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Six Centuries of Music.

Current Season

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The Sky and You
11/18/2023 7:00 PM - Los Angeles Valley College Recital Hall

Join the Metropolitan Master Chorale for The Sky and You on Saturday, November 18, 2023!

Tickets purchased online may be picked up at the will call desk at the concert.

Time: 7:00 PM

Location: Los Angeles Valley College Recital Hall, 5800 Fulton Avenue, Valley Glen, CA 91401

Parking is available near the Recital Hall in Lot B and in the parking structure. Click here for a map.

The the Metropolitan Master Chorale is supported in part by the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture and the City of Los Angeles Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs.


Meet Artist Gene Peebles



Gene Peebles is an oil painter of soft pastel "skyscapes” using a technique similar to a watercolorist, constantly blending and working one color into another to give a soft, undulating sense of light and atmosphere. Eliminating the ground plain draws the viewer’s attention to a part of nature that we often take for granted—the sky. The paintings achieve a sense of motion that ranges from quiet majesty to raging thunder.
 
Gene received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign. His works may be found in collections throughout California and in Maine and Texas. Gene has participated in many solo and group exhibitions.
 
“Gene Peebles’ paintings of cloudscapes allude to the expansiveness of the sky, where cloudforms are suggestive and flowing so that the viewer apprehends the quality and mood of sky rather than mere traditional picturesqueness.” –William Torphy, Curator and Art Critic
 
gpeebles93@gmail.com
 
Own a piece of the sky! Gene has donated a painting to raise money for the MMC. To register and bid on the painting, click here.

About the painting in the auction:
 
Title: “The Glow of Dawn”
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Size: 36"h x 24"w
Date: 2023
 
“I painted it because I love painting skies, all types of skies from storms, to sunsets, to sun-downs, to blue skies with white puffy clouds. But specifically, why I chose this particular sky, from all the others I could have painted, was the spiritual happiness conveyed by the sense of light from the sun shining through at dawn. It's a happy sky that made me smile.” –Gene Peebles 
Meet the Soloists




Jaime Barcelon just wrapped up his Los Angeles debut solo show, The Heart of the Matter, this past September under the music direction of Gerald White. Prior to this, Jaime was a quarterfinalist in the prestigious American Traditions Vocal Competition in Savannah, Georgia. Jaime got his start in music as part of the original line-up of The Ryan Cayabyab Singers, formed by Philippine National Artist, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab. With the group, Jaime had the opportunity to record with Sony BMG Philippines and tour locally and internationally. As an actor, Jaime has appeared on American Auto, Criminal Minds, Mom, The Rookie and other shows. In addition, he has acted on stage with East West Players, Artists at Play and Boston Court. Jaime is a graduate of Ateneo De Manila University. Jaime joined the MMC last season.

In The Sky and You, he will be featured in “Corner of the Sky” and “Ad Astra.”





Adriana Bravo graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, where she completed her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. Some of her performance experience includes musical theater and opera productions, and choral and chamber ensembles with the Nevada Chamber Opera, Nevada Chamber Singers, American Choral Director's Association Gospel Choir, and NATS. Since graduating, Adriana released original and cover music, teaches private voice lessons, and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in singing. She is excited to be in her second season with MMC! Find her at @adrianabeee and www.adrianabravovoice.com.

Adriana is featured in "Moonshadow" and "Ad Astra."





Marco Cassone is continuously struck by how fun it is to sing with MMC. Join us! In Marco's first life, he studied vocal performance at the University of Washington and co-founded the jazz-funk-pop a cappella sextet, m-pact. The group recorded six CDs, toured globally, and lead arts education programs. (Their streaming album m-pact is Marco's fave.) After 20 years on the road, Marco reinvented his love for teaching/coaching into a second career in Organization Effectiveness, helping companies develop their people and navigate big changes. Marco is happy to make MMC his musical home.
 
In The Sky and You, Marco is featured in “Moonshadow.”



Sarah Grams grew up singing in choirs and benefitted from having an amazing choir teacher in high school, who developed her singers' talents, musical theory, and appreciation of classical music. Sarah continued singing in choirs at the University of Wisconsin—Madison and throughout her time living in Baltimore, Milwaukee, and even Freiburg, Germany—finding a chorale to call home wherever she lived. Shortly after moving to Los Angeles in 2008, Sarah found the MMC and has sung with the Chorale on and off since then, enjoying the ensemble's artistic range and friendships. Professionally, Sarah works as a Director of Education Programs at the Cesar Chavez Foundation, and she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three wonderful singing and dancing children.
 
Sarah performs “Moonshadow” in The Sky and You.



Stephen Grant was a member of Opera Pasadena for ten years where he performed as the Marquis in La Traviata, Captain Corcoran in HMS Pinafore, Dottore Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, and Papageno on The Magic Flute. Stephen also sang with the Van Bloem Singers. With the Metropolitan Opera of Los Angeles, he sang the part of Germont in La Traviata. Since 2010, he has been a member of the Randy Van Horne Singers. Stephen is a retired propulsion scientist with Aerospace Corporation. He plays the bagpipes, guitar and didgeridoo. He just joined the MMC.
 
