Chorus Information
 
Bay Choral Guild
Sanford Dole, Music Director
Information last updated: 2008-12-12
Status:
Archived
Basic Information
Description: | This is a volunteer community chorus, open to the general public. There is, however, an audition. Members possess good sight-reading skills and sing in many languages. This group has developed a unique closeness (probably due to all the carpooling members have had to do over the years). A very supportive community. |
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Web Address: | http://www.baychoralguild.org/ |
Year Estab: | 1979 |
Mission: | To enrich Bay Area culture through performance and education. Emphasis on musical training and on presenting adventuresome repertoire of both traditional and unusual works. Besides a regular formal concert series, the Guild offers workshops, lectures, and sponsors two youth programs. |
Emphasis: | Although the main emphasis is Baroque, the chorus performs music from all periods, including premiering contemporary works. |
Size: | 70 (max) |
Concerts/Year: | 6 formal concerts: November/December, March, May/ |
Auditions: | Yes, held at regular rehearsal sites in Palo Alto. Auditions are held by appointment, before the start of each quarter, in August/September, December/January, and occasionally in March. |
Dues: | $75 per quarter (3 quarters) |
Dress: | Men: black tuxedo, plain white shirt, black bow tie; Women: black tunic tops with long black skirts or pants. |
Rehearsals: | Monday, 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton (at Webster), Palo Alto |
Categories
Type of Music: | Classical Church/Sacred Contemporary Early Music Popular Christmas |
Type of Chorus: | Mixed Adult |
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Rehearse City: | Palo Alto | ||
Region: | Santa Clara County | ||
Audition Req'd: | Y |
Chorus Contact Information
Mailing Address: | Cantabile Choral Guild, 953 Industrial Ave. Suite 118, Palo Alto, 94303 |
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Phone: | 650-424-1410 |
Fax: | 650-424-1430 |
Other Information
Related Groups: | Cantabile Children’s Chorus (ages 6 and up); Peninsula Choral Workshop (high school summer chorus). also Choir-For-Hire, volunteer and often ad hoc performing subgroup of 4-16 who sing community events or sponsored engagements. |
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Discography: | Recordings made of each concert for archives. (audiocassettes). Guild has one commercial CD on which it sang: Bach and Handel with William Parker, baritone. (Harmonia Mundi.) |
Bibliography: | Articles in Early Music News: Recent Reviews (1991-1998) |
History: | From the Guild's website: "Some History: The Guild was originally founded in 1979 as the Baroque Choral Guild, under the leadership of Ken Hannaford, and soon thereafter, Robert Geary. In 1994, the Cantabile Youth Singers was founded, and BCG became an umbrella for both an adult chorus and a youth chorus. In 2005, finding the “Baroque” in our name to be insufficiently suggestive of the diversity of our programming, the organization decided to drop it, and took on the Cantabile name for the whole organization, with the adult chorus becoming “Cantabile Chorale”. In 2008, the adult and youth choruses parted ways, and the adult chorus took on its present name, “Bay Choral Guild”, a name we hope is evocative of our roots." Editors' historical note: Baroque Choral Guild was founded by a group of singers who had formerly sung with Edwin (Ted) Flath's California Bach Society, founded about 1973. Disagreements about Flath's leadership led to a split, and a breakaway group founded Baroque Choral Guild, whose first conductor was Ken Hannaford. From its founding until 2006, the chorus rehearsed in both Berkeley and Palo Alto, and its membership included sizable groups from both locations. In 2006, the then Cantabile Chorale discontinued its Berkeley rehearsals, and a group of its singers from the Berkeley area who did not want to travel to Palo Alto regularly sought to form a new chorus in Berkeley. Under the leadership of Paul Flight, a new chorus, Chora Nova, was formed, and its membership included many of the former Cantabile singers. |
Comments: | Professional musicians hired for all concerts and to teach workshops. Phone for an audition! |