Pacific Chorale Will Honor Artistic Director Emeritus John Alexander with Lifetime Achievement Award at Spring Gala

Capping its season with a grand flourish, Pacific Chorale fetes one of its own – Artistic Director Emeritus John Alexander – at its Spring Gala on Saturday, June 1, 2024, 4 pm, at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. One of America’s most respected choral conductors, Alexander served as Pacific Chorale’s Artistic Director and Conductor from 1972 to 2017. He will be honored with Pacific Chorale’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his exceptional career and legacy, including his outstanding contributions to the field of choral music as a conductor and pedagogue, his extraordinary commitment to Pacific Chorale, and his considerable influence on the arts in Orange County and beyond. Proceeds from the gala, which also celebrates Alexander’s 80th birthday, will benefit Pacific Chorale’s performances and music education and outreach programs throughout Orange County. 

“John Alexander is a choral legend whose impact spans the globe,” says Pacific Chorale Board Chair Craig Springer. “He is also an indelible part of Pacific Chorale. During the 45 years he served the choir, which remains among the longest runs in American choral history, John shaped its artistry and essence, transforming it into the remarkable cultural beacon it is today.”

The Spring Gala, which precedes Pacific Chorale’s season finale performance, includes a sumptuous dinner and silent auction. Guests are then welcome to attend the choir’s concert at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, followed by a celebratory post-concert party with a hosted bar, hors d'oeuvres, and dessert back at the Westin South Coast Plaza. The concert program features Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Holst’s Psalm 148, Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Mass for the Endangered, and the world premiere of Frank Ticheli’s Listen to the Silence, commissioned by Pacific Chorale. (Gala and concert tickets are sold separately.)

The Pacific Chorale Spring Gala is chaired by Susan Lindley. Committee members include Maria Hall-Brown; Barbara Kingsbury; Jan Landstrom; Carla Neeld; Pat Newton; Carl Porter; Beth Varney; and Julie Virjee.

Pacific Chorale’s 2023-24 Season is made possible, in part, by generous support from Platinum Season Sponsor Phillip N. and Mary A. Lyons.

Gala Platinum Sponsors include Phillip N. & Mary A. Lyons; Salt-Away Products; and The John Alexander Table. Gold Sponsors are John and Lori Loftus; Salt-Away Products; and Charles & Ling Zhang.

The Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa is located at 686 Anton Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. 

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