SAN FRANCISCO BOYS CHORUS

Grammy Award-winning boys chorus offering first rate performance experience and musical training to boys in the San Francisco Bay Area for sixty years.

"...an educational organization as well as a respected artistic entity" - San Francisco Classical Voice

PERFORMANCE HISTORY

 

March 1 2008 - 60th Anniversary Gala Intercontinental Mark Hopkins, SF Featuring the SFBC boys and baritone Christopheren Nomura


Feb 19, 2008 - SFBC sings National Anthem at SAP Tennis Open at HP Pavilion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


February 13 2008 - San Francisco Yacht Club performance


 

January 8 2008 - SFBC sang at an Inauguration

Ceremony for SF Mayor, Gavin Newsom. SF City Hall

 


December 23 and 24 2007 - KQED-TV broadcast of the San Francisco Boys Chorus in concert. In the special 30-minute program recorded in 2006, the Chorus performed selections from Marc Antoine Charpentier's Te Deum and other holiday favorites, under the direction of Maestro Ian Robertson.


December 15 2007

Winter Concert 2007 “Sing in the New Year” in the beautiful Calvary Presbyterian Church, San Francisco. Featuring four joyous choruses from some of J.S. Bach's most popular Cantatas. Accompanied by an orchestra of three trumpets, three oboes and strings, these choruses show Bach at his most celebratory with their high Baroque settings of biblical texts. Of course, no concert in December would have been complete without seasonal fare also offered with full orchestral accompaniment including "O Holy Night" and "I Saw Three Ships" and audience participation carols.


December 8 2007 – Tamalpais Retirement Community concert


December 5 2007 - Tree lighting ceremony at San Francisco's City Hall

 


November 23, 2007 – Concert and Intermediate Choristers sang at Macy’s Tree Lighting Ceremony in Union Square


November 11, 2007 – Choristers from the Marin training program sing Mass at St. Paul ’s Episcopal Church in San Rafael


October 13 – November 3, 2007 Chorister soloists appear in San Francisco Opera’s production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute

 


October 13, 2007 – Concert and Intermediate choristers appear at Yerba Buena Park for the City of San Francisco’s Department of Children, Youth and Family Festival


September 17, 2007 – Concert and Intermediate choristers sing The National Anthem at Oakland A’s game


September 18 – October 15, 2007 - Choristers appear in San Francisco Opera’s production of Richard Wagner’s Tannhäuser


July 20, 21, 22 2007

CARMINA BURANA performances at the Grand Teton Music Festival conducted by Donald Runnicles. The Grammy Award-winning cultural gem of San Francisco returned to the Festival for its second collaboration with the Festival Chorale, a unique chorus created by Music Director Donald Runnicles and Artistic Director Ian Robertson especially for the Grand Teton Music Festival.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


July 19 2007 - SPOTLIGHT CONCERT - Grand Teton Music Festival, Wyoming


June 10 2007 - SPRING CONCERT - Rhymes and Rounds featuring Janáček's Children's Rhymes
Mission Dolores Basilica, San Francisco


May 19 2007 - Training Choruses performed at Tamalpais Retirement Community, Marin County


May 13 2007 - Marin Campus Choruses sang at St. Paul’s Church, 1123 Court Street, San Rafael


 

April 13, 14, 15 and 16 2007 - 10th ANNUAL CABARET Blockbuster, legendary event benefiting the San Francisco Boys Chorus.


March 3 2007 - Annual Gala at the Mark Hopkins Hotel, SF "Prelude to the 60th Anniversary" benefiting the SFBC scholarship and Music Education Programs. A wonderful evening of music and fine food. Featuring Artists from the San Francisco Opera Center along with the SFBC Concert and Men's Choruses.

 

 


February 14 2007 - SF Ballet recording of The Nutcracker, Skywalker Studios.


December 2006 - TV Broadcasts of "A Holiday Concert" in 2006 with SFBC and Orchestra


The Sonoma Classical Music Society presented the SFBC in a program of holiday and classical music at the Sonoma Valley Community Center

December 17 2006 - "The music was superb, and the children had the audience enthralled..."


