TODAY at 4:00 p.m. PST (7:00 p.m. EST), an accomplished high school choir will host a benefit concert on Zoom to raise funds for the AGMA Relief Fund. Due to COVID-19, in just seven weeks, the AGMA Relief Fund has seen a 2,000% increase in grant dollars given to AGMA artists in crisis. Established in 1945, the viability of the Fund is 100% dependent on donations.
San Clemente High School (SCHS) was founded in 1964, and its choral tradition is deep-rooted in its 56-year history. The California high school has five choirs in place, ranging from beginning level ensembles to advanced women’s and mixed ensembles. They’ve toured New York City, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. They regularly perform at university festivals where they earn top marks. In the fall of 2019, they performed the Vivaldi Gloria with a semiprofessional orchestra, and in December, the Madrigal group performed in the Disneyland Candlelight performance narrated by Lin Manuel Miranda.
“On behalf of the Relief Fund Trustees, and the membership of the Guild, I anticipate the San Clemente Tritons will bring the tremendous energy and talent that is their hallmark to this project. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their generosity,” said Ray Menard, AGMA President, AGMA Relief Fund Trustee.
To help the choir meet its fundraising goal of $1,000, donations can be made to the choir’s Venmo @SCHS-Choir. Be sure to write “AGMA” in the memo. Today's concert will include talented SCHS performers as well as singer/songwriter Marc Evans Diaz. Supporters can access the show today, beginning at 4:00 p.m. PST, by visiting tritonvocalmusic.com or by clicking here.
CJ Daniel, Choir Director, told AGMA, “In the course of distance learning, I’ve been looking for ways to keep students engaged as performers and learners. I decided to host a concert benefitting artists who have lost income due to COVID-19. I chose the AGMA Relief Fund because its affiliated union, the American Guild of Musical Artists, specifically supports choral musicians.
San Clemente High School moved to remote learning March 13, two school days before their highly anticipated spring concert. The choir’s annual festival season was also shuttered, as was their tour to Nashville and their production of Mary Poppins.
“Our graduating seniors have been robbed of all of the wonderful experiences in their most eagerly anticipated semester,” said Daniel. “Like AGMA artists, SCHS students are resilient as both academicians and performers, and they will come out of this crisis stronger and more excited to get back to making music!”
ZOOM INFO:
DIRECT LINK Meeting ID: 892 6141 7698 Password: 7YdJvU