‘Tis the Gift

OYC 50th Anniversary Celebration Holiday Concert

Start the holidays with the OYC ensembles! The Chamber Singers, Miracles, and Concert Chorus will create an evening of music from around the world featuring music from around the globe, OYC favorites, and holiday tunes.

Free to attend! Info and Register

All-Choir 2024
SAT, Aug 3
Kick off Season 39, Healing Through Song with the annual All-Choir gathering! Meet & Greet with the board of directors and members of the OIGC family. Bring your friends, family, and a dish to share. See you soon!

WHEN
Saturday, Aug 3, 11:30am ~ 4pm
State of the Choir Address, ~12pm

WHERE
Lake Temescal - North Temescal Picnic Site
- Bring $5 cash for parking
- There is a little shade and plenty of wide open spaces.
- Feel free to bring your own chairs, sunshade, picnic blanket, frisbee, football, etc.
- As it is the Bay Area, DRESS IN LAYERS! Prepare for the sun as well as the cold.

WHAT - The Potluck
- Bring whatever you’d like to share for ~10-12 folks. Don’t know what to bring?
Sopranos - salads
Altos - entrees
Tenors - appetizers
Basses - drinks
- No alcohol is permitted at this site.
- There are park grills if you want to use them, but you will be responsible for bringing your own grill stuff.
- Plates, utensils, serving utensils, ice, and drink bucket provided.

GET GAME TICKETS from OIGC through May 31

OIGC and OYC will sing the National Anthem on June 5, 6:40 game vs. Seattle Mariners.

• Game tickets: $22.50 each

• Seats will be located in or around Section 128

• Tickets can be picked up at GATE C on game day from an OIGC staff member.

Celebrating the Class of 2024! Each graduating senior is highlighted and honored. The Riley West Scholarship award will also be presented that day.

GET TICKETS

$20 - General Admission
$15 - Seniors (65+)
$5 - Children
$10 - Livestream

OUSD Students and Families register here for free admission

All three Oakland Youth Chorus ensembles will showcase their best performances from the sets they've honed throughout the year.

Youth from 2nd to 12th grade will share the culmination of their hard work, learning, and musical exploration- a celebration of their dedication and artistic growth!

GET TICKETS

$20 General Admission
$15 Students/Seniors (65+)

FREE for OUSD Students and Families: REGISTER HERE

The Oakland Youth Chorus is a program of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir. OIGC Youth Programs are supported by the Barrios Trust, the Bill Graham Memorial Foundation, the Bridge Association of Realtors, the Distaff Singers, and the Stulsaft Foundation. This presentation is also made possible with foundation support from the Alameda County Arts Commission, California Arts Council, City of Oakland Cultural Fund, East Bay Community Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, Koret Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, San Francisco Foundation, Zellerbach Family Foundation, and with support from individual donors from around the world! Visit www.oigc.org/donate to donate today.

Tickets and info at rockthecasa.org

Singers of the Oakland Youth Chorus take center stage to showcase their individual talents! Witness the next generation of performers as they share their passion and creativity in an intimate setting. Don't miss this unforgettable musical showcase.

$20 - General Admission ($5 goes towards #OIGCYouthTour24!)
$10 - Students & Seniors (65+)

Oakland Youth Chorus is a program of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir Youth Program. The OIGC Youth Program is supported by Barrios Trust, Bill Graham Memorial Foundation, Bridge Association of Realtors, the Distaff Singers, and the Stulsaft Foundation.

This presentation is also made possible with foundation support from Alameda County Arts Commission, California Arts Council, City of Oakland Cultural Fund, East Bay Community Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, Koret Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, San Francisco Foundation, Zellerbach Family Foundation, and with support from individual donors from around the world! Visit www.oigc.org/donate to donate today.

Join all five of OIGC's youth ensembles as they present songs honoring and celebrating Black History.

Location:
Imani Community Church
3300 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland

$25 General Admission
$15 Seniors (65+)
$ 5 Children/Youth
Free for OUSD Students and Families – Registration required: www.oigc.org/ousdgo

No one turned away for lack of funds!