December 16, 2006 - SFBC WINTER CONCERT - Te Deum - A Baroque Winter featured Marc-Antoine Charpentier's glorious 1692 setting of the Te Deum with full orchestra, including the "royal" additions of trumpets and drums.  The work's brilliance and powerful dramatic impact suggest that it must have been written in celebration of some special occasion, such as the recent French victory at Steinkerque on August 1692. The SFBC Concert and Men's Chorales join forces for this splendid performance  The concert also featured all chorus levels and SFBC Bellringers performing many holiday favorites.

 

 

 


November 21 to December 9, 2006 - SFBC Concert Chorus performances in San Francisco Opera's production of Bizet's Carmen.


November 12 2006 SFBC Marin Campus boys performed at morning service at St Paul's Church, San Rafael


November 7 2006 Training Chorus mini-performance at Marin Campus


November 2 2006 Training Chorus mini-performance at East Bay Campus


November 1 2006 Training Chorus mini-performance at SF Campus


October 18 2006 SFBC Concert Chorus performance at the San Francisco Yacht Club. Private event.


October 15 2006 SFBC Concert Chorus at Grace Cathedral as part of Youth Choir Festival: Voices of America's Future.


October 14 2006 SFBC Intermediate Chorus sang in Yerba Buena Gardens as part of the San Francisco Family Festival

 

 


October 13 2006 SFBC Concert and Intermediate Choruses sang the national anthem at Moscone Center, SF. Attending were ex Mayor of San Francisco, Willie L Brown and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.


September 23, 2006 World Boy Scout Event, Palace of the Legion of Honor, SF in the presence of His Majesty, Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden


August 27, 2006 ANA Cable Car Chase,SF


July 29 2006 Alumni Luncheon Event - San Francisco Yacht Club, Belvedere


July 21, 22 2006 Gustav Mahler's 3rd Symphony at the Grand Teton Music Festival with the SF Festival Chorale


July 20, 2006 Spotlight Concert at the Grand Teton Music Festival


July 2006 SFBC soprano John Ribiera-Broomhead sang the boy solo in two performances of The Lord of the Rings Symphony with the San Francisco Symphony


June 21, 22 2006 Liszt's Dante Symphony with the San Francisco Symphony


June 11 2006 SPRING CONCERT

The San Francisco Boys Chorus, Ian Robertson Artistic Director, presented Songs of Springtime at Mission Dolores Basilica, SF. In Part I, Maestro Robertson led the Concert Chorus, Men's Chorus and SFBC Orchestra in a performance of the rarely-heard  Messe des Pêcheurs de Villerville, co-composed by Gabriel Fauré and André Messager, as well as Fauré's settings of Ave Maria, Maria mater gratiae and Benedictus. Also performing were be the SFBC Bellringers.


In Part II The Training Choruses and Generations performed a wide range of springtime music.


April 28, 29, 30 2006 9th Annual Cabaret Fundraiser

 


April 25, 2006 National Anthem at the SF Giants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


April 1, 2006 Holy Names University Children's Choral Festival (Apprentice Chorus)


March 30-Apr 2, 2006 Tour to Anaheim Music Festival (Intermediate Chorus)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


March 26, 2006 Concert St John's Church, Ross


March 19, 2006 Concert Orinda Community Church December 20th and 25th, 2005 KQED-TV Broadcast of "A Holiday Concert"


December 10th 2005, Calvary Presbyterian Church, San Francisco


WINTER CONCERT - “A Festival of Song”

 

Audience-favorite Annual Winter Concert featuring the young men’s voices of the Bay Area’s premiere choral training program for boys. The program began with performances by the Concert Chorus, Men’s and Graduate Chorales and Orchestra singing the engaging, rarely heard Missa Brevis in F by Joseph Haydn. This delightful mass-setting was both one of the composers earliest and latest works: he originally wrote it in 1749 for soloists, choir and strings, and returned to it at the end of his life in 1805 to add wind parts.

