On April 30, the California Women’s Chorus, Inc. (CWC) presented its 48th annual public concert at the Glendale Hilton Hotel. Members of the 10 CWC choruses in California came together in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom to share their talents and to entertain a full house. Local choruses, Verdugo Hills Women’s Chorus and Burbank Singers, both of whom entertain independently in their own communities, joined together to sing at the Saturday night banquet. Their performances of “Rainbow Connection” from “The Muppet Movie” and “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen, arranged by Roger Emerson, were well received by the CWC singers at the banquet.

CWC member choruses work throughout the year to prepare for the annual concert and their hard work paid off. Naomi Sumitani, guest accompanist, Jeff Segal, drums, Kirk Palsma, bass and Rob Schaer, trumpet, provided the perfect accompaniment for the 170-member chorus, led by guest director Lauren Buckley Schaer. The audience showed its appreciation for the musicians and the singers with standing ovations numerous times during the two-hour concert. Emcee John Musker kept the audience entertained with his comments and great sense of humor.

Three students were chosen to perform at the concert by audition earlier this year and were ready and eager to show their talents to a welcoming audience. Kali Hardwick sang “Je Suis Encore Tout Etourdie” (Manon) and “I Am In Need of Music” (Ben Moore). She will be honored by Bob Cole Conservatory of Music as Outstanding Graduate of the College of Arts when she graduates this month and will begin her graduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London this fall.

Niko Murakami performed “Frere! Voyez … Du Gai Soleil” (Werther) and “I Could Have Danced all Night” (Lerner and Loewe). Murakami is a sophomore and it is her second year with the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University Long Beach. She studies classical voice with Shigemi Matsumoto.

Elizabeth Queen sang “Les Oiseaux Dan La Charmille” (Offenbach) and the very lively “The Girl in 14G” by Jeanine Tesori. She is a coloratura soprano who lives locally and currently studies with Gail Gordon. Queen will reprise the role of Konigan de Nacht at the Berlin Opera Academy in Berlin, Germany.

All three singers were rewarded with thunderous applause and each received a $2,000 scholarship to further their music careers.

Now that the 48th annual CWC convention and concert is over the Verdugo Hills Women’s Chorus and Burbank Singers will enjoy a summer break and be back at rehearsals in September.

Suzy Duff (VHWC) and Diana Tyson (Burbank) are to be applauded for their skills as co-chairs. In September it will be time to rehearse Christmas music, then take a look at the music selected for the 49th CWC concert in April 2108. Any woman who enjoys singing and would like to be a part of the CWC concert is asked to go online www.cwchorus.com for further information. There’s always room for one more singer!

Submitted by Arlene MASSIMINO

  Arlene MASSIMINO