Verdugo Hills Women’s Chorus (VHWC) and Burbank Singers are gearing up for the 48th annual California Women’s Chorus, Inc. (CWC) convention and concert April 30. Sharon Schlarb and Diana Tyson, concert music committee co-chairs, have announced the guest director and accompanist for “California Dreamin,” which will be held April 30 at the Glendale Hilton Hotel, 100 W. Glenoaks Blvd. in Glendale. Schlarb has been director of VHWC since 1991 and Tyson is not only the director for Burbank Singers but also the accompanist for VHWC. Music has been chosen with the assistance of the guest director. The 10 individual choruses comprising CWC will begin rehearsals soon and join together to sing at the public concert in the spring.

Lauren Buckley-Schaer, DMA, has been selected to conduct CWC’s combined chorus at the “California Dreamin” concert. Buckley-Schaer hails from New Orleans and has had a varied career conducting choirs of all ages, sizes and abilities. While at Princeton University, she was assistant conductor of the Glee Club and music director of the Katzenjammers, an a cappella group specializing in classical repertoire and vocal jazz. She was the first student to pursue and receive a certificate in conducting at Princeton.

After graduation, she attended the Royal Academy of Music in London, earning a postgraduate diploma in choral direction. Returning to New Orleans, she became artistic director of Jefferson Performing Arts Society Children’s Chorus. She was also music director and conductor of the Orleans Chamber Singers, a group specializing in Renaissance and other a capella repertoire.

In 2006, Buckley-Schaer moved to Los Angeles and entered USC Thornton School of Music to pursue a doctorate in choral conducting. Upon completion of her doctorate in 2012, Buckley-Schaer began working professionally with choral groups throughout the area as music director of the Ebell Chorale, artistic director of the Hollywood Master Chorale and associate director of the Pasadena Master Chorale.

Naomi Sumitani will accompany CWC’s combined 10 choruses at the Spring Scholarship concert. She is a native of Palos Verdes and began her musical studies through the Yamaha Music Education System where she studied performance, composition and improvisation. During her career she has garnered many local awards along with participating in international competitions.

Sumitani attended Thornton School of Music at USC and earned her bachelor and master degrees in piano performance and a doctorate degree in keyboard collaborative arts. She has been a studio pianist for several world-renowned professors and has performed her own compositions nationally and internationally. Currently Sumitani specializes in performing actively with musicians throughout the Los Angeles area and teaching music at Peninsula Montessori School.

Verdugo Hills Women’s Chorus and Burbank Singers are excited to co-host CWC’s 48th annual convention April 28 and April 29 and the concert April 30. The public is invited to see Dr. Lauren Buckley-Schaer and Dr. Naomi Sumitani in action and hear a chorus of 200 women sing some familiar and some not so familiar songs. Ticket information and concert details available online cwchorus.com.

Submitted by Arlene MASSIMINO

  Arlene MASSIMINO