Events

Since 1989, the Bay Area Choral Society (BACS) has been committed to providing choral musical excellence in the Forgotten Coast Area. Our volunteer chorus features local accomplished musicians who have joined our ranks for the past 40 years. The mission of BACS is to both entertain and educate our audiences. With music and narrative, we expose them to various genres and eras of music and strive to provide the highest quality performance and educational experiences. BACS presents two different concerts per season, each December and Spring, in Gulf and Franklin counties with some audience members traveling from other counties. Gulf and Franklin counties are located in the panhandle of Florida and are often referred to as The Forgotten Coast. The Bay Area Choral Society (BACS) performs two concerts each year in both Gulf and Franklin counties. For their Spring 2024 concert, BACS commissioned Mr. Ed Hogan to compose a song that expresses how the beauty of our surroundings on the forgotten coast fill us with music. The song titled “The Maker’s Song” debuted at the concert with Ed Hogan performing with the choir. 

Music Director of the Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut, Christopher James Hisey, has conducted concerts throughout the United States, Europe, Mexico and China with such notable musicians as Sir James Galway, Tim Janis, Jackie Evancho, James Dunham, Chris Finckel and Deborah Wong. In addition to his duties with with MCC, Maestro Hisey serves as Music Director of the Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras, American Chamber Orchestra and is Co-founder and Music Director of the Connecticut Philharmonic. He has also served as Music Director of the Civic Orchestra of New Haven, Connecticut Valley Chamber Orchestra, Troupers Light Opera Company, and Perrysburg Symphony Chorale, and as Associate Conductor of the Perrysburg Symphony, Bowling Green Philharmonia and Opera Theater Orchestras. Mr. Hisey serves as the Chairman of the Performing Arts Department at Greens Farms Academy in Westport, CT. He has also served as Professor of Conducting, Orchestration and Music Director of the Orchestra at Manhattanville College and Professor of Conducting and Music Director of the Orchestra at Fairfield University.

Voce Della Vita is the CHS advanced choir known for their tight blend and dynamic performances. The CHS Choir program boasts many alumni who have gone on to study and perform music at prestigious universities as well as singers who have created successful contemporary music, Broadway, film and television careers. Voce Della Vita has performed in various locales around the world, including Savannah, Nashville, China, Carnegie Hall, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Most recently, Voce Della Vita performed in Seattle where they won gold first place. Voce Della Vita is joined by members of Etereo, Calabasas High School's Choir I.

Based in Santa Ana, California, the Mater Dei High School Choral and Vocal Program serves a diverse Southern California community. With 11 ensembles and nearly 300 singers participating in athletics, ASB, the arts, campus ministry, and more, the program consistently excels, earning superior ratings at competitions and festivals nationwide. Notably, they recently performed solo concerts at Carnegie Hall and renowned venues in Italy. Graduates of the program thrive in artistic careers ranging from the Metropolitan Opera to Broadway, upholding the legacy of excellence cultivated at Mater Dei. Additionally, the program prioritizes nurturing the spiritual growth of every singer, reflecting Mater Dei’s core values.

Dr. Jodi Reed is the director of Mater Dei High School Choirs in Santa Ana, CA and a Musical Director with Millennial® Choirs & Orchestras. Early in her choral music career she became the first female conductor to take first place, multiple times, in a prestigious California choral competition. Since then Jodi’s choirs have made many notable appearances including National Public Radio’s nationally syndicated radio show From the Top; concerts at the 2018 American Choral Directors Association’s Western Region Conference in Pasadena, CA, the 2018 California All-State Music Educators Conference in San Jose, CA, the 2022 CASMEC Conference in Fresno, CA; and performances in Carnegie Hall and St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City in 2019 and 2022. This year Jodi’s choirs performed at the 2023 American Choral Directors Association Western Region Conference.

Jodi enjoys traveling with choirs internationally and has conducted in magnificent venues, including the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey and La Sagrada Familia in Spain. In Italy Jodi has conducted her choirs in concert in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, the Chiesa di San Trovaso in Venice, the Chiesa Santa Trinita in Florence, and in Rome the Chiesa Sant’Ignazio di Loyola, the Basilica Papale di San Pietro, and the Sistine Chapel.

