Chorus Information
San Francisco Girls Chorus
Valerie Sainte-Agathe, Artistic Director
Information last updated: 2019-03-29
Status:
Archived
Basic Information
| Description: | Established in 1978, the mission of the San Francisco Girls Chorus is to create outstanding performances featuring the unique and compelling sound of young women’s voices through an exemplary program committed to education and visionary leadership in the development of this art form. Under the direction of Artistic Director Valérie Sainte-Agathe, the San Francisco Girls Chorus has achieved an incomparable sound that underscores the unique clarity and force of impeccably trained treble voices fused with expressiveness and drama. As a result, the Chorus vibrantly performs 1,000 years of choral masterworks from plainchant to the most challenging and nuanced contemporary works created expressly for them in programs that are as intelligently designed as they are enjoyable and revelatory to experience. Each year, hundreds of singers from 45 Bay Area cities ranging in age from 4 - 18 participate in the SFGC’s programs. The organization consists of a professional-level performance, recording, and touring ensemble and a six-level Chorus School training program. A leading voice on the Bay Area and national music scenes, the Chorus has produced award-winning concerts, recordings and tours, empowered young women in music and other fields, enhanced and expanded the field of music for treble voices and set the international standard for the highest level of performance and education. Commissions of new works from the leading composers of our time, collaborations with renowned guest artists, and partnerships with other Bay Area and national arts organizations provide the young women of SFGC with matchless performance experiences among powerful adult role models. In addition to its annual engagements with the San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Symphony, recent and current/upcoming artistic partnerships include the San Francisco Ballet, San Francisco Film Festival, Opera Parallèle, Kronos Quartet, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, New Century Chamber Orchestra, TEDxSanFrancisco, and Paul Miller aka DJ Spooky. SFGC has also traveled to the East Coast on a number of occasions in recent years for debut concert engagements, including for the 2016 NY PHIL BIENNIAL FESTIVAL at Lincoln Center in collaboration with The Knights orchestra, for SHIFT: A Festival of American Orchestras in April 2017 with The Knights at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, and at Carnegie Hall in February 2018 with the Philip Glass Ensemble, for a sold-out performance that was broadcast around the world by Medici TV. SFGC's commitment to artistic excellence has been recognized through many awards and honors, including five GRAMMY Awards; four ASCAP/Chorus America Awards for Adventurous Programming; and, in 2002, becoming the first youth chorus to receive Chorus America's prestigious Margaret Hillis Achievement Award for Choral Excellence. SFGC was founded in 1978 by Elizabeth Appling, who served as Artistic Director until her retirement in 1992. Other Artistic Directors during SFGC's illustrious 40-year history include Sharon J. Paul (1992 - 2000), Magen Solomon (2000-2001, interim), Susan McMane (2001 - 2012), Brandon Brack (2012-2013, interim), and Lisa Bielawa (2013 - 2018). SFGC owns and operates the Kanbar Performing Arts Center, which has become a hub for small to mid-size arts organizations in the Bay Area. In addition to SFGC’s own rehearsal and performance programs, the Kanbar Center provides long-term leased office space to such organizations as American Bach Soloists, Opera Parallèle, Jewish LearningWorks, and the Chinese-American International School, as well as rehearsal space for groups including New Century Chamber Orchestra, Kronos Quartet, San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, Merola summer opera program, and the San Francisco Boys Chorus. |
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| Web Address: | http://www.sfgirlschorus.org |
| Year Estab: | 1978 |
| Mission: | The mission of the San Francisco Girls Chorus is to create outstanding performances featuring the unique and compelling sound of young women’s voices through an exemplary music education program. |
| Emphasis: | The vision of the San Francisco Girls Chorus is to produce performances of the highest artistic caliber; to provide music education for girls and young women from all ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds; to be a leader in the field through creativity and innovation; to give the girls and young women who participate in Chorus programs the skills, self-discipline and confidence to succeed in music and in life; and to instill in the choristers a lifelong love of music; and to communicate this passion through involvement with the greater community. |
| Size: | More than 330 choristers in 7 ensembles. |
