Choir Takes Trip to San Francisco
Photo courtesy of Michael Ushino
On the last day of their trip, students walked around and took photos in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.
March 9, 2020
The Choral Program, under the direction of Michael Ushino, took the show on the road over President’s Day weekend and headed up to San Francisco for some performances and sightseeing.
After touring Alcatraz and Pier 39 on Saturday, the group performed at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church following evening Mass.
On Sunday morning they performed at Mission Dolores Basilica Mass and had a chance to stroll the Mission District of San Francisco and Clarion Alley and see the famous murals there.
“We also had a fun impromptu performance at the Palace of Fine Arts,” said Ushino.
In the past, the group has received accolades from visitors to San Francisco from other countries who heard them sing. One year a policeman from the UK was moved to write a letter to then Principal Tom Ressler.
We’ve been very fortunate to be able to travel every year on performance tours around the globe…The students next year, we are going to Austria and Germany
— Ushino
At the end of their tour the group had the opportunity to take a cable car or visit the Golden Gate Bridge and see some of the Presido, a former military base on the south side of the Golden Gate.
“I was very impressed by the structural integrity and how large the bridge was,” said senior, Logan Childs.
“We’ve been very fortunate to be able to travel every year on performance tours around the globe and this year we went up to! The students next year, we are going to Austria and Germany,” Ushino gushed in an email to staff.
But travel isn’t all the group has been up to. Chamber Choir hosted internationally acclaimed composer, Sydney Guillaume, to do a workshop on campus on his piece, “Twa Tambou.” He flew in from Portland to work with the students last week. We’ve collaborated with him in the past on some of his other pieces and it’s been a great partnership that we’ve built up over the last few years, according to Ushino
“The Chamber Choir will be performing his piece at the Spring Choir Concert next month so hopefully you can hear their hard work,” he said.
Jessica Tonai (12), Cameron Newman (12), and Rebecca Bourne (9) Were selected to perform with the California All-State Honor Choirs. They performed at the California Music Educators Association Conference in Fresno, CA last weekend.
