A Summer of Music Education for our Youth

The month of August has proven to be a wonderful time of musical growth for our future singers. Three simultaneous events occurred.

Peninsula Choral Workshop

The Peninsula Choral Workshop, with a 24-year history of success, proved yet again to be a valued extension to high-school music programs. Seven local high schools were represented. Two new clinicians joined forces with veteran teachers Mary Linduska and Nicholas Isaacs. One was Chad Runyon, a former member of Chanticleer, a professional chorister with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, and a private studio instructor, and the other was our own executive director, Sonja Wohlgemuth, a professional chorister with both the San Francisco Symphony Chorus and San Francisco Opera Chorus.

Cantabile Summer Camp

Cantabile’s summer music day camp met with such great interest from the community that we had to increase our enrollment capacity. Many of the young singers will be joining Cantabile for the full season. New clinicians Laura Michelle Agigian, Kyle Sofman, and Ginger Lordy, who are Orff, Kodaly, and art instructors, respectively, helped Cantabile assistant director Peggy Spool lead the music camp. In addition, we extended a wonderful opportunity to Cantabile singers Ida Smith, Jenny Katz, and Fiona Nies by scheduling them to work as camp aides.

Cantabile Retreat

The Cantabile Chamber Choir’s summer retreat at the Pema Osel Ling Buddhist Retreat and Conference Center in Watsonville offered singers three exciting days of singing, theory, more singing, sight singing, learning more repertoire, a voice lesson with Iris Fraser, more singing, coaching in Alexander technique from Barbara Maloney, more singing, creative movement led by Deanna Anderson with keyboard accompaniment by Peter Giordano, more singing, and meditation sessions led by a resident lama. And it all took place in a shrine in the presence of a large Buddha. Good food, swimming, volleyball, and a Wednesday night soiree were also part of a group-building and productive learning experience.

Volume 11, Issue 1

Baroque Choral Guild, 953 Industrial Ave. Ste 118, Palo Alto CA 94303, 650.424.1410