Jodi managed a competitive piano studio for two decades before turning her talents to choral music. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Claremont Graduate University in Conducting, a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from California State University East Bay, and a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from San Jose State University. In addition to spending time with her husband, six children and four grandchildren, Jodi enjoys scuba diving and any time spent at the ocean.

It is the mission of The Westchester Children’s Chorus to engage and empower our diverse community of children through choral education and performance opportunities. Our commitment to artistry and performance creates a collaborative space with hands-on musical learning experiences, while bringing cultural events to the residents of Westchester and its surrounding areas. The Westchester Children’s Chorus grew out of a festival day in the spring of 2015. Since then, we have expanded our choirs from ten singers in one ensemble to the WCChorus you see today. With eight performing ensembles grouped by age and ability that range from grades 1 - 12 as well as our early childhood classes, we are the proud winners of the 2023 Arts Westchester Education Award!

In addition to our regular seasonal concerts we participate in community performances all around Westchester. The chorus made its Carnegie Hall debut in June 2022 with DCINY. We traveled domestically in the summer of 2023, to participate in the Sing-A-Mile-High Festival in Denver, CO. This summer of 2024 we will head to Ireland for our first international performance tour. As of Spring 2024 we have students from 30 different schools in 15 school districts throughout Westchester County.

Amanda K. Gundling founded the Westchester Children’s Chorus in 2015 and serves as the Artistic Director and the conductor of the Chorale (9th-12th grade Treble Ensemble). A Graduate of Syracuse University and New York University, Amanda currently serves as the Director of Choirs at Scarsdale High School in Scarsdale, New York. “I am humbled to serve as the Artistic Director of the Westchester Children’s Chorus. This is an astounding group of young musicians and their dedication and love of choral music and singing is palpable. Watching our older singers become mentors to our younger singers and create a community that welcomes everyone with open arms has been one of the greatest joys. I am brimming with excitement as the Westchester Children’s Chorus expands and grows. I am forever grateful to our team of educators, administrators, board members, parents and singers for continuing to give WCChorus life and energy.

A native of Westchester County, Jennifer Giustino has been working with children’s choir programs for the past fifteen years in New York and Michigan. Jennifer is the Early Childhood Prelude Director and Cantabile Conductor for Westchester Children's Chorus. She currently serves as a K-5 General Music and Chorus teacher in the Scarsdale School District. Jennifer holds a Bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College in Vocal Performance and Music Education where she studied under Dr. Janet Galván. She received her Master’s in Music Education from Michigan State University, with choral study training taking place under Dr. Sandra Snow. Currently, she is enrolled in the Educational Leadership Master’s program at Long Island University. Internationally, Jennifer has served as a guest clinician for the summer SING! Children and Youth Choir Program in Cork, Ireland, and directed the inception of an early childhood music program to accompany the organization in the summer of 2018. Locally, Jennifer has served as an elementary all-county and honor choir conductor across New York in addition to chairing all-county and honor choir festivals through ACDA, MMEA, and NYSSMA. She has presented research on culturally responsive teaching, interdisciplinary teaching, choral teaching, and elementary music pedagogy in New York, California, and Michigan.

Jack Branning received his Bachelor degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in music education and Spanish minor under the professional guidance of Dr. Anna Pennington and Dr. Euridice Alvarez. In 2014, Jack moved to Denver, CO for graduate studies in oboe performance at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music with Ian Wisekal and continued graduate studies at the University of Northern Colorado with Timothy Gocklin. Jack serves as the Artistic Director of Choral Music and Praise at Covenant Presbyterian DTC and teaches K-6 music and choir in Douglas County School District. Both 2022 and 2023 Jack received the Apple Award Nomination for his educational excellence and innovation. Jack seeks all vocal, instrumental, and educational opportunities to actively stay current with the industry and grow his craft.

The Celebration Community Church Choir of Fort Worth, Texas, is thrilled to make its New York City debut at Lincoln Center in David Geffen Hall with composer Mark Hayes and the world premiere of Kindness, a Chorale and Fugue in the Baroque Tradition. Ensemble members include Scott Bellen, Jacob Brown, Drew Echols, Olivia Flores, Scott Green, Ron Hill, Joel Joslin, Claudia Knowles, Raymond Lipinski, Michele Peek, Debi Roberg, Tami Rush, Charla Shobe, Kee Sourjohn, JLonnie Stafford, Randall Storey, and Elizabeth Young. Celebration Community Church is known for its extravagant hospitality, #traditionwithoutjudgment - and being a church for ALL people.

