San Francisco Girls Chorus
San Francisco Girls Chorus is a choir founded in 1978 by Elizabeth Appling. The choir is a non-profit organization. It is divided into six levels with more than 300 members. The artistic director is Susan McMane.
Chorus School
The Chorus School of SFGC is made up of four levels:
- Level I The first level teaches girls basic music theory skills and basic singing technique. This level sings in unison and sometimes two parts.
- Level II In the second level, girls delve into slightly harder theory and music. In this level, girls start to learn choreography to go along to one of their pieces. This level sings in two-parts, sometimes three.
- Level III In the third level, girls get into even harder theory and music. The girls usually sing in three parts.
- Level IV In the fourth level, girls learn the hardest theory and sing in four parts, sometimes three. The girls have a strenuous Christmas season and then go on to sing many more concerts than in the other three levels. At the end of the season, girls must pass an exam before being considered for graduation from the chorus school. If graduated, the girls can either audition for the Chorus' premier ensemble, return to level IV, or leave the Chorus.
The Level IV Ensemble is a smaller, select group of girls in Level IV. Girls must audition during the chorus' Summer Music camp. The Ensemble has occasional extra practices, and more before their performances. Most of their performances are around Christmas and in the Spring. They memorize a few more songs, and sometimes extra verses to songs the rest of the chorus learns. In November 2005, the Ensemble sung with the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Adult Chorus, and Pacific Boychoir at Davies Symphony Hall in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana
Chorissima and Virtuose
Chorissima
Chorissima is the touring and recording ensemble of the Chorus. Since the ensemble is the highest, all the time spent in the Chorus School is preparing the girls for Chorissima and for their singing future. Chorissima has been on international tours to Italy, Japan, the Baltics, China, and other countries. In summer 2005, Chorissima was featured in the World Choral Symposium in Kyoto, Japan. Once members of Chorissima turn sixteen, or finish their sophomore year in high school, they laureate. Laureation is the process of becoming an alum of the chorus. One must be an alum to be in Virtuose.
Virtuose
Virtuose is the final ensemble that one can be a member of in the Chorus. Virtuose tends to do smaller gigs and concerts, although they are featured in all the Christmas concerts that Chorissima does, and some other concerts with Chorissima as well. Virtuose consists of about twenty members every season.
Recordings
- I Never Saw Another Butterfly
- A San Francisco Christmas
- Crossroads
- Music from the Venitian Ospedali
- Christmas