Oakland Symphony Chorus Announces 55th Season

Performances of choral masterworks by Brahms, Berlioz and Handel; Winter and Spring holiday concerts and a selection of community events will highlight the Oakland Symphony Chorus' 2013-2014, 55th annual concert season, Music Director Dr. Lynne Morrow has announced. Four concerts will feature Brahms' Liebeslieder Waltzes on November 16, 2013, culminating an 11-week community workshop exploring their music and history; the annual holiday "Let Us Break Bread Together" December 15 with Oakland East Bay Symphony and guests; an Easter-time sing-along of Handel's Messiah April 13, 2014 and the monumental Berlioz Requiem with Oakland East Bay Symphony May 16, 2014 celebrating the Chorus' 55th anniversary, Oakland East Bay Symphony's 25th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of Oakland Youth Orchestra. In addition, the Chorus will present a Discovery Day event for the community to explore, learn about and hear portions of the Berlioz Requiem on April 26, 2014. For information about the Oakland Symphony Chorus, its season and programs, visit www.Oaklandsymphonychorus.org .

Music Director and conductor Lynne Morrow says, "I am excited about the broad scope of our 55thAnniversary Season. The Brahms, Handel and Berlioz represent three great aspects of choral literature: chamber, Baroque and nearly operatic. This opportunity to experience these distinctive works in one season is not to be missed!"

Oakland Symphony Chorus 2013-2014 55th Anniversary Season

Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 7:30pm
First Covenant Church 4000 Redwood Road, Oakland
Free Admission

Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes

Culminating an 11-week community workshop with the Chorus and Music Director Dr. Lynne Morrow, this performance kicks off the Oakland Symphony Chorus 55th anniversary season by showcasing its mastery of the Romantic masterwork. For information and to enroll in the workshop ($100 fee), visitwww.oaklandsymphonychorus.org .

Sunday, December 15, at 4 pm
Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland

"Let Us Break Bread Together"
Annual Holiday Celebration with the Oakland East Bay Symphony and guest artists

With Mt. Eden High School Choir, Kugelplex, Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, Linda Tillery's Cultural Heritage Choir, Crystal Children's Choir

The Bay Area's most traditional unconventional holiday concert celebrates its 21st year with the world premieres of four new Gospel works commissioned by Oakland East Bay Symphony and supported by the Irvine Foundation, unusual music of the season, a terrific lineup of guest artists, and an audience sing-along. Frequently a sell-out, Let Us Break Bread Together is considered by many concert-goers a not-to-be-missed part of the holidays.

Sunday, April 13, 2014 (time TBA)
Cathedral of Christ the Light, Harrison Street at Grand Avenue, Oakland

Easter Messiah Sing-Along

Handel's participatory perennial will come to life with the full Oakland Symphony Chorus complemented by the voices of the community in the rich acoustics and award-winning architecture of Oakland's Cathedral.

Saturday, April 26, at 10:00am
St. Paschal Baylon Church, 3700 Dorisa Avenue, Oakland

Berlioz Requiem Discovery Day

A dynamic workshop designed for community and concert-goers to learn more about Berlioz' monumental work in preparation for its May 16 performance by the Oakland East Bay Symphony, Oakland Youth Orchestra and guest artists- Discovery Day on Berlioz

Friday, May 16, at 8 pm
Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland

Anniversary Season Finale: Berlioz Requiem

Every inch of the historic Paramount Theatre stage will brim with music to mark the 25th anniversary of the Oakland East Bay Symphony in the grandest of styles as Maestro Morgan musters the full complement of OEBS, Oakland Youth Orchestra, Oakland Symphony Chorus and Grammy-winning guest artist Thomas Glenn for Berlioz' monumental Requiem.

About Oakland Symphony Chorus

For 55 years the 120-member Oakland Symphony Chorus has been recognized as one of the East Bay's finest choirs and a premier resource for continuing education in the choral arts. It has received consistently impressive concert reviews and has developed a wide range of educational programs for the community.

Dr. Lynne Morrow became Music Director of the Oakland Symphony Chorus in 2005. During her tenure, the scope of the chorus has expanded to include contemporary, international and neglected works along with traditional classical repertoire. She conducts the Chorus' workshop performances of major works and a spring Messiah, hosts summer choral outreach "Sing-ins" and prepares the chorus for work with Oakland East Bay Symphony as well as other local community and youth orchestras, such as the Oakland Youth Orchestra and Young People's Symphony Orchestra, with which the Chorus collaborates. Oakland Symphony Chorus is affiliated with Oakland East Bay Symphony and Oakland Youth Orchestra.

Dr. Lynne Morrow currently serves as the Music Director of two renowned choruses in the San Francisco/East Bay area. Under Dr. Morrow's guidance, the Oakland Symphony Chorus has expanded its scope to include contemporary, international, premieres and rarely performed works along with traditional classical repertoire. For her direction of the Pacific Mozart Ensemble, she received a Grammy nomination in 2005 for their recording of Leonard Bernstein's Mass with Kent Nagano in Berlin. In 2010, their long-time collaboration with Dave Brubeck (including many world premieres) led to the release ofDave Brubeck: Songs of Praise on Dorian Recordings.

Dr. Morrow heads the Opera and Music Theatre programs at Sonoma State University, whose new Green Music Center concert hall has been heralded as "Tanglewood West." She's a prominent leader in the Bay Area where she hosts the Stern Grove Music Festival each summer.

Dr. Morrow's board memberships include Stern Grove, NARAS (the Grammy nominating committee) and a recent term as Chair of the Arts Commission in Rohnert Park, CA (home of Sonoma State). For Dr. Morrow, it's all about creating a visceral connection to music-presenting works from every corner of the musical arts in fresh ways to reach the widest possible audiences.

Tickets for Oakland Symphony Chorus season performances are priced $15-$40. For tickets and more information, visit www.oaklandsymphonychorus.org or call 510-207-4093.