Featuring the OIGC Youth Program Ensembles:

• Oakland Interfaith Youth Choir

• Oakland Youth Chorus - Chamber Singers

• Oakland Youth Chorus - Concert Chorus

• Oakland Youth Chorus - Miracles

• Oakland Interfaith Kids Choir

Learn more about OIGC's Youth Program at www.oigc.org/youth

The OIGC Youth Program is supported by Barrios Trust, Bill Graham Memorial Foundation, Bridge Association of Realtors, the Distaff Singers, and the Stulsaft Foundation.

This presentation is also made possible with foundation support from Alameda County Arts Commission, California Arts Council, City of Oakland Cultural Fund, East Bay Community Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, Koret Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, San Francisco Foundation, Zellerbach Family Foundation, and with support from individual donors from around the world! Visit www.oigc.org/donate to donate today.

OYC performs the National Anthem

INFO

Piedmont Anti-Racism and Diversity Committee and the City of Piedmont invite you to the 27th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration on January 15th, 2024 from 11 am - 12:15 pm at the Alan Harvey Theatre. This year’s theme is Remain Awake.​

The in-person program, co-sponsored by PADC and the City of Piedmont, will feature speakers including Corrina Gould of the Sogorea Te' Land Trust, Mayor of Piedmont Jen Cavenaugh, and keynote speaker Dr. Amber Johnson, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff in the Division for Equity & Inclusion at UC Berkeley. The event will also feature OIGC’s Oakland Youth Chorus and the third annual Art & Essay Showcase.​

FREE! Info and Registration link at: https://www.padc.info/mlkday

2nd Yuletide Youth Holiday Concert

SAT, December 16, 2023 – 2:00 PM (Add to Calendar)
Roosevelt Middle School Auditorium (map)

$25 General Admission
$15 Students/Seniors

OYC and OIKC are presenting a preview of the Yuletide Youth Concert. Come one and all to make the season bright at Emeryville's Bay Street!

GET TICKETS

Getting To Know You

The OIGC family has expanded now to 7 ensembles! What’s the difference between the Oakland Interfaith Youth Choir and the Oakland Youth Chorus? There’s a kids’ choir? Does the Community Choir sing Black gospel music too? How many people are in each group?

At this concert, the OIGC family will perform for each other!

Radium Runway’s inaugural Golden Hour Youth Music Festival celebrates the best of Alameda's emerging new artists. A selection of groups from high schools across the island will perform at Radium Runway and a performance by OIGC Youth Program Ensembles: OYC Chamber Singers and Oakland Interfaith Youth Choir

FREE! – Register for Tickets

Want to perform too? Sign up to audition!

Try a rehearsal with the Oakland Youth Chorus!

Chamber Singers: High School

Chamber Singers focus on advanced singing techniques, singing with confidence from different genres of classical, jazz, 20th-century, spiritual, pop, and world music. These singers will sing in three-part, four-part, and five-part harmony, and learn stage presence and performance skills.

Chamber Singers perform in all OYC concerts, as a stand-alone ensemble, with the Concert Chorus, and in community performances throughout the year.

Try a rehearsal with the Oakland Youth Chorus!

Concert Chorus: Middle School (5th to 9th Grade)

Concert Chorus members work on building a solid foundation in Music Theory, rhythm, and sight reading through a Kodály based curriculum. Concert Chorus members gain confidence in singing music in two-part, three-part, four-part, and five-part harmony in different languages. Singers acquire vocal skills including the correct use of the head voice, breath support, vowel formation, and consonant placement.

The All-Choir Potluck is on Saturday, August 5!

Potluck and Hangout
10:30am ~ 3pm

LOCATION
Alameda Crown Memorial State Beach, Mariner's Lagoon Picnic Area. View map for location and parking

THE POTLUCK

• Bring whatever you’d like to share for ~10-12 folks

• No alcohol is permitted at this site.

• There are park grills if you want to use them, but you will be responsible for bringing your own grill stuff.

• Plates, utensils, serving utensils, ice, and drink bucket provided.