Founded in 1992, Arcadian Chorale is celebrated for bringing high quality performances to the greater Monmouth County, NJ area. The all-volunteer ensemble of 70 singers is distinguished for its innovative programming, presenting choral masterworks, reviving rarely heard repertory, singing international programs in at least 20 different languages, and hosting countless premieres of new music. The ensemble has appeared at many major NY area venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, NJPAC, Symphony Space, NYU Skirball Center, Tribeca PAC, the Two River and Count Basie Theaters. It also undertakes a very active program of educational outreach.

Richmond Choral Society was founded in 1951 for the purpose of providing the Staten Island community with the understanding and appreciation of the classical and contemporary choral repertory in the regular performance of masterpieces and lesser-known works of famous composers. Since its inception, RCS has enjoyed a changing roster of volunteer choristers representing every profession, religion, ethnicity and age group. Exploring new repertory for its two concerts per year in a variety of settings across Staten Island, Manhattan–including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center–and New Jersey, collaborating with other community organizations, RCS has continued to grow, evolve, and excel.

The Ed W. Clark High School Orchestra program has one of the largest high school enrollments in the state of Nevada. Our school community believes that the arts are an important component of a complete education. The Orchestra has a current enrollment of over 250 students. We offer nine sections of orchestra classes at six levels – Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphonic Strings, Concert Strings, Sonata Strings, and Beginning.

Clark’s orchestra has won numerous awards and accolades at festivals locally and nationally. Many community organizations call on the Clark Orchestra to perform at functions throughout the Las Vegas valley. The orchestra has performed at Carnegie Hall with the Clark High School Band in both 2008, 2012, 2019, and now in spring of 2023. In 2015 the Clark Orchestra won the Grand National Championship at the ASTA National Orchestra Festival in Salt Lake City, UT.

The orchestra also made two appearances at the prestigious Midwest Clinic, an International Band and Orchestra Conference held annually in December. To perform orchestras must complete a competitive audition process. Clark Orchestra was selected and performed in both 2016 and 2019.

Clark Orchestra emphasizes the importance of commitment and rigor while encouraging humanistic ideals. Our orchestra is a musical family dedicated to creating life-long relationships between students, music, and education.

The Ed W Clark High School Band is a diverse group of students representing the diverse population of Clark HS. The school has both a comprehensive high school and a trio of separate magnet programs: the Academy of Math, Science, Arts, & Technology (AMSAT), The Academy of Finance, and the Teacher Education Academy at Clark High (TEACH). Clark High School is a Tier 3 Title I school, located in the zip code with the lowest average income in the entire Las Vegas Valley. The school’s population is broken down as follows:

White – 7.5 %

Hispanic – 58.9%

African-American – 12.6%

Asian – 15.1%

Other – 5.9%

The Clark band program is comprised of several ensembles: the Clark “Charger” Marching Band, the Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble, the Jazz Band, the Winter Guard, and the Winter Drumline. Clark's band program is regularly represented at the Clark County Honor Band with upwards of 20 musicians, and usually 5-15 members in the All State Ensembles. The band performs regularly in Las Vegas at local conventions and corporate events on the Las Vegas Strip. The marching band also regularly marches in the Las Vegas Veteran’s Day Parade and the Las Vegas Days “Helldorado” Parade.

The William Paterson University Chamber Wind Ensemble is part of a vibrant musical culture on the WP campus and is a curricular ensemble within the Department of Music and College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Participation in the Chamber Wind Ensemble offers students the opportunity to develop technical skills, grow musicianship and to experience the power of large ensemble music-making. An auditioned group, the Chamber Wind Ensemble performs new and emerging repertoire, as well as standard band literature, and presents performances on our campus and around our community throughout the academic year.

The 40 students performers in today's concert represent a variety of degree programs, majors and musical

backgrounds. Additional opportunities within the WP Band program include the WP Prep Band, Athletic Band and chamber ensembles, ranging from Flute, Saxophone and Tuba/Euphonium Ensembles and Trombone Choir to Saxophone Quartet and Brass Quintet.

The William Paterson University Symphony is comprised of music majors at the University, as well as non-majors, alumni and members of the community. In 2011 the Symphony performed in Lincoln Center, and continues to present classical, pops and family concerts on Campus.