Episode 30: San Francisco Girls Chorus

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A transcript, lightly edited for clarity and length, follows.

Show Guests: Adriana Marcial, Interim Executive Director, San Francisco Girls Chorus

Voices of the Community Introduction: Welcome to voices of the community which explores critical issues facing Northern California communities. We introduce you to the voices of community thought leaders and change makers who are working on solutions that face our fellow individual community members neighborhoods cities and our region. This is George Koster your host. 

Series Introduction: This episode is part of our series exploring COVID-19’s impact on nonprofits and small businesses in San Francisco. We started the series back in April 2020 during the height of the first phase of the Covid 19 pandemic and the Shelter In Place requirements. Over these past nine months, the Covid-19 pandemic and economic meltdown have wiped out millions of jobs in both the nonprofit and small business sectors as well as shuttered tens of thousands of small business operations.

The goal of the series is to shine a spotlight on the nonprofits, small businesses, and their staff who are struggling to deal with the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on their operations, services and sustainability. The series of interviews we conducted features voices from a cross-section of organizations that make up the fabric of our community.  Each of them brings a unique perspective on how they and we are dealing with the issues facing our community during the global pandemic and economic depression.

Show Guest Adriana: One of the things I've really thought about over the months is the value of performing arts, right? Like, what is our kind of place and purpose within community? And as the time goes on. All of us are stuck at home and all we want to do is be with other people and share experiences, and learn about what other people are doing and, hear where they're coming from  

Episode Intro - Show Host George: In this episode, our featured voice is Adriana Marcial the Interim Executive Director of the San Francisco Girls Chorus. One of the main goals of The San Francisco Girls Chorus is to teach young women to become wonderful musicians through their extensive music education program. Singing and live performances will be one of the last services and experiences to come back from the COVID-19 pandemic. Let’s hear Adriana tell us how they’re dealing with the pandemic

Show Host George: I am joined remotely via zoom by Adrianna Marcial, the Interim Executive Director of the San Francisco Girls Chorus. Thank you for being here Adrianna

Show Guest Adriana: Happy to be here.

George: The San Francisco Girls Chorus, is a legacy performing arts organization here in San Francisco, been around for decades. Could you provide a background here for our audience on some of the really interesting and unique programs that you have, especially your tie in with schools and, your immersion class.

Adriana: So, San Francisco girls chorus has been around for over 40 years. Our primary focus is to educate young girls and young women, the art of choral singing, um, when we're not in socially distant times, you know, we have close to 400 students that are across our three campuses.

We have our main campus in San Francisco at the Kanbar Performing Arts Center in Hayes Valley, ah, campus in the East Bay and then our newest campus in the last, year and a half at the Bayview Opera House in Bayview in San Francisco, which is a great partnership. So, across those campuses, we, work with girls four years old to eighteen.

It's a really rigorous program that they go through, and we really try to focus on just a very comprehensive, choral education. Once the girls get through our level four, that's the point where they can actually audition for our performing ensemble, which is called the Premier Ensemble.

And that has been around for years as well. In normal times, they tour all over the country. They tour all over the world, they collaborate with really amazing artists, local ones, but also international. And they've won, I believe it's five Grammy awards at this point.   So, they're amazing.

They are you know of the highest level. And it's an extraordinary experience for a young girl who's in high school, to have that opportunity. So that's, kind of the scope of the program in normal times. We also have some, additional programs, as you mentioned in schools, which we just started this year, in a more comprehensive way, which was interesting timing considering COVID starting.

Our artists in schools’ program were started because of a grant from California Arts Council, which we're very thankful to them for helping us out. We're working, with two schools in San Francisco to actually bring them into the artistic process. It's not so much focused on, teaching choral singing or teaching our pedagogy, but on, introducing them to the arc of, creating a new work.

So, one of our new operas that will premiere when we can all you know be together again, which we're looking at probably 2022 at this point. It's a new opera by Matthew Welch. He's an incredible composer and he's creating, a new opera that's focused on a young Filipina immigrant and her story of, coming to Stockton.

So, these two schools are going to follow us through that creation period, and they're going to meet the different collaborators. They're going to ah have workshops with the composer and really just see how a new artistic work is created. And that actually did get started during the pandemic.

Even before the pandemic, we decided to just go for it. And it's all taking place online via zoom and, last I checked, it was going very well, and the kids were very excited to have that sort of insight into the creative process. So that's something that's actually been very exciting during the pandemic, you know, to rethink how it can be done.

