One thing all human populations have in common, no matter how isolated or archaic, is singing. Not only are we compelled to sing, but singing in harmony is also a technique documented well before the notation to record the phenomenon was ever invented. It isn’t a surprise that almost everywhere you go in the country you can find a choir, from exalted university ensembles to the most amateur church choir.
The Santa Barbara Choral Society is a nonprofit organization made up of very dedicated vocal volunteers. Santa Barbara is already a classical music capital, so the ensemble needs to meet a certain level of skill, always kept superb by the choral director, JoAnne Wasserman, explained SB Choral Society publicist Daniel Kepl.
“The choral society has a big tradition since the 1940s, so it’s an honorable group to be in,” Kepl said. “There is something magical about the way [Wasserman] conducts, and her singers just love her.”
The Santa Barbara Choral Society certainly pulls out all the stops when quality is concerned. The upcoming “Masters Past and Present” concert will feature orchestral accompaniment as well as vocal soloists for the first half of the program, which includes two settings of Te Deum, the first by the classical-era icon Franz Joseph Haydn, and the second by late-Romantic-era composer Anton Bruckner.
“The conductor is everything,” Kepl said. “This idea of being in charge of a chorus and an orchestra, with soloists to the left and right of you, without a conductor, there is no way that would ever work.”
Kepl has a long career of orchestral conducting, including involvement with several Santa Barbara-based ensembles, not counting his tireless promotion of the arts music scene in Santa Barbara. His website, bravocalifornia.com, features interviews with many big names who come through the town or call it home. Kepl is set to post a video interview with contemporary composer Ola Gjeilo as a supplement to the upcoming SB Choral Society concert, at which four of Gjeilo’s works will be performed.
“Ola Gjeilo is Norwegian, but he has been in America—he’s a Julliard graduate—for 20 years now,” Kepl said. “His music has a kind of eerie, beautiful, colorful sound.”
The works by Gjeilo include Prelude, Northern Lights, The Ground, and Ubit Caritas. The young composer is already gaining quite a following nationally, Kepl explained.
“He is very Americanized,” he said. “The other really incredible thing is that he will go to a college campus and spend a week working with choruses before a performance.”
Rounding out the second half is another contemporary composer, Morten Lauridsen, whose hauntingly beautiful magnum opus, Lux Aeterna, will be performed, along with the composers setting of Sure on this Shining Night.
“Lux Aeterna is an instant masterpiece; it’s going to be a unique, beautiful experience for the audience,” Kepl said. “The bottom line is he is just a brilliant composition teacher and brilliant composer.”
“Masters Past and Present” will be performed at the Lobero Theatre, an intimate space for choral music. But it’s the quality of the music paired with the quality of the performers and director that has Kepl excited for the show.
“The conductor is the laser focus of every single person involved in a big beautiful piece like the Haydn Te Deum,” he said. “[Wasserman] conducts very, very clearly, and is just a wonderful conductor, and her programming has been very interesting.”
Students of harmony
The Elmhurst College Concert Choir and the Righetti High School choir present a special choral concert on March 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 311 S. Broadway, Santa Maria. Free. More info: (630) 617-3515 or elmhurst.edu.
Man of style
Stephen Styles performs a live concert on March 30 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Standing Sun Wines, 92 Second St., Buellton. Cost is $10 to $15. More info: 693-9413, candia@standingsunwines.com, or standingsunwines.com.
A Storm is brewing
The Radisson Hotel offers live music Fridays and Saturdays, including Storm performing March 28 and 29 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel, 3455 Skyway Drive, Santa Maria. More info: 928-8000.
Fresh off the vine
The D’Vine Wine Bar and Bistro features Micaela Board and Adam Fueschsl live on March 29, Audition Night on April 1, and Dan Mally on April 2, with shows starting at 7:30 p.m. Karaoke nights are Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. at the D’Vine Wine Bar and Bistro, 107 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc. More info: 430-8356 or facebook.com.
Live on Highway 1
Creative Juices Lounge presents live music including Ernie Rodriguez on March 29 and The Signbenders on April 4 performing from 7 to 10 p.m. at lounge, 874 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe. More info: 219-0518 or creativejuiceslounge.com.
Guitar master
Ca’ Del Grevino Café and Wine Bar features live music in the tasting room and café on Wednesdays, including Manny Mestas on April 2 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Ca’ Del GreVino Café and Wine Bar is located at 400 E. Clark Ave., Suite A, Orcutt. More info: 937-6400, dcp@grevino.com, or grevino.com.
Maverick music
The Maverick Saloon offers live entertainment, including the “DJ Totem Rock Party” on March 28 at 9 p.m. “Concert on the Deck” featuring Teresa Russell is March 29 at 3 p.m. The Dusty Jugz perform on March 29 at 8 p.m., followed by “Late Night with guest DJs” at 11:30 p.m. “Tales from the Tavern” presents Danny Schmidt and Eric Taylor on April 2 at 7 p.m. at the saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. More info: 686-4785 or mavericksyv@aol.com.
Contact Arts Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Mar 27 – Apr 3, 2014.