget (played by Jacob Woods). His sexual attraction to Jill (Taylor Hill) is less believable, although his nervous awareness of the presence of his God-figure Nugget/Equus is clearly drawn.

Richard Spierto said he has “wanted to play Martin Dysart since the mid 1970’s” when he first discovered the role through the traveling Broadway company, and rejoiced that he is “ finally old enough”.

Dysart is plagued by a nightmare in which he is a priest in ancient Greece responsible for the execution and evisceration of hundreds of children, a task he continues long after he has become sickened by it: he fears ridicule and retribution by his fellow priests if he fails in his duty. Spierto delivers this information with eerie, somewhat detached intensity.

Spierto plays the complex and insecure Dysart with confidence in his dealings with Alan, and with a confessional straightforward manner when speaking with his patient’s parents and with the magistrate (Sandy Phillips). He chooses a whiny petulance in his considerable soliloquies, however, and although this communicates his uncertainty and despair it is uncomfortable and disconcerting.

Phillips is relaxed and comfortable, conveying Saloman as a magistrate with the most humanity of any character onstage. She is genuinely concerned for both the patient and the doctor, and one can easily imagine her tucked up with a cup of tea and a clear conscience.

The stage and lighting design are clever, consisting of a single set with a central raised corral-like space sketched with beams and sparsely set with a bench or two and some hay bales. Spotlights direct the viewer’s attention, necessary as every actor remains onstage throughout the entire duration of the show.

The exceptions are the four horses, barely clad actors wearing horse-head masks designed by Ashley Eigenman and Eileen Beaver. The horses come and go; Nugget as the Equus/God is magnificently sensual and totally non-human.

Director David Garrison is both the artistic director and founder of The Alternative Arts Collective. He has assembled an impressive cast and staff of passionate artists.

The ambitious undertaking from this upstart arts group follows on the heels of the TAAC production of ‘Angels in America’, in two parts; both ‘Millenium Approaches’ and ‘Perestroika’ were ably presented with a local cast.

The upcoming TAAC season is robust with productions of ‘Hamlet’ (with a mostly female cast), David Mamet’s ‘The Cryptogram”, several other well-know works, and an original play by Garrison.

"We choose work that is artistically complex," explained Garrison. "It challenges us, and the audience. You have to work for it.

"Our goal is to be non-competitive; we are interested in unifying the community through art."

Although TAAC is currently housed in an unlikely (and chilly) small theater in Royer Park in Roseville, negotiations have begun to move and expand the collective into a larger and more comfortable venue.

This fresh and energetic company deserves more audience and critical attention than it currently enjoys. Lovers of local theater will not want to miss this final weekend of ‘Equus’, and will want to keep a close eye on TAAC in the coming years.

‘Equus’ plays at the Royer Park Theater this Friday and Saturday, January 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the door or by contacting TAAC at (916) 538-8013, www.facebook.com/pages/The-Alternative-Arts-Collective or at taactheatre@gmail.com

photos by John Pek/Evek Studios

Choral Society Featured on KVIE

2011-01-25T05:48:35Z

It was a Saturday night in Midtown Sacramento: The wine flowed, the crowd laughed and talked, the music played and there was even a little karaoke. The crowd of about 200 people was remarkably diverse, even by Midtown standards. One gent wore a cowboy hat, an 88-year-old lady applauded and a young blond guy in tight jeans got up and belted out show tunes by Cole Porter and Rogers and Hammerstein.

Tenor Evan Brienza sings Cole Porter accompanied by Don Kendrick.

Then everybody watched a television show in appreciative silence.

The occasion for the unusual party was the premiere of the KVIE-produced documentary about the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra. A scene from the documentary is shown above.

The Viewfinder series found a fitting subject for its documentary about the growing interest in choral music in the SCSO. Beginning in April 2009, production of this half-hour program became a labor of love for everyone on both sides of the camera.

Kendrick directed an SCSO ensemble at a summer event.

It has been 15 years since Don Kendrick stepped into the director’s role, bringing his limitless energy and ambitious vision to a struggling Sacramento Symphony Chorus. In 1996, when the Sacramento Symphony went bankrupt, Kendrick created a new kind of musical alliance.

The Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra is unique among the 12,000 community choruses in the United States: It is the only large chorus to have a collective bargaining agreement with its own professional symphony orchestra.

Generally, a large chorus is hired by an orchestra to showcase the music it plays. But in Sacramento, the volunteer singers of the SCSO hire professional musicians to accompany them. In the past 15 years, the SCSO has paid more than $2 million dollars in wages, keeping hundreds of union musicians working.

Saturday’s premiere was an opportunity for the many singers, alumni and friends of the SCSO to view their organization in a new way. Footage of current and recent performances – including the elaborate Orff “Carmina Burana” – was interspersed with photos and film from former tours.

On a trip to China, the group sang Randall Thompson’s “Alleluia” atop the Great Wall; in the Czech Republic and Austria, the churches and cathedrals in every small village became an impromptu stage for a motet.

Throughout the documentary, Kendrick and SCSO President James McCormick are featured discussing their experience. Their unequivocal love of music and passion and loyalty for the chorus comes through loud and clear.

Other members of the SCSO are equally enthusiastic.
James McCormick thanked Patrick McGiff for organizing the sneak preview premiere party.

“This experience has changed my life,” said Patrick McGiff, a tenor who joined the group about 18 months ago. He coordinated the details of the premiere party, which underwent a surprise change of venue at the last minute. “The power of volunteers is unbelievable,” he said.

McGiff also sings in Vox Nova, the men’s choir at Sacred Heart Church, where Kendrick is the director of that choir and of the mixed-voice Scola Cantorum.

“There are so many talents represented in this room” ~~McGill~~ McGiff said, citing the diversity of professions, ages and backgrounds among the 190 volunteer singers. “It is truly a labor of love.”

The documentary will air on the Viewfinder series on KVIE Channel 6 on Wednesday, January 26 at 7 p.m. and again on Sunday, January 30 at 6 p.m.

SCSO will present a their annual fund raising Singathon at Sunrise Mall on Thursday, February 10.

The SCSO season continues with The Verdi Requiem, featuring 193 singers, four world-class soloists, and a full orchestra. Saturday, March 19 at 8:00 p.m. at the Mondavi Center in Davis.

The season concludes with "Easy to Love", a concert of the best of classic Broadway music. Saturday, April 30 at 8:00 p.m. at the Mondavi Center

For more information, please visit the SCSO website at sacramentochoral.com

Sac Press Photos | Kati Garner

“Fire and Passion of Tango” Sizzles

2011-01-22T19:52:12Z

Argentine Tango is one of the most electrifying of dance traditions, and Tango Buenos Aires presents it with blazing artistry.