The SFBC’s ongoing performing and recording projects featuring the music of Gabriel Faure continued with presentations of his Cantique de Jean Racine and his settings of the French carols Noel d'Enfants and  Il est ne, le divin enfant. Featured also were Swedish and Hebrew songs.  True to the SFBC tradition, boys of all ages from our Training Choruses will performed throughout the second half of the program in selections for the Holiday Season


November 25, 2005

Carol singing at Macy's Union Square Tree Lighting ceremony


November 2005

SFBC boys sing and understudy solo roles in performances of The Magic Flute for Kids at the San Francisco Opera


Monday, September 19th 2005

Nobel Laureates Presentation Event, SF Exploratorium

 

 

Columnist Leah Garchik wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle:

"it seemed to me the miracle of the evening was how still the members of the San Francisco Boys Choir -- onstage to entertain with a folk song from each country as well as San Francisco -- remained through the speeches. This celebration was a very well-behaved event "

 

 

 


CONCERT TOUR TO ASIA

The Grammy Award-winning San Francisco Boys Chorus Concert Chorus and Graduate Chorale recently completed their exciting and highly successful tour of Asia. It began with a midday concert at St John's Cathedral, Hong Kong, a beautiful, historic church located in the shade of the city's legendary skyscrapers. The church is not air-conditioned and the boys rose splendidly to the challenge of singing in the very high temperature and humidity.


A three-day visit to exotic Shanghai, China culminated in a sold-out invitational performance at the renowned, 1200-seat Shanghai Concert Hall. The boys were greeted by a rapturous audience who demanded several encores. Next on the agenda was a lunchtime concert at Tokyo's Metropolitan City Hall where the party was honored with speeches and gifts by the City Fathers. Next day, a warmly-received performance took place at Tokyo's Amway Hall.

In southern Japan, the boys took part in community concerts with the Sakuragaoka and Tajimi Children's Choruses and performed alongside five Japanese and four American children's choirs at the opening concert of the 2nd International Children's Choral Festival as part of the Aichi World Expo 2005.

The tour repertoire consisted of Gabriel Fauré's Requiem Op 48 and Henry Purcell's Ode for the Birthday of Queen Mary 1694: Come ye sons of Art, as well as Japanese, Chinese and American popular and folk songs.

Along with valuable performing experience, the tour offered the young men a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to explore the cultures and habits of these Asian countries. The venture was partly supported by All Nippon Airways and ANA Hallo Tours.


June 5th 2005

SPRING CONCERT "Come, ye Sons of Art"

The Annual Spring Concert at the beautiful Mission Dolores Basilica in San Francisco featured Henry Purcell's Ode for the Birthday of Queen Mary 1694, Come, ye sons of art with full chorus, orchestra and soloists. The concert also presented music sung by all our groups of choral settings in many languages, including Czech, French, Russian German and Japanese.

 

Starting in 1689 and reflecting England's love of their Queen Mary, Purcell had written a birthday ode for her each year. Come Ye Sons of Art, is one of the most beautiful examples of Purcell's art at its most mature. Performed on April 30, 1694, it was the greatest, and sadly, the last of the series. The following year Purcell composed funeral music for the Queen, and soon after Purcell himself died at the age of only 36.


March 19 2005

ANNUAL GALA FUNDRAISER

A splendid evening of fine entertainment by the SFBC Concert and Men's Choruses featuring classical and modern popular repertoire.

Also featuring special guest stars, Intermezzo, a quartet of fine solo singers performing repertoire from opera, operetta and musicals.

Plus all the fun of an annual gala with superb dinner, drinks and a silent auction.

Marines Memorial Ballroom, San Francisco.


January 23 2005

TSUNAMI DISASTER RELIEF CONCERT

RAISED $12,300 for OXFAM AMERICA and UNICEF

featured the San Francisco Boys Chorus and renowned mezzo-soprano, Frederica von Stade.

