GILROY
– World-class musicians are donating their talents to help local
high school singers fund a trip overseas.
GILROY – World-class musicians are donating their talents to help local high school singers fund a trip overseas.
Gilroyans can attend two different performances – one ragtime, one classical – to support the award-winning Chamber Singers’ week-long tour of Germany in April.
Two local professional musicians, Jack Bradshaw and Candace Fazzio, will play toe-tapping ragtime piano in the Gilroy High School theater this Saturday to help the group pay for its trip.
“They are both professional ragtime players, they have both participated nationally in ragtime concerts and they are critically acclaimed, ” said Phil Robb, choir director at GHS. “It’s going to be a very family-oriented concert, they want the kids to be involved.”
The two-hour show features “music from the American continents,” including classic ragtime music by Scott Joplin and Joseph Lamb, contemporary music by Max Morath, Scott Kirby and Hal Isbitz, and international selections by Brazilian Ernesto Nazareth and Cuba’s Ignacio Cervantez.
Admission for adults is $10, students cost $7 and children under 6 are free. Tickets are available at Monterey Street Music Academy, 7423 Monterey Road and Porcella’s Music, 7357 Monterey Road. They will also be sold at the door.
The Chamber Singers, who make an international visit once every three years, are heading to Europe this year after five previous groups traveled to Gilroy’s sister city, Takko-Machi, in Japan. The 29 singers, including sophomores, juniors and seniors, have already raised about 70 percent of the trip’s cost, but still need about $25,000, Robb said.
“We’re on the last leg, which is always the most difficult to ring up those last dollars,” Robb said.
During spring break in April, the Chamber Singers will travel through Germany, to the Czech Republic, performing an eclectic selection of music in church performances and concerts, including selections from the Renaissance, contemporary pieces, spirituals and folk music.
The group hopes to raise between $5,000 and $6,000 from another event featuring four concert musicians later this month. In “Spring Celebration of Music,” Concert Pianist Maria Amirkhanin, Concert Cellist Emil Miland, Concert Soprano Karen McConachie and Concert Pianist Ruth Butterfield will perform for a small group of guests in a Gilroy home.
“These professional musicians are donating their time to help these kids on this trip, and it’s just an outstanding, intimate location for a concert from these musicians,” Robb said.
The Chamber Singers will perform at the March 20 event, as well. They have mailed invitations, but anyone interested in attending may request an invite, Robb said. Tickets are available for a $75 donation, or $100 for preferred seating.
After these two fund raisers, the singers will seek donations from businesses and the community at large.
“The kids have done a lot of fund raising, but we haven’t gone out to the businesses yet,” Robb said. “They’ve worked very hard, through the Garlic Festival – they sold programs, they sold See’s candy, they caroled all over during Christmas.”
The rent-a-caroler fundraiser brought in about $10,000, he said.
To request an invitation to Spring Celebration of Music, contact Pat Good at 842-9033.