The company performed on Thursday at the Sacramento Convention Center theater, the third performance in the Community Concert series. Tango Buenos Aires has been touring internationally for more than 20 years, entertaining, educating and amazing audiences with its interpretation of this cultural treasure.

For nearly 200 years, Tango has been danced in Argentina. It is a dance of romance, but it is not your grandmother’s hearts-and-flowers romance. Tango is fire, heat and sensuality expressed in athleticism and muscular grace to compelling, visceral music. This is not a dance for the faint of heart, or the prim and proper.

All of the elements of Tango were beautifully represented by the company of 10 dancers and five musicians. Against a stark backdrop and using minimal props – a few scattered chairs and tables sketching a tango salon, the orchestra silhouetted behind the dancers – a classic story of desire, betrayal, revenge and great passion kept the audience fully engaged for nearly two hours.

The dancers are totally engaged with one another, dancing so closely that there often seems to be one body with four swiftly moving feet.

The men prowled with animal grace, costumed in loosely fitted 1930s-style suits, their hair shiny with pomade and their expressions smoldering.

The women epitomize slinky sensuality, in an array of simple but decidedly sexy dresses, most slit to hip and worn with stiletto heels. There is a lot of leg displayed in the Tango, as the women are dipped and swirled around the floor. Lifts and splits and spins abound.

But the most startling feature of the dance is the lightning-fast footwork by both partners. Dazzling intertwining lifts and kicks send shiny shoes around and behind and between the flying feet of the dancers, in split-second timing.

If the synchronicity of the pair faltered even by a hair, the results could be devastating – dancers would kick one another with those deadly pointed shoes in some very tender spots and fall to the floor in an agony of embarrassment and broken bones.

Tango Buenos Aires’ choreography by Susana Rojo is stunning. In a series of 20 dances interspersed with five numbers performed by the orchestra alone, a complete ballet-style story in Tango is created.

“Fire and Passion of Tango” tells the story of Cynthia and her partner, Damian; of their friends and of the dangerous Mauricio, the man who Cynthia pursues until he finally seduces and leaves her. Damien avenges her in an all-male dance reminiscent of a “West Side Story” gang fight, and eventually Cynthia and Damien are reunited.

The music was also phenomenal. Award-winning musical director Emilio Kauderer has composed and compiled a wonderful score. The musicians evoked the authentic spirit of Tango music, rendering tunes both haunting and exciting.

The piano, standing bass, violin and guitar were lovely, but it was the bandoneon that took the audience directly to the salons of Buenos Aires. This relative of the concertina accordion has a surprisingly versatile sound and was ably played by Martin Sued.

Tango is currently among the most popular classes taught in dance studios around the world and enjoys an enthusiastic following in Sacramento. Tango Buenos Aires made the entire audience understand why.

For more information on tango, including opportunities to see performances and take lessons, visit sactango.com.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

"Dancing in the River City" Dazzles

2011-01-20T00:33:14Z

Are you a fan of “Dancing with the Stars”? Do you enjoy glitzy Broadway musicals or old movies with Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire? Do graceful dancers in tuxedos and swirly sequined dresses make you swoon?

U.S Women's Standard Champions Citabria Phillips, left, and Zoe Balfour perform in the evening show.

It was all that and more when ballroom dancers from around the world gathered in Sacramento on Sunday. The Ballroom of Sacramento hosted the third annual Dancing in the River City Same-Sex Dance Competition, followed by an evening dance show.

This year’s show was “Over the Rainbow in the River City,” and featured performances by The Dancing Dorothys, the Vima Vice Squad, the Magical Marionettes and many of the star performers from the afternoon competition.

Heintje Soriano and David Estrada dance to a number from "Wicked".

Loosely based on a "Wizard of Oz" theme, the show played to a capacity crowd. During intermission, and after the show, the floor was opened for public dancing, and the audience members were quick to take the floor and try out their moves.

The dancers in the show obviously love to perform, and their numbers were technically challenging, beautifully staged and very
creative. The costumes were fabulous, and the audience clapped and cheered each dance. It was a dance spectacular worthy of a much larger audience.

Photon; Photis Pishiaras and Ron Jenkins, second place Men's Standard.

The Vice Squad channels Dorothy.

2010 Gay Games gold medalists and U.S. Men's Latin Champions; Jose Comoda, left, and Chris Phan.

Sunny Williams, left, and Heather Brockett are the Women's Latin Champions. Also seen in photo at top of article.

Mitch and Misha; Misha Belfer, left and Mitchel Kibel took the ~~Show Dance~~ Men's A Standard title.

The tireless energy and enthusiasm of the performers was inspiring, especially as most of them had been dancing all day
long. The show was the culmination of a very demanding day of high-level competition.

The North American Same-Sex Partner Dance Association (NASSPDA) 2011 California State titles were awarded in the day-long competition.

Competitors included several current and former world, European and national champions, and competitors from “So You Think You Can Dance.” Local dancers from beginner status through professional instructors showed off their best moves to an appreciative audience.

Four years ago, a group of same-sex dancers in Sacramento created a partnership, raising funds to send dancers to the international Gay Games, an Olympics-style competition of 35 different sports. By organizing the annual Dancing in the River City competition and dance shows, the group was able to sponsor 10 dancers to the 2010 Gay Games in Cologne, Germany.
Cindy Mills has been dancing for eight years and has seen the same-sex dance phenomenon grow with every event.

“Ballroom dancing takes years to master, and the level of dancing in Sacramento is getting higher all the time,” she said.

“We (U.S. dancers) did very well in Cologne. U.S. dancers are finally starting to catch up with European dancers who have had structured same-sex ballroom for far longer,” Mills continued.

Mills won gold and silver medals in Cologne with her Latin dance partner, Elly Bishop. Mills and her partner of 25 years, Annette Wegesend, are instrumental in organizing and producing this annual dance event.

She said she hopes to send even more dancers to the 2014 Gay Games in Cleveland. Proceeds from the annual competition and show go to fund that endeavor.

Dancing With Pride, the same-sex dance instruction program at The Ballroom, is led by Robbie Tristan, a three-time world champion with European titles and Gay Games gold medals to his credit.

Robbie Tristan, instructor, during a performance.

Tristan with Ginny Cunningham, Latin Equality ChaCha winners.

With his former dance partner, Robbie won world champion titles for the Standard, Latin and Show Dance categories.
Robbie retains his Hungarian accent and his European charm. He danced throughout the competition with a variety of partners, squiring many of his students in Pro-Am events.

Throughout the day, a total of 72 heats were danced and judged by a five-member panel of international judges.

