Join the group the San Mateo County Times says "can do it all... And they do it all very well."
We are the Peninsula Musical Arts Association, formed to support community-based musical groups on the mid-peninsula. Based in Foster City, California, the non-profit corporation is entirely run by volunteers who are participants in its two performing groups. In cooperation with the Foster City Department of Parks and Recreation, we strive to bring to the community an appreciation of a broad range of musical literature.
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Sing-Along with the Foster City Community Chorus and Heart & Soul Thank you to all who attended our sing-along and silent auction. We had a lot of fun, sang an assortment of popular songs, and were entertained by our incredible musical director, Paul Hurst, on harp and piano. If you were one of the lucky people to win an auction item, we hope you enjoy it and thank you for your support!
I Hear America Singing May 3 & 4 The Foster City Community Chorus and Heart & Soul are pleased to invite you to our spring concerts, I Hear America Singing: A Celebration of America's Musical Heritage. You'll be treated to old favorites like "Shenandoah," "Georgia on My Mind," and "Bring Him Home," as well as some jazz, some swing, and we'll end with "From Sea to Shining Sea."
The concerts will be Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4 at 3:00 p.m. at a new venue for our groups, Trinity Presbyterian Church, at the intersection of Alameda de las Pulgas and Brittan Avenue in San Carlos. Tickets are $15, available from your favorite singer, by calling (650) 513-5522, or by sending an e-mail to boxoffice@peninsulamusicalarts.org. Reserve your ticket today to avoid disappointment!
Click here for a map to Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1106 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Carlos
Meet Paul Hurst The Board of Directors of PMAA is delighted to announce that Paul Hurst will continue as our Musical Director for the 2008 spring season. Paul is a world-renowned harpist, pianist, and vocal coach. He recently moved to the Bay Area from Santa Fe, New Mexico, which created a unique opportunity for him to join us. He has extensive musical theater experience, appearing in more than 55 productions in Los Angeles and San Francisco, directing 15 shows, and acting as chorus coach for many others.
Paul started his professional career on piano at age 14 in the LA area. He began conducting orchestras at age 17 and took up the harp at age 19. In addition, Paul has been a church organist and led a community chorus for about 8 years in LA. He has had a student client base for many years in the Bay Area as well as LA and Santa Fe. He has toured extensively in the U.S., Europe, and Japan and has produced 7 CDs. We should get him to tell us about his Las Vegas appearances, accompanying some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.
You can read more about Paul at www.harpmusic.com (click on the “Music Studio Santa Fe” portion on the left side of screen). Coincidentally, several of our chorus members heard one of his solo harp/piano concerts in Los Altos earlier in the year and specifically noted the "chills" they experienced and his wonderful engagement of the audience. Paul has promised that our holiday concert will include some harp pieces. His musical interests range from medieval chant and madrigals to Broadway, jazz, and swing (he scoffs at a claim in one web site that he is the world’s top-ranking jazz harpist).
The 2007 fall season proved to be an exceptional opportunity for our singers to work with a world-class musician, and the 2008 spring season is more of the same. Paul has kept his promise that rehearsals would be instructive, productive, and FUN. He prides himself on his patience and his rehearsals are described as "gentle."
Peninsula Choruses were Home for the Holidays December 1 and 2, 2007 Peninsula music lovers who were lucky enough to get tickets had an opportunity to hear the Foster City Community Chorus and Heart & Soul perform their 16th annual holiday concert, Home for the Holidays, on Saturday, December 1, and Sunday, December 2 at 3:00 p.m. at Transfiguration Episcopal Church, 3900 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Mateo. The concerts were sold out both days!
This festive concert was directed by internationally acclaimed harpist, Paul Hurst, and included choral numbers ranging from the classics of Pergolesi to holiday favorites by Mel Torme, John Rutter, and Harry Simeone, done in baroque, spiritual, jazz, folk, swing, and traditional styles. Randall Thompson's "Frostiana," a series of Robert Frost Poems set to music, will also be part of this eclectic holiday program. A harp prelude featured Director Hurst. The mightly Reuter organ led the audience in a sing-along of Handel's "Hallelujah!" chorus and favorite carols. And there was a visit from Santa Claus, and a reception following each performance.
PMAA is pleased to announce that it has been accepted to participate in the eScrip program. eScrip and partner merchants in the community reward customer loyalty by donating a percentage of purchases to participating organizations - one of them being PMAA. Some of the participating merchants include Safeway, Chevron, Andronico's, Cosentino's, Draeger's, Mollie Stone's, Pak 'N' Save, Von's, Carrow's Restaurants, Carl's Jr., Round Table Pizza, Lunardi's, Ducky's Car Wash, and Payless Shoe Source, just to name a few. This is a nationwide program, so even if you're not located in the San Francisco bay area, don't worry - there are lots of participating merchants in your area, too. Please visit www.eScrip.com to register your support for PMAA today. (We are listed as the "Peninsula Musical Arts Association," and our group ID number is 395834.) For more information on how to sign up, please visit our Support PMAA page. The eScrip program will allow PMMA to expand our mission of bringing quality music appreciation and education programs to the community. As always, your support is greatly appreciated!
