CB choir students participated in annual men’s and women’s choir festivals at Sac State this fall. The “Real Men Sing” and “Women’s Choir Festival” each bring together over 400 male and female high school singers from dozens of schools throughout the Sacramento region for a rousing morning of camaraderie and vigorous music making. Both festivals are led by renowned choral directors from throughout California who rehearse the entire body of singers in two pre-selected songs which have been rehearsed at the school sites by the schools’ own choir directors. After the rehearsal period has ended, a handful of the schools sing one song that they have prepared on their own, and then the entire massed choir performs the two songs that were rehearsed earlier.
This year’s invited conductors were both from Southern California. Christopher Borges, who teaches at Bakersfield High School, led the men. His award-winning choirs have a long list of accomplishments, and have performed at regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association. The conductor for the women’s festival was Cari Earnhardt who is the Director of Choral Activities at Fresno State. She has led choirs and has made numerous appearances worldwide as a guest conductor.
These festivals are incredibly fun and important for the students’ development as singers and musicians. They have the opportunity to hear other choirs, work with a different director, and perform with what will be for most them the largest choir they have ever been involved with. The sheer volume and combined energy of the massed choirs are awesome, and are an educational experience not to be missed.