Categories included international standard dances, international Latin dances, and awards for formation team dances and showdances. Also included were equality dances, which are open to traditional role and reverse-role dancers as well as to same-sex couples.

Mother and daughter team Samantha Gossett and Ruanna Gossett took first place in West Coast Swing.

The Women’s Standard winners were Citabria Phillips and Zoe Balfour (photo at top of page), the current U.S. standard
champions (a title they have held for five years running). They were ranked fifth in the world overall at the 2010 Gay Games, and they teach and coach aspiring dancers in Oakland. They announced that this was their final competition together and received an award of appreciation from the event organizers.

The Men’s Standard winners were ~~Ron Jenkins and Potis Pishiaris, also Gay Games competitors. The San Francisco team compete and perform as “Photon.”~~ Misha Belfer and Mitch Kibel from Denver.

The Women’s Latin title belongs to San Franciscans Sunny Wiiliams and Heather Brockett. They won silver medals at the 2010 Gay Games.

In the Men’s Latin competition, the title was once again awarded to 2009 California State winners Chris Phan and Jose Comoda of San Francisco.

“Standard” dances include Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, and Quickstep. “Latin” dances include the Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble and Jive.

Also awarded was the California State title for a formation team dance. The Sacramento team of 16 student dancers, The Sugar Tucks, performed a beautifully choreographed West Coast Swing number.

The Show Dance event included performances by three top male teams and was won by the Denver team of Mitch Kibel and Misha Belfer. They were the first same-sex couple to compete on “So You Think You Can Dance,” giving positive national exposure to the world of same-sex dance.

Same-sex ballroom dancing, long known as “Equality Dancing” in Europe, has come out of the closet in the United States in recent years and is now an extremely popular activity.

Ballroom dancing at the competitive level requires athleticism, dedication, grace and lots of time spent on the practice floor,
but anyone who enjoys dance will find it invigorating and rewarding.

Estrada and Soriano display their versatility in this number.

There are many different programs and types of dancing, from the recently popularized Argentine Tango to Salsa and Country Western. Local dance clubs like Faces and Badlands host lessons and special dance nights. Check local calendars for details.

Information on same-sex ballroom dance in Sacramento is available through dancingintherivercity.com (click on Dancing with Pride).

For more information on NAASPDA, visit nasspda.org.

The next major California event will be the USA Championship, held at the annual April Follies at Just Dance Studio in Oakland.
The competition, dinner and show are scheduled for April 30.
Information is available at aprilfollies.com or (415) 971-0410.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Art Education is Hands-on at the Crocker

2011-01-08T00:45:36Z

A young artist experiments with color and vision.

Learning spatial relations and composition.

Demonstrating kinetic art.

The Crocker Art Museum was the first public art museum in the west, dating from 1885 when Margaret Crocker donated the original building, grounds and art collection to the city of Sacramento. Her intention was to create a public trust that would ensure that a vehicle for the appreciation of art would always be available to Californians.

The Crocker Art Museum Association has upheld that intention through the decades, and has recently completed an ambitious expansion which tripled the size of the facility.

The expanded space enables the museum to display much more of its impressive permanent collection and to accommodate larger traveling exhibitions.

The addition of an auditorium space, a reception area that can host up to 400 guests, and a beautiful courtyard and atrium has
transformed the Crocker into a beautiful and fully functional showcase for all kinds of art.

One of the most impressive improvements is the restoration of the museum as an educational institution. This week, The Sacramento Press was invited to tour the newly opened 6500-square-foot Education Center, housed on the lower floor of the original Victorian structure donated by Margaret Crocker. The center features three functional and flexible studio art spaces, a children’s participatory gallery, a teacher resource center, an expanded library and new student exhibition space.

There are myriad social and economic factors at work that remove children farther and farther from the arts with each passing year.

Decreasing budgetary support for the arts in schools has become a cultural tragedy. A society in which children know about Playstations but not Picasso, Gameboy but not Goya, Wii but not Whistler, is a society in need of art education.

Historically, art museums acted as centers for education for both adults and children, offering studio art classes and an opportunity for exposure to art as an everyday part of a healthy community.

Julie Didion, sculpture and art instructor, mesmerizes children with clay art demonstrations.

Children engrossed in shape and color.

Tactile experience with art.

Lial Jones, Director of the Crocker Art Museum.

Lial Jones, director of the Crocker Art Museum, was on hand to welcome a few dozen journalists and some very excited children to the education center.

Jones, who has been at the helm of the Crocker for 11 years, said she is seeing a generational change in the way people are exposed to art. She said the goal of the museum is to provide entry points for the life enrichment experiences that are made possible by interactions with art.

“We want the community to think of the Crocker Art Museum as a go-to resource for Sacramento families. We see a gap; we try to step in to
fill it…. We want to meet the public where they are with art, and to make art accessible to all,” said Jones.

“Education has been at the core of the Crocker’s mission since the museum’s founding, but it is the museum’s recent expansion that has enabled us to present year-round classes for all ages for the first time in our 125-year history,” said Stacey Shelnut-Hendrick, director of education at the Crocker Art Museum.

Stacey Shelnut-Hendrick, director of Education at the Crocker Art Museum.

The Winter 2011 class schedule includes 25 classes for children, teens and adults. The class catalog is available online.

Additionally, the museum has just been awarded a First 5 Sacramento grant of $566,040 to develop and implement the All About Families—Early Childhood Initiative educational program for children ages up to age 5 and the adults who care for them.

Among the many art experiences available to children and families through the Crocker are the all-ages (with adult) “Drop, Yak, Splat! A Museum Adventure for Families,” and “Wee Wednesday,” a weekly adventure for 3 - 5-year-olds. These events are free with museum admission.

Robin Koltenuk, Director of Marketing & Communications (right) at Crocker Art Museum.

On Feb. 5, enjoy free admission to the Crocker and more than 25 other museums in the Sacramento region. For details, visit http://sacmuseums.org/

For more details about the Crocker Art Museum, its collections, or any of its programs, visit crockerartmuseum.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

“White Christmas” Still a Seasonal Joy

2010-12-24T20:33:53Z

The beautiful 1946 Art Deco Crest Theatre is a Sacramento treasure.

Irving Berlin’s song “White Christmas” is one of our most recognizable holiday tunes, played and sung by every performer imaginable.

The iconic 1954 Christmas movie of the same name is a timeless classic, a sentimental love story filled with lavish musical production numbers, beloved stars, gorgeous sets and costumes, and those wonderful Irving Berlin songs.

Presenting the film on the big screen at the Crest for a limited run is a stroke of genius.

