BC Chamber Singers concert to raise funds for European trip | Music

Over the past year and a half, members of the BC Chamber Singers each made a contribution to the cost as well as raised an impressive $85,000, with no financial assistance from the college.

The remaining $27,000 needed for the trip must be raised by Feb. 14, according to Jennifer Garrett, director of choral and vocal studies.

Garrett said the trip’s itinerary is packed with destinations and musical activities.

“They will visit Vienna, Austria; Prague, Czech Republic; and Leipzig and Berlin, Germany,” she wrote in an email. “They will perform with other university choirs in Vienna and Berlin, give their own concert in Prague, and give a recital in St. Thomas Church where Bach wrote music for 27 years.

“This is the tour of a lifetime and these students will come back different people. They will not only see some of the most significant sites in music history, they will also get to know and perform with other students in both Vienna and Berlin. They will also visit and sing at a concentration camp in Berlin.”

Along with the student performers, Saturday’s lineup includes notable local musicians, all with family connections.

Singer-songwriter Monty Byrom will play with the Byrom Brothers, which includes brother Tanner on drums along with bassist Gary Rink, Chris Neufeld on keys and vocals, and Paul South on guitar and vocals.

Jim Ranger, known for his second place win on NBC’s “The Voice,” is set to perform as will his mother, Lydia, who has recordings of her own and serves as a pastor at New Life Church.

Also on the bill are husband and wife team Ken and Jill Burdick, who have performed in community theater shows as well as promoting music education — Ken as a choir teacher at West High and Jill as vocal director for Music Fusion, an auditioned youth choir through the Boys & Girls Club, and assistant conductor for the Bakersfield Master Chorale with Garrett.

For the concert, the Chamber Singers will perform two pieces alone and then provide backup for some of the solo pieces by the guest artists.

Garrett wrote, “The music will be an incredible mixture of styles and genres and there will definitely be something for everyone! Having this kind of talent on one stage together is simply miraculous and all of Bakersfield should be at this concert.”

The evening will also include a raffle for a variety of baskets and a live auction. Raffle tickets will be sold before the concert and at intermission. Winners will be selected during the second half of the concert and live auction items will also be auctioned off then.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the indoor theater of the Edward Simonsen Performing Arts Center on the Panorama campus, 1801 Panorama Drive.

Although tickets are sold-out for an optional preshow concert, attendees will be able to purchase hot dogs and other concessions such as candy bars, chips and water starting at 6 p.m.

Parking for this event will be in the solar panel parking lot on Panorama Drive and Mount Vernon Avenue.

If you cannot attend the concert, donations can also be made to the Choral Music Fund at the BC Foundation at supportbc.org/donate.