OTHER NOTES

• There is little to no shade, and plenty of wide open spaces.

• Feel free to bring your own chairs, sunshade, picnic blanket, frisbee, football, etc.

• As it is the Bay Area, and with this site in particular closer to the bay – DRESS IN LAYERS! Prepare for the sun as well as the cold!

$32 (regular $40-$53) – OIGC Fundraiser has ended!

Get your tickets from MLB Tickets to join OIGC in and around Section 125!

***

The OIGC choirs sing the National Anthem at the Oakland A’s game on June 12, against the Tampa Bay Rays!

Join us in supporting the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir by purchasing tickets to the upcoming baseball game fundraiser! Enjoy a fun day out while supporting our mission to spread the joy of gospel music. Grab your friends and family and come cheer on the home team while helping to make a difference.

OIGC’s Tickets will be located in and around Section 125

Upon purchase, please enter the name of your choir and choir member to keep groups together. To ensure your group is seated together, please arrive as a group to pick up tickets at the same time.

We’re celebrating our High School Seniors and sending them off to college and beyond!

5:00 PM – Dessert Reception
6:00 PM – Program and Awards Ceremony

$15 suggested donation: GIVE TODAY

Oakland Youth Chorus Spring Concert
with guest, Oakland Interfaith Kids Choir

GET TICKETS – $20 General; $15 Students/Senior

OIGC Gospel Music Workshop

Register for your workshop today. Sessions fill up quickly!

Package A - $110
• Includes three workshop sessions, mass choir workshop, dinner, and concert

Package B - $ 32
• Mass choir workshop ONLY, dinner, and concert

Schedule of the Day

General Session - 8:30 AM to 8:45
• Welcome and Warm Ups

Sesssion 1 - 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM
• Beginning Voice with Terrance Kelly
• Gospel Choir Directing with Lonnie Delisle
• “Let Your Light Shine” - Exercises in Stage Presence and Storytelling with Zoe Ellis
• Song Writing with Paul Daniels
• “The Business of Choir” (Part I) with Maren Amdal

Session 2 - 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM
• Placement & Support for Post-COVID singers with Terrance Kelly
• “The Right Pitch” Ear Training with Lonnie Delisle
• Gospel Soloing with Mickala Cheadle Josey
• Intro to Reading Music with La Nell Martin
• “The Business of Choir” (Part II) with Maren Amdal

LUNCH - 11:45 AM to 12:30 PM (not provided)

Session 3 - 12:30 PM to 1:45 PM
• Gospel Soloing with JaCoree Prothro
• “Teach Me How To Tambo” - Beginning Tambourine with Jae Phoenix
• “Let Your Light Shine” - Exercises in Stage Presence and Storytelling with Zoe Ellis
• Beginning Sight Singing with La Nell Martin

Mass Choir Workshop - 2:00 PM to 3:45 PM
During the Mass Choir Workshop, Terrance teaches a song (or two), which are performed at the Spring Musical that evening, generally as the finale of the Spring Musical. 

Sound Check - 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM 

Dinner - 5:00 PM to 6:15 PM
• Potluck hosted by OIGC members

Doors - 6:30 PM

Concert - 7:00 PM

Class Descriptions
(in alpha order)

Beginning Sight-Singing
Instructor: La Nell Martin
Learn the basics of sight-singing such as reading musical notation, and using solfege syllables. Gain strategies for practicing and improving your sight-singing skills. You’ll leave the workshop with a better understanding of how to sight-sing and be able to start reading and singing simple melodies on your own.

Beginning Voice
Instructor: Terrance Kelly
Cover topics such as proper breathing, posture, tone production, and vocal exercises to develop your range and strength. We'll also discuss techniques for improving your pitch, intonation, and diction. Whether you're a beginner or looking to brush up on your skills, this workshop will provide a solid foundation for your vocal development.