Sacramento audiences are treated to a wonderful moviegoing experience whenever the Crest opens her doors for a classic film event. Whether it’s the Singalong Sound of Music, as presented by Outword magazine earlier this year, or a reprise showing of Gone With the Wind, the Crest is the perfect venue for the great movies of yesteryear. From the glorious neon marquee and the cozy ticket booth outside to the gilded, swooping wall sconces and ceiling lighting in the main theater, the Crest speaks to us of a simpler, more elegant age. When theatergoing was a dress-up event and a night out on the town was the only way to see our dreams in Hollywood splendor, the Crest was one of the premier entertainment destinations.

The audience at Thursday’s evening showing of “White Christmas” reflected some of that wonderful sense of community. Most of the not-too-uncomfortable seats were filled, the snack bar was serving amazing quantities of popcorn, and there was much excited chatter. All over the theater, people laughed and snapped pictures with their friends. When the elaborate crimson curtain rose on the Paramount Pictures logo, and the screen assured us that this film was shot in VistaVision, the crowd erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Over the course of the next two hours, there were many more outbreaks of spontaneous applause. On screen, Bing Crosby crooned, Danny Kaye cracked wise, Vera-Ellen danced her heart out, and Rosemary Clooney sang. Of course the storyline, dialogue, musical numbers, and every laugh were more than just familiar to most of the audience; sometimes the chuckles preceded the jokes.

I doubt that I am giving away any secrets by telling readers that the guys and gals ended up in the correct pairings, the Inn and the general’s dignity was saved, and of course it snowed. The corny, marvelous film is still what it always was: holiday entertainment.

"White Christmas" is showing three more times today: at 1:00, 3:45, and 7 pm. Take the family, sit back, and enjoy a little bit of the holiday spirit of yesterday on the big screen, as it was intended.

The Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street | Downtown Sacramento | (916) 44-CREST (info)

*SPECIAL DEAL*
Everyone attending a screening of this film gets a free skate rental coupon for the Westfield Shoppingtown Holiday Ice Rink!
Advance tickets on sale now at tickets.com, Crest, 1-800-225-2277.

General Admission $9.50
Senior/Student/Matinee $6.00
Playing in Theatre 1

Galleria Evacuation Forced by Huge Crowd

2010-12-21T07:11:09Z

It was a genuine mob scene—a “flash mob”, that is. The Westfield Galleria in Roseville was evacuated Monday evening when a large crowd strained the capacity of the food court to its limits—and possibly beyond.

Amid reports of the floor cracking and buckling under the combined weight of an estimated 5,000 people, the Roseville Fire Department ordered the entire mall closed and evacuated everyone.

It was an orderly evacuation, though many people were slow to abandon their vantage points. Eventually the grumbling crowds were cleared away from the area around the carousel, the upper gallery and lower floor courtyard, and the surrounding corridors. Shop keepers stood bewildered in their doorways as hundreds of shoppers streamed by on their way to the parking lots.

Some remained in Food Court after evacuation order was given (upper area of photo).

Part of the huge crowd that exited the Food Court area and went to the courtyard.

People using exterior stairway to evacuate into the courtyard from Food Court.

Sacramento Press photographer Kati Garner had accompanied me to the vast mall to report on a “flash mob” event planned for 7:30 in the food court. As members of The Sacramento Women’s Chorus, we had been invited by the organizers, the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra, to take part in a "Random Act of Musical Kindness".

We were prepared to join some 200 other choristers from around the area in performing “The Hallelujah Chorus”, an event designed to be “A Spontaneous Celebration of great Music, Community, the Season, and the reopening of the Westfield Galleria at Roseville," according to the Choral Society website. Our director and half a dozen other members were present, scores in hand and voices warmed up.

The word had spread, however, far beyond the scope originally envisioned by Choral Society founder and director Donald Kendrick, who was preparing to direct the mass choir in the exuberant chorus, easily the most recognizable part of the Handel masterwork, “The Messiah”. As singers spread the word, invited friends or relatives or their church choirs, the crowd assembled for the event far outgrew the capacity of the food court to hold it.

When we arrived at 6:00, a full 90 minutes prior to the scheduled concert, there was not a seat to be found in the food court. Tables were jammed; every chair, railing, planter box, and counter space was over-occupied by singers, their supporters, and curious shoppers. It was a wall-to-wall press of humanity, surely more people than were ever expected to occupy that space. The food vendors were doing a brisk business, and the lines for sushi and Panini snaked in long lines through the assembled crowd.

By 6:45, the word was passed through hundreds of cellphones that Dr. Kendrick wanted the singers to relocate to the lower floor. The escalators were frighteningly overburdened, the staircases jammed. People who had been waiting in the food court for hours began streaming to the area around the carousel and were parked three- and four-deep against the gallery rails.

A few folks tried to focus the restless crowd by starting to sing; “Jingle Bells” got off to a strong start but soon faded away in the general cacophony.

According to The Sacramento Bee report, some people heard loud cracking noises and others said they felt the floor shift beneath their feet. Those busy cellphones were soon sending out 911 calls, and emergency personnel started arriving outside, lights flashing eerily through the skylights and windows of the mall.

Soon a bullhorn was heard above the babble: “Roseville Galleria! Attention Roseville Galleria! This is the Roseville Fire Department. The Galleria Mall is now closed. Please move immediately to the nearest exit. The Mall is now closed”.

Some attendees, perhaps nervous in light of the recent devastating fire which damaged much of the Galleria, headed immediately for the exits. Others waited for a second, third, and even fourth announcement from the Roseville Fire Department before clearing out.

Many of the people who were determined to sing gathered outside and Don Kendrick led them in singing the Hallelujah Chorus as planned, although the arrival of more emergency response vehicles drowned out their voices.

Police helicopters circled the parking areas, loudspeakers directing the crowds to disperse. For those who had made it outside on the opposite side of the mall from where they had parked, this entailed a long and chilly trek; when a light sprinkle began to fall, there was a noticeable speed-up of grumbling walkers.

Everyone waved and cheered as a helicopter flew overhead.

Fortunately, no one was hurt in the crush of people, and Roseville building inspectors are examining the floor to determine the amount, if any, of structural damage. Westfield galleria has stated that the major department stores (outside access) are being reopened as soon as the evacuation is complete.

Even after reaching the car, I had a chilly wait for Kati to make her way there, and then an even longer wait to exit the parking lot, as there had been absolutely no movement of cars for nearly an hour.

Another member of the Sacramento Women’s Chorus had this to report via email: “It's 10pm and the kids and I just got back from the mob. Sat in the van on the upper level of the JC Penney's parking lot for an hour and a half, unable to move, unable to park and get out of the van….All told, we spent 3 hours in the van with no dinner but no bickering, no injuries, no crying and mom didn't yell once - it's a Christmas miracle!”

Hallelujah!

