The Allan Hancock College Singers have been on a high note lately. From an upcoming concert in which they’ll be collaborating with the San Luis Obispo Chamber Orchestra, to an invitation to perform at the annual Hearst Castle Holiday Gala, the choir has found that it’s inspired others to sing—sing its praises.
Dr. Ann Lucas, the choir director, said that the late October concert with the SLO Orchestra is a special achievement for which the choir has really stepped up. She explained that the choir has shown an extreme level of dedication, especially considering requests for extra practices and everyone’s personal time invested in the project.
“It’s been a fun thing, because performing with a live orchestra is every choir and choir director’s dream,” Lucas said.
The choir has been under the tutelage of Lucas full time since 2006 and is made up of singers boasting a variety of experience levels. (Lucas said some members didn’t know a quarter note from a quarter earning statement, while others have several years of performing to their credit.) Despite that challenge of diversity, the choir is still able to come together in a unified, melodic voice. The variety, dedication, and enthusiasm are pulled together by one common thread.
“Every single one of us believes that music is a healing art,” Lucas said.
Since most of the choir is made up of community college students, there’s also a variety in ages and personal situations. Some singers are full-time students, some are retired, and some have families.
“For some, the choir and the music program is the only peace in their day,” Lucas said.
Keeping that in mind, Lucas is able to bring out each member’s unique talent and make it complimentary to the whole. And in doing so, she makes sure that the greatest emphasis is on having fun.
“I don’t set an impossible standard,” she said. “You can’t be that picky with it that people aren’t able to do it.”
The choir will put its hard work to the test when it collaborates with the SLO orchestra in a performance of Antonio Vivaldi’s Gloria. This is only the second time the orchestra has performed with a vocal ensemble.
“This is a great opportunity for both the choir and the orchestra,” said Keith Waibel, conductor and musical director for the chamber orchestra.
The last time the orchestra performed with a vocal ensemble was with Cantare in April of 1999, under the direction of Paul Woodring. The orchestra performed the Missa Brevis in F by Mozart.
“Performing with the Allan Hancock College singers offers us the wonderful opportunity to expand our repertoire and provide our instrumentalists with another facet of classical music,” said SLO Chamber Orchestra executive director, Bonnie Richan.
The concert promises to be enjoyable not only for the quality of music, but most notably because of a shared belief between the choir and orchestra.
“It’s most important for us to have fun first, make music second,” Richan said.
Shortly after the concert, the choir has another treat. On Dec. 4, they’re the invited guest entertainment for the Hearst Castle Holiday Gala. The event is a special dinner for the castle’s donors, set for the dining hall at the castle. Following an elaborate dinner, the choir will take the stage of the castle’s lush movie theater, where Randolph Hearst once entertained Hollywood friends and celebrities. The singers will perform arrangements from the Renaissance, all the way up to present-day music.
“We’re going to bring the whole thing to them,” Lucas said of the event. “It’s going to be very exciting.”
With these special events and others, the choir has been busy, but fortunately, Lucas said, the choir is very flexible. Take, for instance, when the college asked them to sing in a couple of performances that weren’t originally scheduled. The choir was ready.
“The answer was, ‘100 percent, you bet we can perform,’” Lucas said.
That’s a dedication that Lucas didn’t teach—it was already there in the choir’s members.
“Our motto is we live to perform,” she said. “You dangle a performance in front of us, and we’re there.”
INFOBOX: Here comes the choir
The Allan Hancock College Singers will perform Antonio Vivaldi’s Gloria with the San Luis Chamber Orchestra at 3 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Grace Bible Church in Arroyo Grande. The program will also include works by Beethoven and Elgar. All tickets cost $10 (no reserved seating) and may be purchased at the door or by calling 922-6966 or 1-866-DIAL AHC, Ext 3412 or 3252. The choir will also sing at the annual Holiday Feast at Hearst Castle on Dec. 4.
Arts Editor Shelly Cone likes carrots. Contact her at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Oct 16-23, 2008.