Jones Memorial United Methodist Church, Post Street, San Francisco

Tsunami concert flyer

Tsunami Relief Concert(Oxfam)


December 17 through December 31 2004

The SFBC Concert and Intermediate Choruses performed the children's music (Dance of the Snowflakes) at all performances of the San Francisco Ballet's new, exciting production of THE NUTCRACKER by Tchaikovsky

War Memorial Opera House


December 23, 2004

San Francisco Boys Chorus on KQED TV-Channel 9 performing Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, Op. 48.

Recorded at Grace Cathedral in June 2004


December 16, 2004

Holiday Concert in Episcopal Church of Our Saviour in Mill Valley, Marin


December 11, 2004

HOLIDAY CONCERT

Featured joyful choruses from Canatas by JS Bach with orchestra and many holiday musical treats. All 5 levels of the San Francisco Boys Chorus in performance.

click for photos


December 5 2004

Napa Valley Symphony and the San Francisco Boys Chorus in a concert featuring music from Bach Canatas and many special Holiday favorites.

Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Angwin, on the Pacific Union College campus.


October 13, 16, 19, 22, 27, 30, November 4, 7, 2004

TOSCA Performances San Francisco Opera


October 17, 2004

Youth Voices of America Grace Cathedral, San Francisco


August 29, 2004

WERE YOU FASTER THAN A SPEEDING CABLE CAR? THE ANA CABLE CAR CHASE!!

Benefited SFBC


June 20, 2004

SPRING CONCERT Reviewed in San Francisco Classical Voice

FAURE REQUIEM (original chamber orchestra version) with acclaimed baritone and SFBC alum CHRISTÓPHEREN NOMURA and Nikki Einfeld, soprano.  Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

 

On Sunday, June 20, 2004 in San Francisco ’s Grace Cathedral, the San Francisco Boys Chorus under its Director, Ian Robertson,  performed Gabriel Fauré's Requiem in the original version first performed by the boys and men of the Church of the Madeleine in Paris where Fauré (1845-1924) was organist and choirmaster. The performance featured the original chamber orchestration consisting of violas, cellos, harp, horns and organ. The inspiration to mount this performance of the original version stemmed from the recommendation of the current organist at La Madeleine after the San Francisco Boys Chorus gave a sold-out performance at the historic church as part of their 2003 European Tour. The concert also featured performances by the Training Choruses of the SFBC.

click for photos


June 12, 2004

Lecture and Recital in L'Alliance Francaise, SF

In advance of the performance of the original chamber orchestra version of Gabriel Faure's Requiem (San Francisco Boys Chorus, Grace Cathedral, June 20 at 3pm), L'Alliance Française de San Francisco, in collaboration with the San Francisco Opera Center and the San Francisco Boys Chorus, presented a lecture on the Requiem and a performance of the Pie Jesu and songs by Faure by Opera Center Adler Fellows Nikki Einfeld (soprano), Katherine Rohrer (mezzo-soprano) with Maestro Ian Robertson as lecturer and Charles Calhoun as accompanist.


Monday May 24 2004

 

OPEN REHEARSAL OF FAURE REQUIEM



March 15th 2004

SFBC sings at SF Grammy Event honoring Chanticleer and others

at the Westin St Francis Hotel


March 13th and 14th 2004

SFBC sings JS Bach's St Matthew Passion with SAN FRANCISCO BACH CHOIR

Calvary Presbyterian Church, SF


March 6th, 2004 

ANNUAL GALA Marines Memorial Ballroom, San Francisco


February 7th, 2004

SFBC Intermediate Chorus sings as part of CONTRA COSTA BOYS' CHORUS FESTIVAL


December 21st, 2003

MEADOWOOD RESORT NAPA VALLEY

HOLIDAY EVENT featuring music for the Holidays with the San Francisco Boys Chorus


December 13th, 2003
'TIS THE SEASON!
 
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Reviewed by San Francisco Classical Voice
HOLIDAY CONCERT , CALVARY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - SAN FRANCISCO
featuring excerpts from Handel's famous Dettingen Te Deum and music for the Holiday Season with Preparatory, Apprentice, Intermediate, Concert and Graduate Choruses.