For more images of flash mob scene, CLICK HERE>>>

Photos | Kati Garner and Ed Fogle, SacMav.com

Schola Cantorum: “From Heaven on High”

2010-12-21T05:39:53Z

The Christmas season abounds in music. From the unrelenting commercials set to “All I Want for Christmas Is You” to the ubiquitous mall soundtracks of everyone from Elvis and Johnny Mathis to Beyoncé and Jay-Z warbling about sleigh rides and winter wonderlands, it’s hard to escape seasonal music at its most crass and annoying.

Yet for all the songs rendered in Muzak style, there is another form of music that exists to uplift the soul, magnify the solemnity and glory of the season, and bring pure joy to the heart.

Schola Cantorum (or “School for Church Music”) is the mixed voice choir of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. For 18 years, they have been presenting a Christmas concert in their lovely and acoustically excellent church.

This year, “From Heaven On High” featured music of several centuries and captured with exquisite beauty the depth and richness of the Christmas story.

Under the direction of Donald Kendrick (founder and director of the celebrated Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra, and director of choral activities at Sacramento State) Schola Cantorum delivered a far-reaching and ambitious program.

The choir was accompanied by organist Stephen Janzen, cellist Hans Hoffer, Cathie Apple (of Citywater modern music ensemble) playing flute, and percussionist Kristen Campbell.

Beginning in darkness with haunting plainchant in Latin, the choir led the audience through the entire sequence of the story of Christ’s birth.

Traditional and familiar pieces alternated with some striking selections. The beautiful, dark motet of Un Instant Mystique (A Boy is Born, composed by Eric Robertson) was a complex, intriguing piece for choir, cello and percussion.

Puer Nobis Nascitur (Donald Patriquin) brought the bright lilt of celebration in a dancing folk-song styling with flute, bells and cello.

The Wexford Carol featured Leah Tenney’s soaring soprano solo, and the purity of the soprano voices in “Jesus Christ the Apple Tree” brought another opportunity to reflect on the many styles of music inspired by the Christian tradition over the centuries.

Kendrick also included the near-capacity audience in the performance, directing the members in four verses of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” and later in “O Come all Ye Faithful.” The traditional carols were especially beautiful with the choir singing harmony.

The choir sang beautifully, and after some closing remarks by Kendrick, Handel’s rousing “Hallelujah Chorus” (from “The Messiah”) brought the crowd to its feet, as has been tradition since its inaugural London performance nearly two centuries ago when King George II stood as the chorus began.

Schola Cantorum is an exemplary choir. The group has toured Canada, Spain, England, Italy and Austria. The choir sang at the Vatican for the Pope in 2007: the photo accompaning this story was taken on that tour.

Schola Cantorum has produced eight CDs, including a new release this season: “Make We Joy: Music for Christmas.” They are available through the group’s website, www.scholacantorum.com.

Rockettes Rock Arco

2010-12-17T03:22:25Z

A 77-year-old act came to Arco arena last night, but there was nothing tired about it. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the world-famous Rockettes showed the near-capacity crowd that when it comes to entertainment, experience is a definite plus.

From the first tableau of reindeer-costumed Rockettes drawing Santa’s sleigh across the stage in artful precision, the audience was enthralled by the show. With stunning costumes, terrific sets with great special effects, lighting and sound of exacting quality, and even some snowshowers over the audience, the stage came alive with Christmas cheer.

The 18 beautiful, leggy Rockettes were ably augmented by the lush voices of a sextet of singers, a dance troupe of half a dozen nimble couples, and assorted other participants—including some elves.

A lovely pre-teen ballerina portrayed Clara in the hilarious abbreviated “Nutcracker Suite” featuring all the other characters costumed as huge stuffed animals. And of course, Santa was there, acting as MC and filling the hall with his booming laughter.

Every Christmas season since 1933, the Rockettes have thrilled crowds with their high-kicking, tightly choreographed precision dancing. The New York City production goes on seven days a week for five shows a day, from early November through Christmas. The touring companies hit the road and begin their performances on November 10th, traveling through major cities throughout the country for one-night to week-long appearances. And of course the Rockettes appear in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, during Super Bowl halftime, even at George W. Bush’s 2001 inauguration.

The Rockettes sang and danced their way through several numbers, including a double-decker bus tour of New York and a delightful rendition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. Several numbers concluded with their trademark high-kicking precision line, which never failed to bring huge applause from the audience.

The “Wooden Soldiers” number has been performed in every Christmas show since 1933. It features some of the most intricate precision choreography, and ends with a delightful slow-motion domino-style collapse of the entire line of soldiers. It was a true testament to the discipline of the team—there is no individual showboating in these ranks! Every tiny movement of head, eyes, hands, and feet is coordinated with every other dancer.

The Dancing Santas were all the dancers—30 or more—in identical red velvet suits, shiny black boots, and full beards twirling and kicking before a backdrop screen of dozens more Santas on film, all doing the same routine. It was a glorious romp.

At the end of the show, the troupe presented a lush and extravagant procession of the Magi bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the newborn Christ child. It was stirring and majestic.

With the final eye-high kick line, the applause was long lasting and appreciative. Sacramento welcomed the Rockettes for the first time ever—and we hope it will not be the last.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sacramento Master Singers: Holiday Delight

2010-12-13T23:00:15Z

The block-long line of music lovers began to form a full hour before the doors of St. Francis of Assisi Church opened, a testament to the popularity of the Sacramento Master Singers’ annual holiday concerts.

The expectant crowd settled into the pews and filled the magnificent sanctuary, ladies in sparkly holiday dresses seated next to young people in jeans and hoodies, all brought together to experience the magic and wonder of beautifully sung seasonal music.

“Peace, Peace: 25 Years of Holiday Music” marks a quarter century of the inspired direction of conductor Ralph Hughes.

Through his tenancy as artistic director, the choir has blossomed in numbers, artistic excellence and popularity. The choral works Hughes selected for this anniversary concert include many of his favorites as well as music particularly dear to the choir and to their faithful audience and supporters.

The program began with the choir’s traditional candlelight processional. The 45 singers surrounded the audience for the haunting Gregorian chant "Puer Natus Est" and an a cappella offering of several antiphonal and Renaissance motets.

The sound was crystalline in purity, each note precisely sung into the beautiful cathedral-like church.

The members of the choir moved into various graceful circles, multilevel stances and complex arrangements featuring soloists (“Christmas Day Is Come”) and an octet (for Jan Sandstrom’s lovely arrangement of “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming”) before assuming their more traditional banked configuration.

The extraordinary talents of the Master Singers and their director, with accompanist Clifford Shockney, were ably showcased through the eclectic and internationally flavored program.

