Greetings! Over the past 25 years of Cantare’s Children’s & Youth Programs, we have brought music into the lives of over 21,000 Oakland youth. In preparation for our upcoming anniversary celebration this May, It Takes A Village, I have been reconnecting with alumni and digging up photos from the early days of our programs…and going through a lot of tissues in the process! Each year, our choirs have a unique feel and spirit, and I can remember every group like it was yesterday.

Alumni from the past 25 years are coming together, reconnecting as friends and singers to perform with us at these concerts. I am so excited to hear their voices again! It has been so meaningful for me to hear their stories, to meet their children and their partners, and to find out how they are using their voices in their adult lives. As I hear what singing has meant to our alumni as they were growing up and now as adults, I’m filled with pride that Cantare has been part of the formative memories and experiences of so many remarkable young people.

Please mark your calendars to be with us on Saturday, May 18 in Walnut Creek or Sunday, May 19 in Oakland at these special anniversary concerts. You are an important part of our extraordinary story and we want you with us to celebrate together in person. The diverse musical selections of these concerts will join the forces of over 200 adult and youth singers, including our incredible Chorale, Nova, our alumni choir and over 100 children from our elementary choirs, who bring so much joy, energy and artistry to the stage.

One piece our alumni will sing alongside current Nova and Music Stars singers is “Give Us Hope” by Jim Papoulis, which has been a favorite piece of mine over the years. The All Star Singers performed it at the Anaheim Heritage Festival in 2009 when they won Cantare’s first Gold Award. Nova performed it in 2011 at the Fox Theater for the inauguration for Mayor of Oakland Jean Quan. It was also the theme for our 2014 Spring Children’s Concert. The lyrics say, “We are the future, help us believe.” I am so proud that Cantare has provided the opportunity for so many young people to believe in the power and beauty of their voices and to share them with the world. Music has given our singers a lifelong means of expression, creativity and a way to tell their stories as they find their way in the world as educators, scientists, parents and community leaders. Our alumni are now bringing to fruition the next lines of the song: “Give us hope and we’ll show you the way!”

Julie Haydon Director of Children's & Youth Choirs

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