The women of San Luis Obispo High School Concert Choir will join Canzona Women’s Ensemble in a concert on March 5, 2017 at the Mission in San Luis Obispo.
Part of the Mission Statement for Canzona Women’s Ensemble is, ”to educate younger women about the art of female choral ensemble singing, and to serve as mentors for these young women in our local schools and performing arts groups.”
“We hope to make young women aware that there is choral music beyond high school, or even beyond college,” Jill Anderson, Canzona Artistic Director, said. “So often we hear people say, ‘I used to sing in the choir in high school, but I haven’t sung for so many years.’ We want them to know that there are singing and choral opportunities in communities such as ours, particularly for women, and with solo opportunities. We hope to inspire the young women to continue to sing beyond high school and college.”
Canzona has invited the Central Coast Children’s Choir, the San Luis Obispo High Treble Chorus, and the women from Cuesta College and from Cal Poly to join with them in concerts.
Serving as a Mentor
“A big part of our goal is to encourage young women to make choral singing a life-long pursuit, and we hope that joining our ensemble in rehearsal and on stage can serve as an encouragement to do so,” Cricket Handler, Canzona Artistic Director, said. “I believe that the young women see the joy that we share as a choral ensemble of women, and I hope that they think about how they can enjoy the same love of sharing music throughout their lives. It gives them an opportunity to shine on their own and to sing for a different audience that not only has a particular appreciation for women’s choral repertoire, but also to sing for a broader audience than might attend their high school or college performances.”
When young women’s choral groups are invited to sing in a program with Canzona, typically the guest choirs join with Canzona in one or two pieces, and then perform one piece on their own. The young singers are exposed to different directors as they rehearse for the program.
“Often women’s choirs at the high school and college level are not valued as highly as mixed (men and women) choirs,” Jill Anderson said. “They are often seen as ‘entry level’ choirs, and the mixed choir slots are more sought after. By making Canzona a very selective ensemble, one which auditions voices very judiciously, we increase the self-esteem for women singing with our choir. We very often sing music that cannot be sung by mixed choirs.”
“Certainly exploring a wide variety of women’s music and the performance of it, is a celebration,” Cricket Handler said. “We have the chance to feature women composers who might often choose themes that speak specifically to women’s challenges, needs, priorities and life experiences.”
Colleen Chester, Director of the San Luis Obispo High School Concert Choir, hopes that the experience of singing with Canzona will help her choir members foster a life-long passion for music, and that they will one day find a community of women who sing. “ I also hope that they will become part of an audience who appreciates and supports choral singing,” Colleen Chester said.