A great favorite of audiences, the 16th-century Spanish villancinco “Riu’ Riu’ Chiu’” incorporates complicated two-part hand percussion. “Fum, Fum, Fum!” – also from Spain – and the enchanting Peruvian “Festejo De Navidad” brought a sense of global connection to the program.

After intermission, the program opened with an a cappella spiritual, “O Wondrous Star of Bethlehem,” featuring soprano Jenny Guemmer.

Gary Garcia’s “There is No Rose” was followed by two pieces featuring only the women, directed by Tina Harris: a challenging “Ave Maria” by David MacIntyre and a bright and surprising “Variations on Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” arranged by accompanist Clifford Shockney, which drew an enthusiastic ovation. Mezzo soprano Carol McCormick was featured on “Still, Still Night,” a wonderful new arrangement of the beloved carol.

The men then took center stage for a clever and intricate version of “Three Kings” followed by a glorious rendition of Franz Biebl’s “Ave Maria” featuring a talented trio of Stephen Hill, Andrew Smith and Thomas Voigt and the solo contributions of Chris Goff, David Temme and Kurtis Kroon. The quality of tone and expression in the rich male voices lent a tender poignancy to the simple text.

In counterpoint, “The 12 Days of Christmas???” was a hilarious romp through everyone’s favorite Christmas song – no matter which one that might be.

Exuberant percussion illuminated the Nigerian carol “Betelehemu” and wrapped up the program on a note of energy and joy.

The final song of every Master Singers holiday concert is always “Peace, Peace,” a simple and beautiful wish for peace on Earth. Choir members dispersed around the audience and signed the song as they sang it; the audience was then encouraged to blend voices with the choir to sing “Silent Night.” It was the perfect ending to a lovely, heartfelt concert.

Sacramento Master Singers will sing their holiday concert three more times at St. Francis: on Saturday, Dec. 18 (8 p.m.), Sunday, Dec. 19 (3 p.m.) and Wednesday, Dec. 22 (7 p.m.). The choir will also present a children’s concert, “Jingle All The Way” at St. Francis on Saturday, Dec. 18 (3 p.m.). Tickets are available at their website, mastersingers.org or at 916-788-7464.

Sacramento Master Singers have produced five CDs of their holiday music, as well as “Follow the Sun,” a 1995 recording of world music. The CDs are also available at their website, as are details of the Spring concerts.

Holiday Inspiration from the Fab Forties Home Tour

2010-12-06T02:24:07Z

For the 37th year, homeowners in the “Fabulous Forties” neighborhood in East Sacramento have opened their homes for the Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour.
The annual event, which benefits the Sacred Heart Parish School, is a singular opportunity for the public to tour some of the most gorgeous homes in the city and view the efforts of a small army of professional decorators, florists, artists, and garden designers. Each home has a principal designer who brings together a holiday masterpiece incorporating the history and architectural features of the property and the individual style and taste of the homeowners.

Said Margo Reid Brown, whose lovely home was opened for the tour: “This is such an important event: the partnership of the parish and community is vital in the health of the neighborhood, and it’s a lovely tradition.” Brown attended Sacred Heart, as do her two children. 8th grader Catie was off to tour the other homes.

The streets were lined with visitors, and except for a few showers the weather was cooperative. Many visitors have come for the tour for decades. All were enthusiastically appreciative of the homes, and of the Christmas Boutique and Café set up in the school’s cafeteria

This year, five homes were featured, each reflecting a distinctly different holiday esthetic.

Lead designer Don Sherwood of Haus Home Décor was in attendance at the Majestic Prairie (1924) home of Margo and Rick Brown. From the welcoming front porch to the beautiful back patio, the house was filled with a marvelous collection of blown glass ornaments in fantastic whimsies of fruit, birds, cheeses, and pastries intertwined with garlands of greenery and magnolia branches.

Majestic Prairie

The Colonial Revival house was decorated by the owner, Dianne Kawamura, and reflected the warmth and comfort of a truly beloved home. The family heirlooms and personal collections evoked a genuine love for the fruits, vegetables, and flowers which were representative of the family’s agricultural heritage. From the beautiful California landscapes gracing the staircase to the whimsical glass vegetable ornaments on the tree, no room was without reference to the bounty of the land. The magnificent outdoor kitchen and entertainment area, designed by Michael Glassman, has been honored on HGTV and was enhanced by the artistry of the hardworking team from Beyond the Garden Gate in Davis.

Colonial Revival

The Quintessential Craftsman (circa 1920’s) is a delight of inlaid floors, lush mahogany wainscoting and built-in cabinetry, and a surprisingly bright and modern kitchen. Tara Sorenson of Inspired Interiors is the owner and designer.

Quintessential Craftsman

Anne Evans of Impressions Design transformed the Contemporary Cottage (1929) into an elegant Art Deco statement. Particularly notable are the mercury-glass pendant lights in the kitchen, and the outsized white peacock gracing the elegant tree.

Contemporary Cottage

Designer Philip Rice of East Sac Florist filled the Craftsman Cottage (1935) with a mindboggling array of floral artistry. From the live orchids on the enormous tree in the living room to the spectacular bird-of-paradise arrangements, the entire home was filled with rare and aromatic blooms. Even some of the cushions on the cushy sofa were made of tightly spaced fresh blooms. The limestone-matrix kitchen countertops with embedded fossils were a lovely feature, as were the delicate etched panels hanging in the windows overlooking the garden.

Craftsman Cottage

Etched plexiglass panel by artist Maren Conrad-Miniger taken from pen and ink illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert, a relative of the homeowner, from The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Andersen, published by Harper and Row, 1970.

The Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour reflects countless hours of volunteer effort, from the hosts in the various homes to the cleaning and lighting crews. It’s a monumental effort which yields a great return for Sacred Heart, and a sense of pride and enjoyment for the whole community.

The Holiday Home Tour will return next December—don’t miss it.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Old Sacramento’s “Theatre of Lights” Sparkles

2010-11-27T00:08:50Z

There’s something wonderful happening in Old Sacramento this season. It may well be the only original seasonal expression to come along in many years, and it’s a delight for the whole family.
Yes, the shops are filled with marvelous, unique gifts and the restaurants shine with decorations of every kind. Traditional Christmas music propels the hum-along crowds from place to place. But something special happens after dark—it’s the second year that the Old Sacramento Theatre of Lights transforms the familiar streets into a wonderland of light, sound, and history.

On Thanksgiving Eve, the newly expanded show debuted with the help of Mark S. Allen of Good Day Sacramento, newly elected District 1 City Council Member Angelique Ashby, and our crowd-pleasing Mayor Kevin Johnson. It was very cold, but several hundred folks turned out to hear the Salvation Army Band play familiar carols while the River Cats’ Dinger danced before the giant Christmas tree with some of the littlest guests. When the Mayor flipped the switch to light the tree—after the obligatory, enthusiastic countdown—there was plenty of oohing and aahing to be heard.