Stephen performs in “Moonshadow.”



Jay Hernandez, Bass-Baritone, is making his debut as a soloist with the Metropolitan Master Chorale. Jay finds his greatest joy in singing opera, oratorio and classical music. This fall, he will be auditioning for the competitive Applied Music program at Los Angeles Valley College where he will begin pursuing his studies as a Vocal Performance major. When Jay is not singing, he enjoys being of service as a Guest Ambassador for the Theme Park at Universal Studios, Hollywood. He excels at solving complex math formulas, drawing, studying vocal repertoire in foreign languages, and he derives pleasure from writing short stories, and reading fictional historical novels. 
 
Jay is featured in “The Creation.”



A native of Seattle, Chad McMurry studied voice and opera with the esteemed Maestro David Kyle. Before moving to Los Angeles in 2017, he actively participated in a range of musical theater productions and owned and operated a live music venue, restaurant, and recording studio. Chad's touring experience has seen him play bass and keyboards for top-billing Led Zeppelin tribute acts and the Dan Ackroyd-endorsed Blues Brother Revue. He currently fronts the rock/metal band RivetSkull and regularly performs vocals with the All Star Band at the renowned Whisky a Go-Go's Ultimate Jam Night. Chad is also pursuing a degree in commercial music while venturing into television and music scoring. This is Chad’s second season with the MMC
 
Chad will perform in “The Creation.”



Mezzo-Soprano Grace Newberry, is a native of California and a graduate of The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where she received her Masters of Music degree in Vocal Performance, and of Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, where she received her Bachelors of Music degree in Vocal Performance. Grace runs her own music studio in LA, teaching voice to all ages, and she is passionate about helping guide others to find their voice literally and figuratively. Her studio can be found at @gracenewberrymusicstudio on Instagram. During her graduate studies at CCM, Grace sang the title role in Cendrillon by Massenet and worked closely with William Bolcom in a cabaret show featuring his works. She was the recipient of the John Alexander award in the Corbett Competition for Opera Scholarships at CCM. In addition, Grace was a Young Artist with the Cincinnati Opera in 2017 and a Studio Artist with the Wolf Trap Opera Company in 2013 and 2015. She performed in the ensemble of Song from the Uproar by Mazzoli and the roles of Modestina in Il viaggio a Reims by Rossini, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly by Puccini, Diane in The Ghosts of Versailles by Corigliano, and the cover to the role of Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart. During her time at Oberlin, she performed as L’enfant in Ravel’s L'Enfant et les Sortilèges, Annio in Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito, and Hata in The Bartered Bride by Smetana. In her free time, Grace loves to make art and continues to explore her love of singing jazz and pop music. She is also a dancer and enjoys jazz, contemporary, salsa and bachata. This is Grace’s first season with the MMC.
 
Grace is featured in “The Creation.”


 
Sarah Pinzon calls herself a utility singer—an Alto in classical music and a Soprano in rock and pop. Her major session credits include Sing 2Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey (featured soloist), and HBO’s Hacks. For live performances, she is currently in a Pat Benatar tribute called Patitude, is section leader of back-up singers in the all new touring Michael Jackson tribute, This Was It, and sings classical repertoire in churches. She has also toured with multiple tribute bands—the all-female Black Sabbath tribute group, Black Sabbitch, and the all-female tribute band to AC/DC, Hell’s Belles. Connect with her on Instagram! @sarah_pinzon_voice 
 
Sarah is featured in “Hands Are Knockin’.”



Holly Pitrago is from a small town in Michigan where she grew up studying music through private lessons and with her father, who was a band director in the local schools. She took up piano at the age of seven and followed in her father’s footsteps with the bassoon at age 11.  She later became first chair with the Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra. After receiving her Master of Arts degree in Theatre Arts, Holly pursued a career of singing and acting, playing various musical theatre roles in New York, in dinner theatres around the country, and aboard Premier’s S.S. Seabreeze. Since moving to Los Angeles, Holly’s live singing has included concerts, churches, synagogues, and touring with New Directions Veterans Choir. A solid sight singer, Holly also works as a session singer and can be heard on film, TV, and sound recordings. TV singing roles include the voice of Principal Perry on Disney XD’s Lab Rats and Paige in Sue’s uncut a cappella group on ABC’s The Middle. As a vocal contractor for TV shows, Holly’s credits include Apple TV Plus’ Physical Season 2, Netflix’s Alexa and Katie, and Disney’s Raven’s Homewww.hollypitrago.com
 
Holly will perform “Moonfall” in The Sky and You.


 





 
 
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Move
04/06/2024 7:00 PM - Dolores Huerta Middle School

Join the Metropolitan Master Chorale for Move on Saturday, April 6, 2024!

Tickets purchased online may be picked up at the will call desk at the concert.

Time: 7:00 PM

Location: Dolores Huerta Middle School, 420 South Mariposa Street, Burbank

The the Metropolitan Master Chorale is supported in part by the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture and the City of Los Angeles Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs.
 

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