George: Well, that leads me to my next question so much of what the San Francisco Girls Chorus does is in person. How has COVID-19 it impacted, the ability to operate, um, the ability to raise funds?

Adriana: Well, it is challenging but you know, I have to commend our Artistic Director, Valerie Sainte-Agathe, and our music faculty. In March, when the shelter in place order went into effect, I think we hit the pause button for maybe a week and then completely shifted everything online and did not want to break at all, really, we wanted to continue to offer some sort of gathering for the students.

So since basically the middle of March, we have been doing all of our rehearsals for all the levels from ages four to eighteen, all on zoom. Now, obviously with the technology, the way that it is right now. We're not able to have the full choral experience where everybody can hear each other and sing, at the same time, cause there's always a lag. There's technology that's coming out that's definitely shifting that and making it better, but it's not, perfect yet. So, we focus a lot more on small groups within each of those choral groups, we have a lot of breakout sessions, we focus a lot on theory.

And then we do a lot of individualized vocal coaching, and that's something that we have really, focused on in our teaching is to make sure that we're focusing on the individual because we believe that music is part of it, but we also want to develop the person. And actually, this format because of its challenges has allowed us to do that.

So, there's a lot of individualized work between the instructor, our vocal coaches, and the individual student. That said it’s a learning curve, right? There's many, many things that all of the instructors have had to work out. We have students and families who it's just too much to be on zoom for as many hours as they are for all of their activities.

So that's been hard. There are families who don't have the same kind of access to computers or zoom or the technology that's needed. So, we've worked pretty hard to find ways to provide, whether it be internet connection or a tablet or a computer for them to participate. So that has been a fundraising need and a fundraising challenge because I think their families all over the Bay Area who are struggling with that, which is very unfortunate.

We also, own the building that we operate in, the Kanbar Performing Arts Center, as I said in Hayes Valley and, we haven't been able to do any in-person activities there. So that's usually an amazing place. Not only for SF Girls Chorus, but SF Boys Chorus operates there, musée many, many local choral groups and nobody is able tah come in and sing. Singing in-person is probably the last thing that's going to be acceptable.

So that's, been, hard and challenging, and people just want to get in and rehearse and it's just not an option right now.  One of the things that has really been inspiring to me is seeing how Valerie has taken the Premiere Ensemble and just run with it in this time.

You know, they're doing all virtual performances, really being creative about what that looks like. It's not just the girls recording themselves and editing it together. There's really an artistic element to it. Our performance last Friday actually had a stage director as part of it.

We'll have, a bunch of collaborators for December 20th holiday show. And she's also really working hard to bring, guests, artists to do workshops from all over and that's a benefit actually of, shelter in place and being online is that we can work with artists anywhere, right.

It doesn't just have to be in San Francisco. So, we're actually working with the King Singers and they are a group that we probably would not be able to, afford to fly in regularly, but because we can just meet online, it makes it much easier and they're open to working with us and it's been really fun.

So that's just one example of, I think there's like 25 artists that Valerie has the Premier Ensemble working with. And not only is that really exciting, but it also keeps the girls, motivated and really focused during this time to kind of break up the monotony of, being online and on zoom for all the hours that they are.

George: So, over the many decades that San Francisco Girls Chorus has been in operation, what do you feel like has been the biggest impact on both the youth that participate, but also their families and our community at large?

 Adriana: Our primary goal has always been to, develop young singers, right.  To teach the value of music, to teach them how to be wonderful musicians and girls who stay with the program through the whole time, really, truly are amazing musicians. But I think the greater thing, is the aspect of developing the individual and especially young women to have a sense of community, to be around other young women who are supporting them, to be vulnerable in this learning process together, it's hugely important. And I think when you talk to the girls who go through the whole program and graduate or Laureate, as we say, you know, that's what they're talking about.

They're talking about the sense of community that they've built, the other, young women friends that they will have forever, and the kind of like sense of confidence that they have built over time. And I think that's ultimately the most important and something that we're really trying to actively build on now and, and something that shelter place or, you know, working online has allowed us is that we are starting to focus more on workshops, around other aspects of the music industry, not just performing, but bringing in people who, work in video editing or work in composition or work in, improvisation to really give the girls a sense of what else is out there to get them thinking how they can, really tap into what their, individual interests are. So again, kind of focusing on the individual and, really giving them the tools to discover who they are in a supportive environment.

