The Chorale
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TCC
Background:
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The Torrance Civic Chorale
has provided the South Bay community with exceptional choral music, instruction
and cultural improvements since 1961. With 80+ singers, the auditioned Chorale
is under the sponsorship of the Cultural Services Division of the Community
Services Department.
Performing three formal
concerts, two in December and one in April at the James R. Armstrong Theatre in
Torrance, California, the Torrance Civic Chorale sings repertoire which spans
Spirituals to Broadway show tunes, Hollywood movies to Baroque, Renaissance and
Classical. The Chorale enjoys singing the a cappella music of Renaissance and
21st century masters. They are accompanied in December by their Orchestra and
in Spring by their Rhythm Band.
The Chorale sings in
December for the Torrance Memorial Holiday Festival at Torrance Memorial
Hospital, the Torrance Woman’s Club along with other community opportunities.
The Chorale as also concertized for the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro.
“Creative and spirited,”
“enthusiasm was infectious,” quotes The Daily Breeze of the Torrance Civic
Chorale. The Chorale’s choral travels span Europe, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong
and Canada not to mention Sacramento and Pomona. The Chorale’s July 4th
performance at Wilson Park in Torrance is always a ‘fire cracker event’. Other
venues keep the energetic singers highly visible and musically active within the
South Bay community.
The 80+ voice chorale
represents professions in aerospace, banking and investments, education,
parenting, military, medical, governmental social services, professional antique
dealers, students, retirees, church employees, and the list goes on. The
Chorale’s chorister diversities span Japan, China, Chile, England, Philippine,
Spain, Korea, Scandinavia, France, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Scotland,
Middle East and Central America.
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ARTISTIC
DIRECTOR and CONDUCTOR – David Burks |
Since 1991 David Burks has been the Artistic
Director and Conductor of the Torrance Civic Chorale. He is a 2003 recipient of
the Excellence in Arts Awards for Music presented by the Torrance Cultural Arts
Commission. He is also the Founder and Artistic Director of the Biennial
Torrance Invitational Song Festival begun in 1993; Founder of the San Gabriel
Valley Choral Music Festival and co-Founder of the Alhambra Fine Arts Academy.
David holds a dual major Bachelor of Music and
Education with minors in voice and choral conducting from North Texas State
University, Denton, Texas and a Master of Arts from Grace Graduate School West
Coast Long Beach, campus of Grace Seminary, Winnona Lakes, WI. He served
numerous denominations as Minister of Music in Southern California for over 35
years and more recently as Director of Children’s Worship Development Program at
St. Peter’s By The Sea Presbyterian Church in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.
David has sung the tenor roles of Uriel, in Franz
Joseph Haydn’s Creation, Obediah in Felix Mendelssohn’s monumental
oratorio, Elijah with operatic Bass/baritone Louis Lebherz. Other
roles include George Fredrick Handel’s Messiah and Chandos
Anthem Number 9, Johann Sebastian Bach’s Magnificat,
Ottorino Respighi’s, Laud to the Nativity, Franz Joseph Haydn’s
Lord Nelson Mass, Théodore Dubois’ The Seven Last Words of
Christ, Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, He has sung
numerous other leads and presented vocal recitals at the Richard M. Nixon
Library, and the James R. Armstrong Theatre in Southern California. He was a
member and frequently featured tenor soloist with the William Lock Singers and
Orchestra of La Mirada.
David has sung solos in the Gewandhaus in
Leipzig, Germany the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, Germany,
the Church of St. Giles in Edinburgh, Scotland and the Mozarteum
in Salzburg, Austria. He studied voice with Dr. Michael Sells of USC, Mr.
Eugene Conley a Metropolitan Opera tenor, Dr. Stephen Farish, Dr. Edward Baird
and Mr. Earl Tom Keel.
He has sung under the batons of Dr. Roger Wagner,
Zubin Mehta, Robert Shaw, Sir David Wilcox, Dr. Samuel Adler, Donald Johannes,
Maurice Perez, Dr. Craig Jessop, Dr. John Oliver, Dr. Philip Brunelle, David
Hill, Amy Kaiser, J. Riley Lewis and Donald McCullough.
