Ragazzi Boys Chorus Begins Virtual Rehearsals for Fall 2020

Boys will lift their voices in song while sheltering in place as Ragazzi Boys Chorus begins remote rehearsals for the Fall 2020 semester on Wednesday, September 9. The acclaimed boys chorus has cancelled in-person gatherings to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, instead opting for choristers to continue singing and learning new music from the comfort of home.

It's not too late for boys who love to sing to join this fun virtual activity for the fall-Ragazzi is hosting online auditions for potential new choristers to learn about joining the group. Boys and their parents can get introduced to Ragazzi, digitally meeting one-on-one with a Ragazzi chorus director for some short, fun singing games appropriate to their age level. These appointments also give young singers and their parents a chance to ask specific questions. No prior experience is required for interested boys aged 5-11 years old-it is recommended that potential choristers aged 12 and older have some music experience before joining the group. Sign-ups are also open for Ragazzi's Music & Movement class, offered for boys 5 to 7-no audition is required for this fun, interactive class. Ragazzi will be hosting a Virtual Open House on August 22, allowing interested parents and boys to meet online with directors and chorister families and learn more about the chorus, which offers vocal training at various levels from beginners up to its world-acclaimed Concert Group. For more information, to schedule an appointment, sign up for the August 22 Virtual Open House, or register for Music & Movement, the public may visit https://ragazzi.org/join-us.

Ragazzi's enhanced online rehearsals help foster individual vocal development with specialized feedback provided by Ragazzi directors, and classes designed to help singers hone skills like composing, arranging, sight-reading, and music theory. Ragazzi choristers will also have a chance to collaborate and sing remotely with friends in ensembles, working toward a group performance at the end of the semester. To enable these virtual rehearsals, Ragazzi will employ advanced technology that allows choristers to learn and record their parts. Ragazzi is also planning to implement a remote rehearsal console that improves audio quality and reduces the latency (delay time) inherent in live video streaming platforms (more information about this project will be announced in the coming weeks). In addition to digital music rehearsals, Ragazzi choristers will speak with accomplished music professionals-special guest conversations include composers, publishers, record engineers, singers, and arts advocates.

Peninsula-based Ragazzi Boys Chorus is one of the San Francisco Bay Area's premiere music and performance organizations for boys. Last year, more than 250 boys from over 100 schools in 30+ Bay Area communities participated in the program. Ragazzi means "boys" in Italian and is the term used in opera to refer to children's voices. Ragazzi has performed with the San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony, Opera San Jose, West Bay Opera, Symphony Silicon Valley, Masterworks Chorale, and the Stanford University Symphonic Chorus among others. The group has toured throughout the United States and internationally. In 2000, Ragazzi was honored for its contribution to the San Francisco Symphony's triple Grammy Award-winning recording of Stravinsky's Perséphone, and has five CDs available: A Holiday Collection, Canciones de Alabanza, Magnificat: My Spirit Rejoices, Splendors of the Italian Baroque, and I Dream A World.

Photo credit: David Allen