Press Releases 2007

CONTACT:  Jana Marcus, Marketing & Communications
(831) 479-5744
jamarcus [at] cabrillo.edu

November 6, 2007

CABRILLO SYMPHONIC CHORUS AND CONDUCTOR CHERYL ANDERSON
CELEBRATE 25TH ANNIVERSARY WITH MUSIC FOR THE FEAST OF CHRISTMAS
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Nights
November 29, 30 & December 1 - 8:00 p.m. - Matinee December 2 – 4 p.m.

APTOS, CA—Kick off the holiday season with the Cabrillo College Symphonic Chorus and the 25th anniversary of their Music for the Feast of Christmas winter concert series. The chorus, led by conductor Cheryl Anderson, will celebrate this special event by joining with the Cabrillo Youth Chorus and a live orchestra to bring you a very exciting evening of traditional masterworks, multi-cultural choral music and sing-along carols.  Join the choirs in song as they express their joy of the season and give thanks to the community support that helped them achieve their wildly successful debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City last summer! 

This 25th Anniversary Feast of Christmas concert series will feature Bach’s Gloria in Excelsis Deo; Gabrieli’s Jubilate Deo; works by Mendelssohn, Nelhybel and Praetorius; a lively, traditional spiritual; and folk songs from Africa and Israel.

Following the December 2 matinee, a celebration with the chorus, featuring food and drink will take place.  The fee is $15 to attend the festivities, which will support the Cabrillo Youth Chorus tuition and scholarship programs.

What: The Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus presents The Feast of Christmas
When: November 29, 30, December 1 at 8 pm. Matinee December 2 at 4pm
Where: Holy Cross Church, 126 High Street, Santa Cruz
Tickets: $25 General admission, $18 Seniors/Children 12 and under. Available at Cabrillo box office at 479-6331 or at the door
Information:  www.cabrillochorus.org

About Cabrillo College
Cabrillo Collegeis a leading California community college serving Santa Cruz County with locations in Aptos, Scotts Valley and Watsonville. It is ranked #1 in transfers to UC Santa Cruz. Founded in 1959, the college offers over 100 academic and career technology programs that serve multiple educational goals such as A.A. and A.S. degrees, certificates of proficiency, skills certificates, transfer to 4-year institutions or for lifelong learning and personal enrichment. Our mission is to enhance the intellectual, cultural, and economic vitality of our diverse community by assisting all students in their quest for lifelong learning and success in an ever-changing world.

About Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus: The Cabrillo Chorus was formed when Cabrillo College opened its doors in Watsonville High School in 1961. The first director was Ralph Kent, followed by Theodore Toews, Allen Illich, Gene Manners and Antony Antolini. In the early years, the chorus performed in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and on the East Coast. In December 1988, Tony Antonlini led the chorus in a tour of the Soviet Union, performing Sergei Rachmaninoff's Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. The San Jose Public Television Station, KTEH, accompanied the group and produced Rediscovering Rachmaninoff, a one-hour documentary, which has been shown all over the world. In the fall of 1991, Cheryl Anderson stepped upon the podium, bringing her bright personality, brilliant musicianship and a vast choral repertoire. A partial listing of works performed can be found at www.cabrillochorus.org

About Cheryl Anderson: Ms. Anderson is Director of Choral Activities at Cabrillo College.  In her 16-year tenure at Cabrillo she is the Founder/Director of Cabrillo Youth Chorus Project, Cabrillo Opera, Voice Master Class and Renaissance Consort.  She has received the Board of Governors' Meritorious Teaching Award, has been named to Who's Who six times, and routinely receives the Alpha Gamma Sigma student award for Outstanding Teaching. Cabrillo’s Youth Chorus, Symphonic Chorus and Cantiamo! have all performed with the Cabrillo Music Festival and routinely sing with the Santa Cruz County Symphony and Ensemble Monterey Chamber Orchestra. The choirs have also sung throughout the world, including St. Peter's Basilica, St. Mark's Cathedral and the great concert halls of Western and Eastern Europe.  Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus sang the Berlin premiere of Eric Whitacre's Paradise Lost in 2003. In summer 2007 Anderson and the choirs debuted at Carnegie Hall in New York City, with the original commissioned work, The Peace of Wild Things.

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