Under Maestro Burks’ the Torrance Civic Chorale,
www.torrancecivicchorale.org has sung in New York’s Carnegie Hall, the
Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Germany, the Mozarteum and the Salzburg Cathedral in
Salzburg, Austria, St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Coventry
Cathedral in Coventry, England and numerous other venues in Europe. Members
from the Chorale recently sang in the July 2009 Cantus Salisburgensis Choral
Festival in Salzburg, Austria before enjoying their extended travels to
Budapest, Hungry and Vienna, Austria. In addition Chorale choristers recently
sang in Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden and Eisenach, Germany as part of the Eine
Kleines Deutsches Chorfest Festival conducted in part by Maestro Burks and his
German counter part Erik Schober from Leipzig.
David is a published composer and arranger with
Concordia Publishing in St. Louis, Missouri; Lorenz/AMSI in Dayton, Ohio; Oregon
Catholic Press (OCP) in Portland, Oregon. OCP features his SSAA composition,
“Angelus ad Pastores Ait” on their just released CD, Verbum Caro: Choral
Music for Advent Lessons and Carols.
The Torrance Civic Chorale will premier David’s
“Magnificat” in December 2012. Written for mixed chorus, soloists, piano and
optional vibraphone the six movement opus was written for the 100th
year celebration of the City of Torrance.
The Torrance Civic Chorale and Orchestra
presented Saturday, April 25, 2009 the world premier of David’s CREDO.
This nine movement opus for choir, soloists and orchestra was written in
memory of David’s long time mentors, friends and teachers Mr. Earl Tom Keel and
his wife Deane.
David maintains a private teaching studio at his
residence in Manhattan Beach where he and his wife have lived since 1975
following his honorable discharge from the United States Air Force in 1972.
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Accompanist —
Diana Brownson |
Diana Brownson has held the
position of pianist for the Torrance Civic Chorale since September of 2000. She
holds a dual Bachelor of Music and Education degree with a piano and choral
conducting emphasis from California State University, Long Beach. She has also
studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass., The Claremont College of
Music, Palomar College in San Marcos, Ca. and participated in piano
masterclasses with concert pianist Alfred Brendel at Carnegie Hall, NYC.
She has been involved with over
25 Music Theater productions as Music Director, keyboardist and performer. A
partial list includes West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie, 1940's Radio Hour, Kiss
Me Kate, Godspell, The Fantasticks, Grease, Nunsense, The Pajama Game, (all as
Music Director and show keyboardist) and as a dancer and performer in The Secret
Garden, Candide, The Mikado and several cabaret and variety shows. She has also
appeared as a swing, ballroom and salsa dancer in film, television and music
videos and several nightclub shows in the greater Los Angeles area.
As a pianist and accompanist
she has had the honor of working with Jonathon Mack (Los Angeles Opera), Karen
Morrow (music theater actress of stage and screen) and Josephine Lott (faculty
alumnus of CSULB and Occidental College, and founding member of the Long Beach
Opera as well as former company member of the New York City Opera). She was on
staff for many years with the Beverly Hills Adult School as an instructor and
pianist for choral music classes. She has also held positions as organist,
pianist and accompanist in the greater Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego
areas with churches of several different denominations.
Presently she serves as staff
organist and pianist for St. Lawrence Martyr Catholic Church in Redondo Beach,
Ca. She is also the piano accompanist for the choral programs at Dodson Middle
School in San Pedro, Ca., the choral and music theater programs at Banning High
School in Wilmington, Ca. and has also served as accompanist for Palos Verdes
Intermediate and High Schools. She has performed with the show choir The
Notables for many years as a singer and dancer and now is their staff pianist
and keyboardist for concerts and shows. She maintains a private piano and organ
teaching studio in the Palos Verdes area. As a professional freelance
keyboardist she plays with various swing and blues bands. She is also in demand
as a pianist/keyboardist for private parties, receptions, restaurants and
various special events.
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The Chorale:
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Come Sing With Us
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The Chorale’s 2011-2012 concert Spring season
begins Monday evening, January 9th at 7:30 pm at the Torrance Cultural Art
Center’s George Nakano Theatre.
To sing in the Chorale a prospective chorister
must match pitch and tone, possess a basic understanding of choral music and
complete an interview with the Conductor, David Burks, (310) 372-1380. The
interview process must be completed before the third rehearsal, Monday, January
23rd.
Further details are provided at interview.
