NorCal Vocal Arts Community

02/16/2026

Hi friends!

A returning face & group to the Bay Area classical & choral music world, Sanford Dole Ensemble are looking forward to presenting Intimate Grandeur at the end of February.
Come & hear an eight person choir perform large-scale choral works, one on a part.

February 27th, SF & February 28th, Healdsburg

Would love to see you there!

11/19/2025

In preparation for our December concert, Sacred & Profane welcomes you to our free open rehearsal on Saturday, November 15th | 3PM at the First Unitarian Church of Oakland for approximately 45 minutes. Come observe our rehearsal process, ask questions, and even sing along! Young guests are encourag...

11/10/2025

11/10/2025

Our third annual Choral Festival was a success! Thank you to: Healdsburg Chorus, Singers Marin, California Redwood Chorale, Occidental Community Choir, Manzanita Harmony, and Valley of the Moon Chamber Ensemble for sharing your talent with the choral community.

Also, thank you to our adjudicators; Dr. Rachel Samet and Allan Petker, our volunteers and the The Glaser Center.

Stay tuned for details about next years festival. See you in 2026!

11/07/2025

TOMORROW!

Join us for one of our largest events of the year,
The NorCal Sings! Community Choir Festival.
For the first time this year, we’re open to the public!
Here are some important details for friends who plan to attend:
Where: The Glaser Center, 547 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa
Time: 10:50am-4:00pm
2 Sessions - 10:50am - 12:50pm & 1:50-3:50pm

Hear some fabulous choirs, listen to feedback from wonderful guest clinicians, and meet & get to know fellow singers, directors, and groups.

This year, we have the privilege & honor to welcome Dr. Rachel Samet, Director of Choral Activities, Cal Poly Humboldt University & Allan Petker, a highly-regarded composer, director, & music publisher, as our clinicians-in-residence.

Click the link below for your tickets- the event is free to attend, donations are welcomed for whatever you choose.

We’ll see you there!

Our annual Choral Festival brings together choirs from across the region for a day of celebration, collaboration, and musical excellence.

10/08/2025

Calling all singers! Breath is life—let us help you tap into yours.

✨BREATHING WORKSHOP✨
Saturday, October 25 · 10am - 12pm
@ The Glaser Center in Santa Rosa
(Tickets: $15 for members of consortium choirs // $25 for the general public)

Unlock practical tools to move, speak, and sing with ease. This hands-on workshop blends body mapping with clear, take-home strategies so you can reduce tension, improve breath coordination, and communication with confidence on stage and in everyday life.

You’ll learn to:
‣ Build healthy, sustainable patterns for movement and breath
‣ Understand the mechanical process behind how we breathe
‣ Free excess tension to improve tone, resonance, and projection
‣ Increase ease, balance, and poise in any performance or speaking setting
‣ Access a fuller, more natural breath for reliable support.

What to expect:
‣ Guided movement exploration and gentle mapping exercises
‣ Simple applications for speaking and singing (all styles welcome)
‣ Personalized cues for self-assessment and home practice
‣ Supportive, inclusive environment open to all experience levels.

You’ll receive concise reference materials with checklists for daily use and practice prompts to reinforce new habits. Wear comfortable clothes; bring water and a notebook. No prior experience required.

Hands-on workshop using body mapping to reduce tension, improve breath coordination, and communication with confidence on stage.

09/26/2025

We regret to inform you that the Music Theory for Choirs 102 Workshop, scheduled for 9/27 at the Glaser Center has been canceled due to illness.
If you registered through Eventbrite, you have two options:

Request a full refund.

Apply your payment as a credit toward a future NVAC workshop.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and deeply appreciate your understanding. I know that several of you were looking forward to this session, and we are already exploring options to reschedule or offer the material in another format.
Thank you for your flexibility and continued support of our programming. Please keep an eye on our announcements for updates about upcoming opportunities.

09/24/2025

Hey NVAC, consortium, choir directors, voice teachers, & singer friends,

Join us this weekend for our second installment of our Music Theory for Choirs series, taught by our very own Gage Purdy & Crystal McDougall-Purdy

We’ll focus on practical applications - reading and interpreting sheet music, recognizing common chord progressions, & understanding how these elements come together in choral music.
Ideal for singers looking to strengthen their theoretical foundation, this workshop promises to enhance your confidence and skills.

When: Saturday, September 27th
Where: Glaser Center -
547 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa
Time: 10am-12pm -
Check-in @ 9:45am

RSVP & Register here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/music-theory-for-choirs-102-tickets-1596270631429tn

Feel free to shoot us a message to say hi, connect, let us know you’re coming or ask any questions - we’d love to chat with you!

Ideal for singers looking to strengthen their theoretical foundation, this workshop promises to enhance your confidence and skills.

09/15/2025

It's not too late to join the fun! If interested, please contact Gage Purdy @ [email protected]

09/08/2025

East Bay singers, friends, & co-laborers:
I had the privilege & opportunity to sing with Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra in December 2006 as the boy soprano soloist in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms.

Verdi’s Requiem is one of my perennial favorite masterworks & a tour de force in pantheon of music history.
If you’ve never sung this piece, this may be just the group to do it with. No Audition necessary, performance in January 2026. Highly recommend BCCO! You will not regret the experience.

Preparation for our January 2026 performances begin on Monday! Looking forward to seeing everyone including our newest members!

01/05/2025