LA Children's Chorus Holds Winter Concert, 12/12

The Los AngeLes Children's Chorus (LACC) goes global at its annual Winter Concert with a program spotlighting the choral music of 20 composers from 10 nations spanning 5 centuries, on Sunday, December 5, 7 p.m, and Sunday, December 12, 2010, 7 p.m., at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.  The "musical tour" includes a Buddhist prayer sung in Japanese, Italian art songs, and a Czech piece based on a Moravian folksong, as well as works by J.S. Bach, Benjamin Britten, John Rutter, Omar Macha and Gustav Holst, and contemporary composers Ruth Watson Henderson, Nicholas Nicassio, Mark Sirett and BrIan Holmes, and others.  Punctuated with plenty of holiday spirit as well, the Winter Concert is part of the renowned choir's year-long 25th Anniversary celebration, commemorating LACC's commitment to educating young people in the choral arts and creating glorious music for audiences around the world.

LACC Artistic Director Anne Tomlinson conducts the chorus' renowned Concert Choir and Chamber Singers.  Associate Artistic Director Mandy Brigham leads the Intermediate Choir, Assistant Artistic Director Amy Brehm leads the Apprentice Choir, and Dr. Steve Kronauer conducts the Young Men's Ensemble.  The choirs will perform separately and combined.

The program opens with John Rutter's setting of the 15th century Finnish work Personent Hodie and also includes Ruth Watson Henderson's Come Ye Makers of Song, based on the text from "Come Ye sons of Art" by Henry Purcell, which is a rhythmically buoyant work that employs various vocal and compositional techniques to emulate instrumental colors, and the lush, harmonic Estonian piece Vaid See on Armastus, which LACC performed this past summer with the Estonian TV Girls' Chorus while touring to Scandinavia. 

Other choral gems on the program include, Hoj, hura hoj, replicating mountain echoes, by Czech composer Otmar Mácha; I Shall Keep Singing by Bay Area composer BrIan Holmes on the text of Emily Dickinson's poem of the same name, originally commission by the Peninsula Women's Chorus as a testament to the power of song; and the closing aria of Bach's Cantata #199 "Wie freudig is mein Herz," a lilting song of joy. 

Setting the mood for the upcoming holidays are Benjamin Britten's "This Little Babe" from his well-known Ceremony of Carols; Gustav Holst's In the bleak midwinter; and Canadian composer Mark Sirrett's haunting Tryley, Trylow.  Closing the concert is Ralph Vaughan Williams' God Bless the Master of this House.

Tickets are $26, $38 and $44; children 17 and under are half price.  For tickets and information, please call (626) 793-4231 or visit www.lachildrenschorus.org.  Pasadena Presbyterian Church is located at 585 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101.
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About Los AngeLes Children's Chorus
Los AngeLes Children's Chorus, under Artistic Director Anne Tomlinson, is recognized throughout the country for its exceptional artistic quality and technical ability. Founded in 1986, the choir performs frequently with leading music ensembles including the LA Phil, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Calder Quartet and Pasadena Symphony and POPs.  LACC also assists Los Angeles Opera by training and providing children for opera productions that require children's chorus or child soloists.  The Chorus' roster includes more than 350 children aged 6-18 from 60 communities across Los Angeles in six choirs and a program of "First Experiences in Singing" classes for young singers. LACC's intensive training program includes weekly or twice weekly rehearsals, individual vocal coaching and comprehensive musicianship classes.  LACC has toured Brazil, China, Great Britain, Italy, Australia, Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Scandinavia, as well as many parts of the United States and Canada.  Among its numerous accomplishments, LACC produced a commissioned world-premiere opera, Keepers of the Night, by composer Peter Ash and librettist Donald Sturrock in 2007 and appears on "Amore Infinito" ("Infinite Love"), a Deutsche Grammophon CD of songs based on poems by the late Pope John Paul II and performed by Plácido Domingo, which was released worldwide in March 2009.  LACC is also featured in the Academy Award-nominated documentary, "Sing!" and sequel documentary "Sing Opera!" by award-winning Santa Monica filmmakers Freida Lee Mock and Jessica Sanders. "Sing!" documents a year in the life of the choir and is shown frequently on PBS stations nationwide.  "Sing China!," a third documentary that premiered in fall 2009, chronicles the choir's groundbreaking tour to China.  LACC has appeared twice on NBC's "The Tonight Show," including, in June 2009, with Grammy Award-winning pop artist John Mayer, and was featured on Public Radio International's acclaimed nationally syndicated radio show "From the Top," hosted by noted pianist Christopher O'Riley. On a local outreach level, LACC continues its long-standing commitment to the community by performing frequently in retirement homes, community centers and public schools, and for various civic organizations throughout the year.

About Artistic Director Anne Tomlinson
Anne Tomlinson, appointed artistic director of Los AngeLes Children's Chorus (LACC) in 1995, conducts the Concert Choir and the Chamber Singers and is responsible for the educational and artistic development of LACC.  She also serves as Children's Chorus Mistress for the Los Angeles Opera.  During her tenure, she has prepared children for major operatic works including the world premiere of Tobias Picker's opera Fantastic Mr. Fox based upon the story by Roald Dahl, and has worked with Plácido Domingo, Andrew Litton, and Julius Rudel, among other renowned conductors. She has prepared children's choirs for Esa-Pekka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel, Carlos Rizzi, and Maren Alsop in Los Angeles Philharmonic performances of Bizet's Carmen, Stravinsky's Persephone, John Adams' El Niño, Mahler's Symphony No. 3, Orff's Carmina Burana and a fully staged production of Bernstein's Mass at the Hollywood Bowl, among many others.  Los Angeles Master Chorale presentations include Christopher Rouse's Requiem and Orff's Carmina Burana with Grant Gershon and Paul Salamunovich.  Ms. Tomlinson is a frequent presenter at symposia, workshops and festivals.  She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and Master's degree in conducting from Northwestern University where she studied with Margaret Hillis.  She received in 2000 the Gold Crown Award for Music Education, given by the Pasadena Arts Council, the 2001 Power of One Award, given by Facing History and Ourselves Foundation, and the 2006 Educator of the Year Award given by the Harvard-Radcliffe Club of Southern California.