Tag archives: singing

Singer Earns Top Honors
By Scott Craig   |   May 7, 2024

Ava Kimmel, a junior soprano who is majoring in vocal performance at Westmont, won the Adult Vocal Division of the Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation competition on April 28 at the Music Academy. The foundation provides financial assistance to students of the performing arts and to support music educational outreach organizations in the Santa Barbara community. […]

Harmony: A Way to Heal Discord
By Ann Brode   |   November 15, 2022

After another discordant election season, it’s time to heal the rifts and find ways to live together in loving community. As simple as it may sound, singing together helps us come together. To explore this further, I recently sat down with therapist and singer-songwriter Marilee Gordon to ask about her experience using music as an […]

Gospel and Harpsichord Grooves
By Richard Mineards   |   November 15, 2022

Exuberance and energy were the order of the night when the 20-year-old three-time Grammy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir sang at a concert at UCSB’s Campbell Hall, part of the popular Arts & Lectures program. The singers, long associated with late South African president Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, impressed with a variety of South African […]

Something to Sing About
By Richard Mineards   |   October 18, 2022

Santa Barbara Choral Society, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary and the 30th anniversary of its artistic director and conductor Jo Anne Wasserman, hosted a donor appreciation and season kickoff bash in the Lobero Theatre Courtyard. On Saturday the choir will be joining 150 other performers, including Quire of Voyces, the State Street Ballet, and […]

Quire’s ‘Sacred Love’ of Singing
By Steven Libowitz   |   May 31, 2022

With public performances back in vogue now that the pandemic has eased its stranglehold, at least for the time being, Quire of Voyce’s director Nathan Kreitzer is thrilled to be programming performances at St. Anthony’s Seminary again. Following a special Christmas recital, the a cappella choir is returning to the acoustically stunning hall at the […]

Vivacious Vocals in Vogue with Baker’s Dozen
By Steven Libowitz   |   January 11, 2022

There’s a plethora of a cappella singing groups at Yale, the Ivy League School known for theater and music as much as the liberal arts. “I think there’s 16, including four all-male,” said Jacob Wu, the current tour manager and a bass singer for Baker’s Dozen (BD), which despite its name actually boasts 16 singers. […]

Our Town’s 19th Annual Schools Holiday Concerts (Part 2 of 2)
By Joanne A Calitri   |   December 28, 2021

Here is a look at four more holiday concerts that provided plenty of holiday cheer as we inch toward the new year: Crane Country Day School The school had a wonderful evening outdoor concert planned for Thursday, December 16 for families only, but as the much-needed rain continued that day, the school made the tough […]

PCPA’s Holiday Cabaret
By Steven Libowitz   |   December 10, 2020

PCPA’s 2020 Christmas-season treat is called Home for the Holidays, with the subtitle of “… because where else are you going to be?” Fair enough. With the coronavirus raging all over again, the Central Coast conservatory keeps its virtual programs flowing with a holiday cabaret featuring its resident artists. The free streaming event will be […]

Meet Your Voice
By Steven Libowitz   |   March 26, 2020

Holistic Health and Lifestyle Coach, yoga teacher and “Eat Here Now” author Britta Gudmunson, aka Britta GreenViolet, has long been using song to cultivate healing, confidence, and connection. She’s a song leader and co-founder of the inCourage Chorus, the low-stress, joy-filled non-audition community choir that has iterations at Yoga Soup and the Somatic Sanctuary in […]

Soup Central
By Steven Libowitz   |   March 12, 2020

Workshops at Yoga Soup this week include a Breath & Musical Journey with Luna & Gabe from 7-9 pm on Friday, March 13. Breathwork facilitator Blake Spencer will guide participants in tuning into their breath while simultaneously listening to local artist Gabriel Kelly sing his original songs and play guitar with Luna Kelly accompanying on […]

No Fuss
By Steven Libowitz   |   February 20, 2020

Montecito’s Dawson Fuss, who too made it to the final round of four at Teen Star 2019, is also returning for another try at the crown this Saturday. The 10th-grader at Carpinteria’s Cate School has his own reasons for competing at the Arlington again. “It’s the biggest platform for young artists and singers in town, […]

Making it on her Own
By Steven Libowitz   |   February 20, 2020

Lauren Cantin, the Montecito-raised teenager who was famously pulled from underneath a four-foot pile of mud and debris after being buried alive for six hours in the early morning hours of January 9, 2018, has appeared on all sorts of big stages in the two years since her rescue. That includes performing a duet with […]

SBDT Season Starts
By Richard Mineards   |   January 30, 2020

Santa Barbara Dance Theater premiered four works by international guest choreographers to kick off its 44th anniversary season at the Hatlen Theatre. In addition to featuring the works of Jennifer Muller, Stephanie Miracle, UCSB dance faculty member Nancy Colahan, and artistic director Christopher Pilafian, the entertaining program also had original scores by renowned composers Ryan […]

Cahill Croons and Irish Hearts are Warming
By Steven Libowitz   |   November 26, 2019

“Perfect singing is boring.” That might seem like a strange declaration coming out of the mouth from Irish star Emmet Cahill, the widely hailed 28 year old who was named “Most Promising Young Singer” while still a student at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, awarded “Irish Tenor Of The Year” by the Irish American […]

Local Idol
By Richard Mineards   |   November 7, 2019

Santa Barbara Teen Star Sofia Schuster, a sophomore at San Marcos High, is widening her vocal horizons. The 15-year-old traveled down to Los Angeles to audition for the latest series of the ABC TV show American Idol in front of local, singer Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan. Sofia, daughter of ShelterBox USA president […]

Hundreds of Voices Join for Choral Fest
By Scott Craig   |   October 31, 2019

The 15th annual Westmont Fall Choral Festival combines voices of more than 300 high school students from 12 different schools on Friday, November 1, at 4:45 pm at First United Methodist Church, 305 East Anapamu Street, and 7 pm at First Presbyterian Church, 21 East Constance Avenue. Both performances are free. For more information please […]

Music to our Ears
By Richard Mineards   |   October 3, 2019

It was a decidedly busy night when Santa Barbara Choral Society held a kick-off reception for its 72nd season at the Music Academy of the West. Claudia Scott, who has sung with the choir for half a century, was recognized for her sterling contribution to the choir, while Debra Stewart and Erica Di Bartolomeo, both […]

Kristin Chenoweth Makes SB Debut
By Steven Libowitz   |   September 26, 2019

Tony Award-winning actress/singer Kristin Chenoweth has no illusions about who she is and what she can do. Blessed with a brilliant voice, plucky determination, and such a bubbly personality that The Daily Beast called her “the human version of just-popped champagne,” Chenoweth has soared on Broadway as Glinda in Wicked, and earned accolades, Emmy awards […]

Maile Kai and Kristin On Stage
By James Buckley   |   September 19, 2019

If you missed Maile Kai Merrick‘s performance with Kenny Loggins and Sofia Schuster at the Marjorie Luke in August during a special “Footloose” Summer Stock concert, you’ll have another chance to hear the young singer, as Maile is scheduled to join Kristin Chenoweth on stage at the Granada on October 2. Here’s how that happened: […]

Manchester by the Sea, Finally
By Steven Libowitz   |   August 22, 2019

Melissa Manchester’s career began at an early age, including studying piano and harpsichord at the Manhattan School of Music, singing commercial jingles at 15, and serving as a staff writer for Chappell Music while still attending Manhattan’s High School of Performing Arts. After serving as a member of the Harlettes, Bette Midler’s back-up singers, Manchester […]