November 23rd 2003
OLD FIRST CONCERTS, San Francisco SFBC performs Italian Baroque and Renaissance masterpieces and American popular musi

August 31 2003

ANA CABLE CAR CHASE & 5K AMBLE -- 20th Anniversary
Including Concert Chorus performance at Aquatic Park, San Francisco


July 13 - 24 2003

CONCERT TOUR OF EUROPE

featuring performances at Ferentino, St Peter's Basilica (Rome), Church of La Madeleine (Paris),

Chartres Cathedral, Notre Dame Cathedral (Paris) and St Margaret's Lothbury (London).


June 2003

LA DAMNATION DE FAUST at the San Francisco Opera (7 performances)

"and the...San Francisco Boys Chorus added a nicely seraphic touch to the final scene."
Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, June 12, 2003


June 15. 2003

"VOCI DELLA PRIMAVERA" - SPRING CONCERT IN GRACE CATHEDRAL,SF

In the glorious space of Grace Cathedral, the San Francisco Boys Chorus presented its annual Spring Concert featuring performances by the Preparatory, Apprentice, Intermediate and Concert Choruses of repertoire which included popular and classic songs for treble voices.

The Concert and Graduate Choruses with orchestra  presented Vivaldi's Baroque masterpiece, Magnificat, and "a capella" music from the Italian Renaissance by Palestrina, Victoria and di Lasso,

repertoire which was featured in its performances in Rome, Paris, Chartres and London.


April 24-27  2003

INTERMEDIATE CHORUS TOUR TO VANCOUVER, CANADA


April 10, 2003

NATIONAL ANTHEM AT SF GIANTS GAME


April 4 and 6, 2003

CARMINA BURANA with the SAN FRANCISCO CHORAL SOCIETY

Calvary Church, SF and First Congregational Church, Berkeley


March 20, 2003

ASIAN ART MUSEUM, RE-OPENING CEREMONY


March 8,  2003

ANNUAL GALA - MARINES MEMORIAL BUILDING


January 11, 14, 16 and 18

HANSEL AND GRETEL at the San Francisco Opera


December 21, 2002

NAPA OPERA HOUSE CONCERTS

featuring Bach's Christmas Oratorio excerpts, Holiday music and the SFBC Bellringers


December 14, 2002

"RAISE YOUR VOICES"

ANNUAL HOLIDAY CONCERT CALVARY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, SAN FRANCISCO

featuring excerpts from Bach's Christmas Oratorio excerpts with orchestra, Holiday music

and the SFBC Bellringers


November 17 - Dec 3, 2002

HANSEL AND GRETEL at the San Francisco Opera


September 11, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR'S DAY OF REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY


August 31, 2002

SAIL SAN FRANCISCO

Tall ships race down West coast, SF celebrations included SFBC premiere of

newly-commissioned piece by composer Jason Martineau


June 16, 2002

SPRING CONCERT at GRACE CATHEDRAL, SAN FRANCISCO
All SFBC groups sang in the splendor of Grace Cathedral which included a performance of

Vivaldi's GLORIA with the SFBC Orchestra and Graduate Chorale.


June 8-30, 2002

CARMEN at the San Francisco Opera(7 performances)


April 12, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS GAME, National Anthem


March 17, 2002

PERFORMANCE at St Finn Barr Church, San Francisco


March 2, 2002

ANNUAL GALA, Marines Memorial Ballroom, San Francisco


February 28, 2002

School Outreach Program, Concerts at 5 SF schools in one day.


February 8, 2002

Donor Reward dinner and Concert, Getty Mansion


January 12-20, 2002

TOSCA with the San Francisco Opera (4 performances)


January 17, 2002

School Outreach Program, Concerts at 5 SF schools in one day


December 8, 2001

"MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE"

Winter Concert at St Dominic's Church, San Francisco

Winter Concert featuring all groups. A concert of holiday music and surprises,

including excerpts from A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten