Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Rehearsing for their Feb. 16 performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City are members of Jazz Purr (from left) Bryan Giese-Gardner, Ruby Aikman, Wade Harada and Georgeann O'Brien.

Los Gatos students are singing everywhere

By Shari Kaplan

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it's also among the busiest for members of two Los Gatos High School choral groups--Jazz Purr and the Concert Choir--both of which have performed or will be performing challenging repertoires at prestigious locales.

On Feb. 21, the LGHS Concert Choir, joined by the Leigh High School Concert Choir, will sing with the San Jose Symphony Youth Orchestra at the Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Jose. Los Gatos' 65 choir members and Leigh's 90 will sing along to opera choruses from La Traviata, Il Trovatore, Nabucco, Rigoletto and Carmen.

"This is the first-ever collaboration between the Youth Orchestra and choirs from the community," SJSYO music director Yair Samet said. "It will give the young artists the opportunity to broaden their knowledge and repertoire."

It so happens that nine LGHS students are also members of the senior orchestra division of the SJSYO and will be playing during the performance: Anna Bechen, Chris Choi, Lee Droese, Todd Fisher, Daniel Grin, Brian Hwang, Lisa Hwang, Gavin Johnson and Monica Nguyen.

The LGHS Concert Choir is a choral ensemble that is part of the regular school curriculum for its members, who rehearse daily under the direction of Diana Pleasant, chairwoman of the LGHS Performing Art Department. Stan Neff is director for Leigh's choir.

On Feb. 16, Jazz Purr was one of 10 vocal groups from around the world to perform at New York's Carnegie Hall during the North American Vocal Jazz Extravaganza. Jazz Purr, which consists of 11 students and a three-piece rhythm combo, earned the invitation based on the group's record for excellence in performance and professionalism in other concerts and venues.

The program in which Jazz Purr and the other groups participated was directed by Phil Mattson, director of the School for Music Vocations at Southwestern Community College in Iowa. He is also an active conductor, pianist, arranger and clinician.

"Phil Mattson is a friend and a professional colleague. I'm thrilled for our students to have this opportunity to work with [him]," Pleasant said before the group left.

"He'll be critiquing them, as well as giving workshops on jazz singing, improvisation and vocal jazz history. This will be an intense educational experience."

Jazz Purr members singing at Carnegie Hall were Ruby Aikman, Seb Bailey, Logan D'Arcey, Bryan Giese-Gardner, Wade Harada, Alyssa Henrichsen, Kristin Hoeft, Gavin Johnson, Jordan Kaplan, Georgeann O'Brien, Dave Stege, Kim Tanner and Rachel Williams.

Tickets for the Feb. 21 performance, which begins at 3:30 p.m., are $6 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. For more information, call the San Jose Symphony Box Office at 288-2828 or Youth Orchestra manager Jennifer Teisinger at 287-7383 ext. 231.

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