George: So, tell us how anyone who's watching or listening to the interview, how can people help the San Francisco Girls Chrous? Obviously not doing in-person performances anymore, can’t do ticket and sales and touring how can folks help?

Adriana: It's the end of year giving it's the big season of giving. So, there's always an opportunity to give donation straight to the organization. And I will shamelessly say that, because it’s so important at this point there's so much uncertainty. I think we have been very, very lucky in that, we have a great base of supporters, but things are shifting, and things have shifted. And as I said, we can't have the same level of activity in the building and, we can't have the same level of performance, we are asking for donations for our performances coming up, but they're small and they certainly don't cover the full cost of, what it takes to put them on.

So, making a donation to the organization is really helping us plan for the future plan for that uncertainty. We don't know how institutional giving is going to shift around to the next year. My prediction is it's going to shift around quite a bit, and we don't know the duration of, the virus, unfortunately.

So, it seems like there might be an end in sight, but that could be a while from now. And singing again is on the bottom of the list of approved activities. So, I would just encourage people if they are inspired by supporting young women, if they're inspired by supporting young musicians, SF Girls, Chorus is a great place to give that support by the end of the year ideally.

George: Thank you. So here we are going months nine, and San Francisco's conceivably going into the purple zone out of the COVID 19 pandemic and our economic meltdown. What are some of the good things that you could see coming out of this that would support performing arts organizations like the San Francisco Girls Chorus, as well as your outreach into schools and into communities like the Bayview?

Adriana: I love that question because I think that one of the things, I've really thought about over the months is the value of performing arts, right? Like, what is our kind of place and purpose within community? And as the time goes on. All of us are stuck at home and all we want to do is be with other people and share experiences, and learn about what other people are doing and, hear where they're coming from. And I think it's a, beautiful reminder that the performing arts and art, serves that purpose like we are the givers of community and we are the conveners, and we fill that need, and I hope that people, remember that.

And so, I, plan to, and I hope that when we can all go back in person, that everyone is going to see as many shows as they possibly can. And really supporting the local artists and productions that are going on because they really paint a vibrant community and that's what we're missing right now.

George: Well, thank you Adriana for sharing San Francisco Girls, Chorus work today. We’ll make sure that all of the listeners and viewers have your contact information, your website and social media. Do you have any special fourth quarter promotion that you are doing around fundraising that you want to mention?

Adriana: Well, I'll mentioned two things.  we have a virtual performance on December 20th at 3:00 PM. It's open to anybody to see. You can get to it on our website. We usually have a major production at Davies symphony hall. That’s you know All 400 students and they're all up on the stage and it's really beautiful.

It's not just holiday music, it's a range of music, but there is a holiday spirit to it and we obviously can't do that this year. So, we've transformed the whole thing to be online and I encourage everyone to go check it out. It's easy to do from your home.  and there is a donation component to it, and anyone who's doing these virtual events knows that it's a little bit more than just turning on the zoom. It it's quite the production, on the backend. And so any, support, to make that happen is very helpful to us.

George: Thank you, please stay safe out there in what is now become a very crazy new normal, and only going to become more it appears after our holidays.

Adriana: Yes, exactly. I know. I hope everyone takes it seriously and we can get to the other side as soon as possible.

Episode Outro - Show Host George: That’s it for this episode of voices of the community. You have been listening to the voice of Adriana Marcial the Interim Executive Director of the San Francisco Girls Chorus. To find out more about the San Francisco Girls Chorus and participating in their annual Holiday show on-line event on December 20th at 3pm pacific time go to sf girls chorus dot org

Series Outro: We hope that you enjoy the insights, points of view, and personal stories from the voices of change-makers and their nonprofits and small businesses featured in this series. To find out more and get engaged with the nonprofits, small businesses and staff members, featured in this series please go to my web site george koster dot com and click on Voices of the Community to find links to the extended versions of these interviews and to listen to the entire series. After listening to these stories we hope that you will consider making a donation and volunteering to provide a hand up to your fellow community members.

Series Credits: I want to thank my associate producer Eric Estrada, along with Mel, Michael, and Lila at the San Francisco Public Press and KSFP. To listen to our next episode in this series and to our archived past shows which feature community voices working on solutions to critical issues facing Northern California communities, please go to george koster dot com. While you are on our website please consider making a donation to help us provide future shows just like this one. Please subscribe to Voices of the Community on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or where ever you get your podcasts. Follow us on twitter @georgekoster and please email us with feedback and show ideas at george@georgekoster.com. I'm George Koster in San Francisco and thank you for listening.

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