| Concerts/Year: | 30+ |
| Auditions: | Audition evaluates natural tone quality of voice and ability to match pitch and respond to simple musical direction. Auditions are held in San Francisco and Oakland in August, January, and May. |
Categories
| Type of Music: | Classical Church/Sacred Contemporary Early Music Opera Popular |
Type of Chorus: | Women's Children's Girl's Teens Opera/Theater Professional Holiday |
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| Rehearse City: | San Francisco; Emeryville | ||
| Region: | San Francisco | ||
| Audition Req'd: | Y | ||
Chorus Contact Information
| Mailing Address: | 44 Page St Suite 200, San Francisco, 94102-5986 |
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| Phone: | (415) 863-1752 |
| Fax: | (415) 934-0302 |
| Email: | info@sfgirlschorus.org |
Other Information
| Discography: | I Never Saw Another Butterfly. Children's poems from Terezin Concentration Camp, set to music by Charles Davidson. 1982. Phonorecord. Henry Purcell: Dido and Aeneas. Live recordings of 1985 production, an historical reproduction of the work, performed at Herbst Theater, San Francisco. 1985. Audiocassette. Phonorecord and audiocassette. Reviewed by Charles Shere, Oakland Tribune, December 13, 1987. Jubilate, including Radio Budapest live recordings from the 13th International Bela Bartok Choir Competition. July 1988. Mother Goose and the Other Nursery Songs. The San Francisco Girls Chorus was the featured perfomer on this Francine Lancaster Keepsake series recording. 1987. Carl Orff. Carmina Burana. The San Francisco Girls Chorus sang the children's part in the San Francisco Symphony's recording of this work. 1992. Chorissima has produced three records and appeared on recordings with the San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony, and Kronos Quartet. I Never Saw Another Butterfly, by Charles Davidson, conducted by Sharon J. Paul. 1996. Compact Disc. A San Francisco Christmas, conducted by Sharon J. Paul. Compact Disc. 1996. |
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| Bibliography: | Beach, Scott, "Girls Chorus has come a long way, " San Francisco Examiner, June 5, 1984. Shere, Charles, "Baroque opera 'Dido' by S.F. Girls Chorus is a remarkable presentation, " Oakland Tribune, Friday, March 22, 1985, p. B-5. Tucker, Marilyn, "S.F. Girls Chorus excels in 300-year-old opera, " San Francisco Chronicle, March 22, 1985. Livingstone, Janet, "Girls Chorus rouses audiences, " The Montclarion, May, 1985. Campbell, Gillian, "Choir with punch galore, " Gloucestershire newspaper reviewing performance at the Cheltenham International Festival of Music, 1985. Aguiar, William, review of San Francisco Opera production of 'Werther, " Hokubei Mainichi, October 25, 1985. Bernheimer, Martin, "Ho hum, another 'Tosca' by San Francisco Opera, " Times, October 31, 1985. Mentions San Francisco Girls Chorus member which was the offstage voice of the shepherd boy. "Purcell: Dido and Aeneas, " The Tribune Calendar, November 17, 1985. Livingstone, Janet, "Powerful paganism from Carl Orff, " The Montclarion, May 20, 1986. Livingstone, Janet, "A spring ceremony in song, " The Montclarion, June 24, 1986. Vogt, Barbara, "Taking note of Girls Chorus, " Foster City Progress, December 17, 1986. Tircuit, Heuwell, "Symphony's Hungarian spree, " San Francisco Chronicle, January 17, 1987. Livingstone, Janet, "Lack of funds but soaring songs in '86, " The Montclarion, January 18, 1987. "Shank sings solo in chorus gala, " Foster City Progress, January 14, 1987. Mentions solo by San Francisco Girls Chorus alumna. Tircuit, Heuwell, "You can call it 'Baghdad, "San Francisco Chronicle Datebook, June 22, 1987. Bean, Joseph W., "S.F. Girls Chorus, " Golden Gate, May-June, 1987. Tucker, Marilyn, "A sure-footed opener by Berkeley Symphony, " San Francisco Chronicle, September 14, l987. Von Buchau, Stephanie, "Berkeley Symphony's adventurous program, " San Francisco Examiner, September 15, 1987. Performance included the San Francisco Girls Chorus. Bladen, Barbara, "SF Opera unveils new production of 'Tosca, " San Mateo Times, October 5, 1987, p. A11. Bladen, Barbara, "Director has high hopes for SF Girls Chorus, " San Mateo Times, October 9, 1987, p. B7. Regan, Kate, "Move over, boys, for a new angelic sound, "San Francisco Chronicle Datebook, November 8, 1987, p. 2. Bean, Joseph W., "Making 'miracles' with young voices, " San Francisco Progress, December 18, 1987. Shere, Charles, "S.F. Girls Chorus' hard work shows, " Oakland Tribune, December 24, 1987, p. B-7. "Live from San Francisco: it's 'West Coast Weekend, " San Francisco Chronicle: Image , January 3, 1988. Mentions San Francisco Girls Chorus singing anthem to Saint Cecilia. Hertelendy, Paul, Super girls; fabulous female singers are making boys' choirs rethink their work, " San Jose Mercury News, January 10, l988. Frank, Phil , "Farley " cartoon, San Francisco Chronicle, February 9, 1988, p. A12. |
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