And then for the next 20 minutes the audience, standing enthralled in the middle of K Street, was thoroughly entertained by an extravaganza of lights, sounds, and visual effects. Mark Twain appeared on the balcony above Evangeline’s and introduced the familiar poem “T’was the Night Before Christmas”, which was first published in The Sacramento Bee in 1857. On the balcony of the venerable What Cheer Building, the poem came to life in splendid style, complete with St. Nick, the eight tiny reindeer, and Papa (Allen) at the window.
The free event is produced by Stage Nine (conveniently located in the What Cheer building), with wonderful effects from Skywalker Sound and Sacramento Theatrical Lighting. The audience is bolstered by strolling living history characters in authentic 1850’s costumes, including Father Christmas. The street fair atmosphere is enhanced by the tempting aroma of fresh roasted nuts and steaming hot chocolate and spiced cider. And everywhere there are families: extended families, toddlers to teenagers, elders with lawn chairs, moms and dads with babes in arms and little ones perched on shoulders.

Melissa Martinez of the Old Sacramento Business Association says that the event hosted 20,000 people last year, and with the expanded and improved light and sound this year, they hope to draw many more visitors this season. The Ebner and the Empire buildings have been restored and are now open and occupied, said Sheri Smith, senior program manager with the Sacramento Office of Economic Development. And Mike Ault of the Downtown Business Partnership wants everyone to know that this is a great place to bring the family. The collaborative efforts of these three organizations are focused on bringing more people, especially more families, into Downtown and Old Sacramento for shopping, dining, entertainment, and cultural events and activities.

The Theatre of Lights will continue to thrill crowds with two performances, at 6 pm and 7:30pm every Thursday through Sunday nights throughout the holiday season (dark on Christmas). There will be a few special guests throughout the run, and Santa is available for photos after each performance at The Christmas Shoppe.

For an interactive view of K Street lights: http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=be7c5452-a983-4dd2-a1c5-5efb71e62239&&t=False

For more information, please visit: http://www.oldsacramento.com or http://www.oldsactheatreoflights.com

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Mayor Applauds Disaster Readiness and City Volunteers

2010-11-24T01:47:37Z

In the spirit of Sacramento’s early days, when the 49ers had to be ready for any situation that might befall them, our city motto just might be “Be Prepared”. If the thousands of volunteers in the region are any indication, Sacramento is prepared for just about anything.

In a ceremony at City Hall on Tuesday morning, Mayor Kevin Johnson honored the SacramentoReady team of emergency preparedness planners. SacramentoReady is a regional partnership of city and county working to provide emergency preparation and response information to people in the Sacramento area.

Under the leadership of the Sacramento Red Cross, many agencies and organizations have come together to be sure that the region will be prepared to withstand and function through a large-scale emergency situation, and will be able to recover quickly from it. Participants include the Sacramento Office of Emergency Services, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), Teen CERT, and the Sacramento Regional Medical Reserve Corps.

Dawn Lindblom, CEO, American Red Cross, Capital Region Chapter, accepted the the Mayor's congratulations on behalf of SacramentoReady.

This coalition of community volunteers have been so effective in their work that California Volunteers, the state agency charged with increasing the number and impact of Californians engaged in service and volunteering, has just awarded a $40,000 grant to SacramentoReady. The grant will be used to provide disaster resiliency training to some of the many non-profit and faith-based organizations involved in this outstanding volunteer effort.

Mayor Johnson’s vision for the City of Sacramento includes a high degree of community engagement, and to that end the Volunteer Sacramento initiative was formed. One of the most impressive outcomes of the initiative has been the recording of over 390,000 volunteer hours logged in the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The monetary value of these hours exceeds $9 million.

Instrumental in amassing these impressive numbers are the departmental Volunteer Coordinators throughout the city and county. Johnson introduced this year’s Volunteer Coordinator of the Year, Mary Lynn Perry of the City-Wide Volunteer Program, Department of Human Resources. Johnson also announced that his 2010-2011 goal will be a staggering 3 million service hours from volunteers, and early numbers indicate that this may not be an impossible goal. This year there have been an average of 3000 volunteer hours per month in 15 different departments.

Volunteer Coordinator of the Year, Mary Lynn Perry of the City-Wide Volunteer Program speaks to the crowd.
Volunteers recognized today were city volunteers: Kristen Werner, 17, Sacramento Zoo Volunteer of the Year; Valerie Schneider, Zoo Volunteer Coordinator; Julie Mier, Parks and Recreation Volunteer Coordinator and Mary Lynn Perry.

More honored volunteers are Claudia Schlachter, Volunteer Coordinator Animal Care Services; Linda Smith, a volunteer with CERT; Ellen Nakata Harper, volunteer with Animal Care Services.

Sacramentans can be proud of their generosity and dedication. As the trend of volunteerism continues and grows, every citizen can play a vital part in the growth and health of our city and our region.

Photos | Kati Garner, American Red Cross Volunteer

Kenny G provides Hope in Harmony

2010-11-22T03:34:46Z

The downpour flooding Sacramento streets on Friday night couldn’t dampen the spirits of hundreds of people gathered at the Memorial Auditorium for a charity gala. The Hope Productions Foundation put on a wonderful event, Hope in Harmony, to raise thousands of dollars for children’s charities in Sacramento. Major sponsors included the Niello Company and Wells Fargo.

Grammy winner Kenny G was the artist who volunteered his talents to bring together about 250 players in the Sacramento philanthropic community for a VIP champagne reception, a dinner and auction, and a wonderful performance by the saxophone virtuoso.

Days before the event, a huge white tent was erected in front of the main entrance to the venerable Sacramento landmark. As the storm began with heavy rain and high winds, valets scrambled to park cars and usher gala-goers inside under sopping umbrellas. The guests were greeted by enthusiastic volunteers and treated to champagne and hors d’oeuvres prepared by Aioli, Hawks, Lucca, and Mikuni.

The guests were soon ushered inside to take their places at tables set up on the main floor of the auditorium, where youth from Stand Out Talent in Roseville entertained from the stage before dinner.

These are some of the youthful entertainers from Stand Out talent with director Jenn Bortz.

Following the meal, local media personality Kitty O’Neal took the stage to introduce Garry Maisel of Western Health Advantage who chairs the Board of Directors of the Hope Productions Foundation. Maisel shared some of the successes of the Foundation. Hope Productions Foundation is a Sacramento-based non-profit organization that provides support and training at no cost for local charities serving children and youth.

