Community Connections
The Contra Costa Chorale commits to promoting music education at all learning levels, to encouraging student participation in the fine and joyous art of choral singing, and to creating and supporting programs that build choral singers and audiences for the future. Since 2016, the Contra Costa Chorale has raised funds to support student music programs in Contra Costa County, with the intent to focus on choral music in western and central areas of the county. Currently we have two active programs, our Vocal Music Studies Scholarships and our Opening Act, and are developing other opportunities. We are also always looking for talented students to join the chorale for a concert set.
For more information about making any of these connections with the Contra Costa Chorale, email your request to cocochorale@gmail.com.
VOCAL MUSIC STUDIES SCHOLARSHIPS
In 2020, the Contra Costa Chorale established a relationship with the West Contra Costa Public Education Fund (the Ed Fund) to provide scholarships to students who need assistance for studies, either at college or for some special program they wish to pursue while still attending high school. Currently, the emphasis is on college scholarships, which the Ed Fund has made available on behalf of the Chorale for the past three years.
OPENING ACT
Since 2017, the Chorale has invited student musicians groups from Central and West Contra Costa schools to perform as our Opening Act. By the time the Chorale ceased operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, we had featured students from Madera Elementary School (WCCUSD) in Kensington, Orinda Middle School (Orinda Union School District) in Walnut Creek, Korematsu Middle School (WCCUSD), and Dougherty Valley High School (San Ramon Valley Unified School District), DeAnza High School (WCCUSD) and Richmond High School (WCCUSD).
School musical groups you know could have the opportunity to perform for up to 10 minutes in front of our audience, in either Kensington or a location in Central County. If you are interested or know of a group that would want to participate, please email us at cocochorale@gmail.com so that we can make a new connection.
STUDENT SINGERS
Contra Costa Chorale is searching for talented students to join the Chorale for a concert set. We offer local students, either high school or college, a chance to experience being part of a community chorus, attending rehearsals and prepare for the concert alongside the Chorale singers. We expect students to be committed choral singers who have developed musical skills comparable to those of a community chorus, and to be at least minimally familiar with reading music. Students will receive scholarships to cover the cost of their tuition and music.
CHORAL RISERS
Choral risers help all singers perform better. The conductor as well as the audience can see and hear all of the singers more clearly. The Contra Costa Chorale would like to connect with other choral groups, especially in schools in Contra Costa County, by offering them the use of our performance risers. The risers, which are able to hold up to 70 singers with front row standing on the floor, come apart and are transported on their own trailer. Your choral group would be responsible for picking up, transporting, and returning the risers to storage at Bridge Storage and ArtSpace.
2023 VOCAL MUSIC STUDIES SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
The Contra Costa Chorale (“Chorale”) is proud to announce its 2023 Vocal Music Studies Scholars as part of its Community Connections program. Working in concert with the West Contra Costa Public Education Fund (“Ed Fund West”).
For the 2023 scholarships, the Community Connections Committee made the decision to increase the scholarship amounts to $2,000 each. With a strong choice of candidates, the committee made the additional decision to award three scholarships. This year, the scholars were Kaylee Barron, Richmond High School; Jordan Daniel, Hercules High School; and Aleks Retiro, De Anza High School. Each of these students demonstrated a passion for the importance of music in their daily lives and a commitment to carrying that passion into their futures as they head to college. Kaylee and Aleks presented the Chorale’s Opening Act at the spring concert.
Kaylee Barron, Richmond High School, who will attend UC Berkeley and plans to become a lawyer. In her own words: “Not only will this [scholarship] go towards helping afford my college education and dreams to become a lawyer, but it’ll also help me continue pursuing my passion in music no matter what happens in the future.”
Jordan Daniel, Hercules High School, who will head to UC Los Angeles this fall to study psychology. She is a Performing Arts Intern at RYSE, a singer, dancer, activist, and most recently a blossoming poet. Her work highlights the harsh realities of the educational system, sexual harassment, as well as issues of depression. Jordan has led a variety of workshops for the Arts Now Institute that serves WCCUSD teachers.
Aleks Retiro, De Anza High School, will attend Sacramento State. A Filipino representative of the De Anza Choir, and an aspiring music and visual artist, Aleks was one of the choir members who sang in the Opening Act at the Chorale’s Fall 2022 concert. He plans to build a musical life alongside his studies and his planned career in psychology.
2022 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Two $1,000 scholarships were awarded in 2022 to Abraham Blanquel, Richmond HS, and Justin Trujillo, Pinole Valley HS. Both students intend to pursue music careers, Abraham as a musician and in production and Justin as a music teacher—hopefully, in WCCUSD.
Abraham Blanquel is from San Pablo and will attend UC San Diego this fall. Abraham began playing the violin while attending middle school and continued to play throughout high school, becoming the 1st chair violinist in the Richmond High School Orchestra. In addition to violin, his interests include Korean pop music; he hopes to pursue studying music someday in Korea. Abraham looks forward to a career as a musician and working in music production.
Justin Trujillo lives in Hercules and will attend Sacramento State University in the fall. At Pinole Valley High School Justin sang bass in the Concert Choir. He was also the president of the Marching Band. Playing over a half dozen musical instruments, Justin has also been a member of the Concert Band and the Jazz Ensemble at his school. In his spare time, Justin works at a music store in Pinole where he gives instrumental music lessons to young students. Justin plans to become a music educator and hopes to teach music in the WCCUSD in the future.
2021 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
In 2021, two $1,000 scholarships were awarded to Madison Weller, De Anza HS, and Naja Ji Jaga, Middle College HS. Madison pursued her college studies at Contra Costa College with plans to transfer to San Jose State, and Naja began her studies at Boston University.
The Chorale continues to stay in touch with our 2021 scholarship recipients. Naja Ji Jaga was a student at Pinole Valley High School and Middle College High School. She is currently studying at Boston University. Continuing to play the stand-up bass, Naja helped form a student jazz ensemble and has played gigs on the BU campus.
Madison Weller, who sang in choirs while attending De Anza High School, currently attends Contra Costa College where she continued singing in the beginning chorus class. She hopes to transfer to San Jose State in the future.
OPENING ACT PARTICIPANTS
SPRING 2023
Kaylee Barron, Richmond High School, and Aleks Retiro, De Anza High School, presented the Chorale’s Opening Act at the spring 2023 concert.
FALL 2019
Dougherty Valley High School Chamber Singers
San Ramon Valley Unified School District
Jollity String Quartet
Students from schools in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District
SPRING 2019
Madera Elementary School Grades 4, 5 and 6
West Contra Costa Unified School District
SPRING 2018
Madera Elementary School
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Orinda Middle School Individual Instrumentalists
Orinda Unified School District
FALL 2018
Korematsu Middle School Glee Club
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Dougherty Valley High School Chamber Singers
San Ramon Valley Unified School District