February: Youth Choral Festival in Templeton, California

After a busy January which took us zigzagging through  Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan and Florida in all kinds of winter weather

we arrive on a stormy day in Templeton, on California's Central Coast, for a day long Youth Choral Festival. Our activities here are supported by the James Irvine Foundation whose interest in this part of our state we share. Our Mission Road tour started here last June, and we were glad to come back.

As always we introduce ourselves by singing for the choral groups and their directors - from Templeton, Paso Robles, and San Luis Obispo High Schools. About half of the students had heard us, or of us, before. Now they all have!

We all warm up for the long day ahead.

Matt begins work on Eric Barnum's "Afternoon on a Hill" which we will all sing together at the evening's concert.

After rehearsal we listen to each choir's individual numbers for the concert. Then after lunch - at which we get to spend some time with the choir directors - the choirs go back to their homerooms and a Chanticleer team comes to see them. This is the San Luis Obispo High School Chamber Choir with Gabe, Alan, and Dylan. As you may imagine, we all have quite a lot of fun in these sessions, as well as doing some serious work.

Dylan had some very specific advice about their voices for the guys.

Brian works with Templeton High School Mixed choir and Chamber Singers.

Templeton's team was Cortez, Eric, and Brian.

The Paso Robles High School Chamber ensemble with Michael, Adam, and Todd.

After rehearsal, rest and pizza dinner, the concert began, with a full house of parents and friends. Here is the San Luis Obispo High School Chamber Choir, directed by Paul Osborne.

and the Paso Robles High School Chamber Ensemble, directed by Mary Schmutz and accompanied by Chris Ferguson.

And the Templeton High School Mixed Choir and Chamber Singers, directed by Jo Anne Stoddard. Mrs. Stoddard did a wonderful job of organizing the day and hosting us in Templeton's impressive performing arts center. Thanks Jo Anne!

We also sang.

Matt conducted everybody in the final two numbers which, of course, brought the house down...

After the concert we celebrated the end of a very good day.