Since its first event in 2009, the Foundation has distributed over $1.5 million in contributions, leadership training, resources, business development and marketing to 16 local children’s nonprofit organizations and has directly helped more than 51,000 children. Hope Productions Foundation also produces the annual Walk N’ Rock for kids event, which in 2010 drew over 5000 participants.

The auction, including a Fund-A-Project drive was ably handled by benefit auction specialist David Sobon. Under Sobon’s energetic and entertaining guidance, participants bid for a variety of wonderful items, including a trip to a 5-diamond Hawaiian resort, a driving trip to the Monterey Peninsula in a luxury sport car, and a saxophone from the personal collection of featured artist Kenny G, who assisted in the auction with grace and humor.

Hayley Mackanin delivered a charming Angel Wings lapel pin to successful bidders.

A happy bidder receives one of Kenny G's personal saxophones.

Addison Gabelich delivers Angel Wings to successful bidder Nadine.

The general public audience was admitted during the auction, and some of the ticketholders were perplexed by the glittering gala attendees and the spirited bidding. But when Kenny G entered the hall from the back and wandered among the tables playing a lilting tenor sax number—including one of his trademark 140-second sustained notes, attributable to his “circular breathing” technique—the audience was delighted.

Kenny and his very talented band have been playing together for over 20 years, and their ease and joy with one another was obvious.

At one point Ron Powell, whom Kenny described as “the best percussionist in the world,” performed an amazing, athletic solo that included an audience call-and-response and a display of acrobatic juggling moves with his single drumhead. He was ably assisted by Stockton native Daniel Bejaranjo, also an accomplished drummer.

Kenny G. retains his long hair and youthful slenderness from his earliest fame almost 30 years ago. His energy and comfortable, folksy manner radiates joy to the audience wherever he performs. At one point he broke into the “Jeopardy” theme song when a microphone had to be replaced, and a while later he paused and remarked, “So, I think this is going pretty well so far… I like the tables…” Kenny played many of his number-one hits, starting with “Silhouette” and “Havana”; the band played one number from their just-released CD “Heart and Soul”, and they played a medley of Christmas music. The highlight of the evening for one couple was when their names were drawn from hundreds of raffle tickets and they were brought on stage to be serenaded by Kenny and then presented with the soprano sax (fingerprints and all, and to quote Kenny, “even the spit”.).

All in all, a delightful evening was enjoyed by music fans and supporters of children’s charities. Thank you, Kenny G and Hope Productions Foundation.

For further information: 916-920-4673 |http://www.hopeproductions.org

Photos | Kati Garner

Iceland Celebrates 70th Birthday

2010-11-06T19:55:29Z

Hot-pink neon sparkled once again on Del Paso Boulevard as Iceland celebrated a very special birthday: seventy years of entertainment, hopes fostered and dreams achieved, and a well-deserved place among the cultural icons of Sacramento.

But this birthday bash was much more than cake and candles.

An arsonist reduced the landmark ice rink to charred rubble in March 2010. The roof caved in; the beautiful glass-brick façade was destroyed—and suddenly Sacramento’s ice skaters were homeless.

Through a heroic volunteer effort, the cleanup began immediately. Generations of skaters and their families, community groups, local businesses, and fans of the annual ice shows pitched in to help.

A volunteer does some last minute electrical work.

Randy Chapman of Chapman Equipment Solutions had recently done some work on the Zamboni and was quick to pitch in to help.

The Zamboni was charred and crushed beneath the fallen roof. Randy Chapman and his crew donated over $10,000 in labor, parts and materials to repair and restore the machine. It has taken over 6 months of effort just for the Zamboni; Randy's crew also put in many hours on the site cleanup.

The refurbished floor nears completion.

Said Steve McCarthy Sr, the general labor coordinator (and Zamboni operator): “It’s been just a lot of hard work. Lots of volunteers put in hours and hours of work.” Sunbelt Rentals donated a skip loader, On The Go Graphics created a beautiful wrap for the restored Zamboni, and countless other community businesses have also volunteered their services and equipment to help the restoration effort.

The birthday bash was due to feature skating, but the warm weather made it impossible to create and maintain ice.

Terrie Kerth, right, the executive director of Iceland with sister Wendy Nugent and T.J Nugent.

Terrie Kerth, granddaughter of founder Bill Kerth, is a former national skating competitor. She expects that Iceland will be open by Thanksgiving as a seasonal open-air skating venue, as soon as the weather cools down enough. Iceland will close down for another year after the winter season, and they hope to reopen as a fully operational year-round rink —with a roof-- by next winter.

Hotdogs and hamburgers were served to the crowd.

The crowd at the birthday party included hundreds of fans, many of whom were former and current skaters. Chuck Kanoff met his wife Shirley on this ice in the 1950’s; they went on to ice dance in Los Angeles and Seattle. Tim Walton is the current president of Sacramento Iceland, and the son of legendary ice dancers and coaches Walter and Clara Walton. Many current skaters, including Naomi who has skated in the Disney on Ice touring company of “High School Musical”, were there to cheer as the sign was lit. Goalie Jason Dreger said he’s had to go to Roseville for hockey and is eager to return to Iceland as well.

Chuck Kanoff, a longtime skater at Iceland, met his wife here in the 1950's.

An Iceland fan ready to test the ice.

For skating coach and ice show director Janelle Loburg Cardoso, Iceland is home. She has taken her 30-some skaters to Stockton and Vacaville rinks to continue their training until they can return to Iceland.

The ice shows for which Iceland is famous are currently being produced at the Westfield Downtown Ice Rink at St. Rose of Lima Square by Janelle and Debi Segal Gold, another Iceland competitive skater and coach. Both look forward to returning to their home rink at Iceland.

(Coincidentally, the downtown ice rink was designed by Iceland founder Bill Kerth’s grandson Rob Kerth, SMUD Board Member and North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce president and former city councilmember and mayoral candidate. Rob also owns Ice Unlimited, Inc., the ice company next door to Iceland which was not damaged in the fire. Ice Unlimited provides all the ice-making equipment for Iceland.)

Rob Kerth addresses the crowd before the sign is lit.

Said Dianne Coiner Mendoza, who skated at Iceland from 1968 to 1975: “Everyone should know about Iceland—the lives this building has touched, the memories… Iceland lives in your heart.”

Dianne Coiner Mendoza hugs Tim Walton, current President of Iceland.

The neon pineapple atop the Iceland sign is lit for the first time since the 1940's.

To help with the Iceland restoration project, please visit http://www.skatesacramento.com, or call 916-992-4832.

You can sponsor a glass brick to restore the façade, or participate as a volunteer or a donor.

Iceland Ice Arena is on Facebook.

Photos | Kati Garner