HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The San Fernando Valley Master Chorale (SFVMC) came into existence in the spring of 1999. It was sponsored by the Premiere Chorale, a professional group founded by Terry Danne in 1977, under the auspices of the Bureau of Music, City of Los Angeles. Their stirring performances have been enthusiastically received with standing ovations. The Chorale represents membership from over 15 local choral organizations, with between 80 and 100 singers participating.
SFVMC’s performances have included Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, Handel’s Messiah, and the Verdi Requiem. The Master Chorale has performed at the Madrid Theater, Los Angeles Pierce College, and the Hall of Liberty in Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills), and at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Members of the Chorale have co-concertized with the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society Chorus at UNLV in performances of the Verdi Requiem, the Brahms Requiem and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. In June 2005, members of the group were the foundation of a 140-voice chorus that sang the Rutter Requiem at Carnegie Hall led by Guest Conductor Terry Danne.
In 2016, Charlie Kim became the new Artistic Director of SFVMC bringing with him a fresh enthusiasm and sound to our professional vocal ensemble. His wish since then has been to honor Danne’s original mission by providing students, community volunteers, and professionals with opportunity to interact and collaborate by performing a wide range of musical masterpieces from classics to original compositions. In the spring of 2017, Kim collaborated with composer in residence, Sergio Barer, to premiere his original composition of “Moses, an Oratorio” with full orchestra at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in downtown Los Angeles.