Vox Femina Prepares to Travel to Central America

Perhaps best known for her role in Steven Speilberg's classic hit "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial," DeeWallace, is a true tour de force in this industry, working with countless directors, producers and some of Hollywood's biggest names including Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Wes Craven, Joe Dante, Stephen King and Blake Edwards as well as appearing on every major news and talk show including Oprah. But it was in the role of fan that she attended the recent VOX Femina "All Aboard! Fiesta Bound!," saying "My heart soared with emotions as I listened to VOX perform a piece entitled 'Music in My Mother's House." As a former high school English and Arts teacher, she says "it is imperitive that we support the arts and involve our children. "At that age we are veritable sponges; soaking everything in. The Arts stimulate the brain, bringing creativity and critical thinking skills to other subjects within the schools' curriculum, not to mention enhances social skills."

Supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, VOX Femina, under the Artistic direction of Dr. Iris Levine, offered Los Angeles audiences two opportunities (Zipper Hall and Altadena Community Church) to experience "All Aboard Fiesta Bound" before the these remarkably talented ladies prepare to travel abroad as ambassadors of arts and culture, while representing the voices of women in Los Angeles, as part of a tour that will include a joint concert in Mexico City; a concert at Tepotzotlan and Teatro Angela Peralta in San Miguel De Allende; and in the Sala Higinio Ruvalcaba del Ex-Convento del Carmen in Guadalajara.

During VOX Femina's Los Angeles engagements of "All Aboard! Fiesta Bound!," VOX was joined by select members of The Battle Creek Girls' Chorus (www.musiccenterscmi.com) including girls and young women, grades 3-12, from throughout south central lower Michigan in 10 public and private school systems and their Music Director and Conductor, Brian Clissold. As a touring ensemble their annual performance tours them to places such as Toronto, Washington D.C., Cincinnati, St. Louis, and New York as well as England twice, both times participating in the Shrewsbury International Music Festival.

Vox Femina Los Angeles is a women's choral ensemble dedicated to the performance of quality choral literature with an emphasis on music by women composers. Choral singing is one of the oldest performance arts in existence, but VFLA is excited to perform new works and accept new challenges for themselves and for the audience. Dr. Iris S. Levine founded VFLA in 1997. In the past decade, VFLA has established itself as one of the preeminent women's choruses in the United States with a demonstrated ability to perform highly eclectic repertoire, some of which can be heard on several recordings.

It has actively fulfilled its goals through an exciting schedule of performances, touring and educational outreach.  VFLA has demonstrated its support and encouragement of living composers through commissioning new works. Vox Los Angeles is funded through grants and private donations.

Photo by Karen Hall.

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