“The Business of Choir”
Instructor: Maren L. Amdal
In this two-part session, you'll learn the administrative aspects of running a nonprofit arts organization. We'll cover topics such as creating and managing budgets, grant writing and fundraising, volunteer management, and marketing and publicity. We'll also discuss strategies for building and sustaining community engagement and partnerships. Whether you're starting a new choir or looking to improve the operations of an existing one, you'll have a better understanding of the administrative processes, and the tools to manage your choir, or any arts organization!

Gospel Choir Directing
Instructor: Lonnie Delisle
Learn the art of directing a gospel choir– how to communicate with your singers, and how to use body language to convey musical expression. We'll also discuss techniques for choosing and arranging music, and ways to inspire and engage your choir members. Gain the skills and confidence to conduct a powerful and uplifting gospel choir performance!

Gospel Soloing
Instructor: Mickala Cheadle-Josey
Instructor: JaCoree Prothro
Learn from award-winning gospel soloists their approach to soloing in the gospel style. In addition to the technical aspects such as scales & chord progressions, gain an understanding of the heart of the Black gospel soloist. Learn techniques for how to develop your own story and style using dynamics, phrasing, and personal expression to convey emotion in your performances, creating engaging and soulful solos that will uplift and inspire your audience.

Intro to Reading Music
Instructor: La Nell Martin
Learn the basics of how to read sheet music, and learn how to identify musical notations, rhythm, pitch, and different symbols and markings commonly found in sheet music. If you’re a complete beginner or if you have some experience with music, this workshop will provide you with the tools and knowledge to confidently follow along rehearsals with sheet music.

Intro to Tambourine
Instructor: Jae Phoenix
”Teach Me How To Tambo!” In this session, you'll learn the basics of playing the tambourine and how to use it as an instrument of rhythm and praise. We’ll cover holding and striking techniques, basic rhythmic patterns, and different ways to incorporate the tambourine into your musical performances. We'll also discuss techniques for playing with other musicians and how to use the tambourine in different styles of music.

“Let Your Light Shine” - Exercises in Stage Presence and Storytelling
Instructor: Zoe Ellis
Stage presence is all about being able to hold both the song and the story in a way that allows your audience to take an authentic emotional journey with you. We will work as a group to learn a simple song with both group and solo sections and "pass the mic" while we each try the solo section with the support of our instant class choir. Trust me, what happens in class, stays in class. Come take a chance. I don't need perfection, just your good intentions! I also welcome folks to bring a verse or chorus they have been working on to discuss in class. If you do bring a song, please bring an mp3 of the track so we can play it behind you.

Placement & Support for Post-COVID singers
Instructor: Terrance Kelly
Terrance will cover vocal placement and breath support as you restore your vocal health and strength with techniques to prevent vocal strain and injury while rebuilding your voice after COVID-19. Whether you're a singer or speaker, this workshop will provide you with the tools and knowledge to safely and effectively rebuild your voice after COVID-19. Gain a better understanding of your vocal recovery process and how to care for your voice going forward.

“The Right Pitch” – Ear Training
Instructor: Lonnie Delisle
Learn tips for identifying different intervals, recognizing chords and chord progressions, and developing your relative pitch. We'll also discuss techniques for improving your aural skills through singing and listening exercises. By the end of the workshop, you'll have a better understanding of how to use your ears as a powerful tool in your musical development.

Songwriting
Instructor: Paul Daniels
Explore the creative process of songwriting and how to find inspiration for your music. You'll learn how to tap into your own experiences and emotions to create meaningful lyrics and melodies, and we'll also cover the mechanics of songwriting. By the end of the workshop, you'll have the tools and inspiration to start writing your own songs! Come prepared with an idea or two!

Oakland Youth Chorus Recital

OYC Chamber Singers (high school) and Concert Chorus (middle school) solos, duets, and trios.

$15 General / $10 Students - Tickets at the door

East Bay Community Space
507 55th Street
Oakland, CA, 94609
(map)

Learn more about the Oakland Youth Chorus.

The youth ensembles of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir celebrate Black History Month through music.

Featuring:

• Oakland Interfaith Kids Choir

• Oakland Youth Chorus Concert Chorus

• Oakland Interfaith Youth Choir

• Oakland Youth Chorus Chamber Singers