CHORAL MUSIC FOR THE ALAMEDA/EAST BAY COMMUNITIES
Who we are
Alameda Community Chorus is a 501 (c) (3) non profit dedicated to advancing the love of choral music through education, performance and collaboration. For further information regarding our organization and for bookings, volunteerism, or general information, please contact (415) 302-9802.
Mission Statement
The mission of the chorus is to engage the community in advancing the love of choral music through education, performance, and collaboration.
Alameda Sings! welcomes vocal enthusiasts ages 16 and up. Learn and perform in a fun-filled choral environment.
History
Back in late 1981, an idea was forming in the minds of two very special Alameda citizens--wouldn't it be wonderful to have a chorus in Alameda to perform at special functions and city events? These two people, Bonnie Horlbeck and Charles Rhode, continued to formulate their plan, which came to fruition in 1982, and the Alameda Oratorio Society was created.
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The purpose of the Society was to benefit the community of Alameda, and to encourage Alameda residents to participate in the performance of choral compositions. At first, the chorus was under the direction of Al Price, and performed with the Alameda Mozart Festival, in which a celebration of Mozart’s birthday took place with presentations of his glorious music.
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After three years, the chorus came under the jurisdiction of the Alameda Adult School, and has been a regular class since 1985. The Alameda Community Chorus (ACC), as it became known, performs at least two concerts per year, one in December with the Alameda Community Band, and one concert in the spring. In addition, they performed for various clubs or other groups. The chorus was led by Bonnie Horlbeck, Nyla Barrett, Carole Vetter, and Kathryn Neale Manalo.
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In 2016 ACC became a non profit dedicated to chorale music education and performance throughout the Bay Area. ACC's fall and spring registrations are through Alameda Recreation and Park Department. Alameda Community Chorus is now dba Alameda Sings! We continue to welcome singing enthusiasts and local talent and enjoy chorale leadership through our current Artistic Director, Barbara Acosta.
Ken Rawdon, Artistic Director
Ken Rawdon received his BA and his MA degrees in piano performance at California State University, Fresno
where he was the recipient of the Amparo Iturbi Piano Award. He is better known as the vocal music director at Mt. Eden High School in Hayward, California where he taught for 30 years. Over that time his choirs were recognized as some of the finest high school choirs in the state of California. They were often featured at both CMEA and ACDA conventions and conferences. Under his direction the Mt. Eden High School Concert Choir and the Mt. Eden High School Chamber Singers competed at the prestigious GOLDEN STATE CHORAL COMPETITION and frequently won 1st place, and placed within the top five choirs every year from 1997-2017. His choirs have performed 3 times in New York City at Carnegie Hall and at the Alice Tully Performance Hall at Lincoln Center. While at Mt. Eden, Mr. Rawdon also ran a competitive show choir program that competed in show choir competitions throughout the state. Mr. Rawdon currently is currently one of the directors with The Crystal Children’s Choir of San Jose as well as the director of choral activities at Chabot College in Hayward. Ken also is an elected official, serving on the Hayward Unified School District Board of Education.
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