Marin Men’s Chorus

At a wedding reception in Tiburon in 1980, a discussion took place about "why not get a group of guys together once in a while to sing college songs, and the like." John Doherty, Joe Bacheller, Ray Jasek and Tom Behrens were attending. Former Tiburon mayor Al Kuhn and his wife, Joy, hosted the wedding for one of their children. The idea caught on, and an evening was picked to meet at Del Mar School. A few phone calls were made, and a piano was available in the music room.

In February 1981 the first meeting of what became the Tiburon Men's Chorus was held in the music room at Del Mar School. A gaggle of more than 20 voices showed up. Professor Hy Krongard, who had been teaching vocal music and music appreciation for years at College of Marin and at Del Mar School and was a respected member of the musical community, became the first conductor.

Hometown: Tiburon, CA

Rock the Ages

There's the kind of rocker you sit on, traditionally on the front porch. And then there are the 30 members of a rather extraordinary choral group called Rock the Ages. Formed six years ago, Rock the Ages was inspired by a 2008 British documentary, "Young@Heart," that focused on the novelty of a New England senior citizen chorus singing contemporary rock and pop songs. Under the direction of Barry Blum, a professional musician and multi-instrumentalist, Rock the Ages has headlined at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley twice, opened for Huey Lewis and the News, and brought the house down at a recent concert of Bay Area choirs, most of them youth groups, at the Masonic in San Francisco.

Hometown: Mill Valley, CA

Yes M'am!

Yes M'am is a trio of three dynamic female vocalists who have teamed up to create saucy, spicy and surprising harmonies. Formed spontaneously in December 2014 to sing a song at the San Francisco Folk Music Club's annual Camp New Harmony, they discovered they had a terrific blend and a wonderful time singing together. "Each of us has a unique voice and style, so I was initially surprised that we sounded so good together," says Margaret. "But we were immediately asked when we would be performing next!"

They have now built an impressive repertoire of traditional and folk-influenced songs, are three-time performers at the San Francisco Free Folk Festival and have appeared onstage at the Historic Freight and Salvage in Berkeley. All three of them were born and raised in the bay area, and each has their own deep roots in vocal music.

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Marin Girls Chorus

The Marin Girls Chorus was founded by Martha Wall, in 1988, in response to a parent's request that Marin County offer something akin to the San Francisco Girls Chorus. In 1992, a Boys' Chorus was added, as well as a Junior Chorus for the youngest singers, and the name was changed to the Marin Girls and Boys Choruses. The Boys' Chorus proved difficult to support as a separate entity; so, in the fall of 1997, the name was changed once again, this time to the Marin Children's Chorus. In the fall of 2008, the chorus returned to its roots as the Marin Girls Chorus, as a treble-voice chorus that encompasses well over 100 finely trained singers in four levels.

Hometown: Multiple rehearsal sites throughout Marin, CA

Marin Oratorio

Boyd Jarrell serves as music director of Marin Oratorio and Director of Choral Activities at the College of Marin. Prior to assuming this post in 2004, he served San Francisco's magnificent Grace Cathedral as Cantor and Associate Choirmaster for over twenty-five years, where he trained the renowned boychoir. He is familiar to California audiences through his appearances with the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, the Oakland Symphony, and the Santa Rosa Symphony.

Hometown: Kentfield, CA

Rita and the Cosmos

"Rita & The Cosmos" is a Marin based a cappella singing group of six sassy gals. Our group (as pictured left to right: Bobbi, Carolyn, Toni, Rita, Lauren and Gloria) was formed in 2005 when Rita assembled some musically inclined friends. Our repertoire includes a mixture of standards, jazz, pop and Broadway tunes, featuring original, upbeat, four part arrangements that will get your fingers snapping and your toes tapping! The songs reflect themes of friendship, spirituality, romance and love. Selections by Berlin and Gershwin are among the crowd-pleasing favorites. We perform at formal and informal events including cocktail and dinner parties, holiday celebrations, other special occasions, as well as at senior living centers in counties throughout the Bay area. Requests for personalized parodies are happily accommodated.

Hometown: San Rafael, CA

Marin Baroque Chamber Choir

Marin Baroque Chamber Choir and period instrument Orchestra, founded in 2012 and directed by Daniel Canosa, is a 16-voice choir based in San Anselmo, CA. We present concerts in November and March, a smaller chamber concert in February, and an opera in our outdoor theater in June. Past concerts: Jewish Music of the Baroque; Handel- Italian Journey, including Dixit Dominus; Amor Sacro, Amor Profano, works by Monteverdi; Birds of Paradise- Exotic Music of the Old & New Worlds and the Latin American Missions; A Legacy: Buxtehude - Bach. Operas: Handel's Acis & Galatea, John Blow's Venus & Adonis, and Purcell's Dido & Aeneas. We are committed to music education and working with local youth artists in our Marin Baroque Academy.

Hometown: San Anselmo, CA

Novato Music Association Chorus

Hometown: Novato, CA

Singers Marin

Singers Marin, (Choral Singers of Marin) is an association of choruses that was founded to serve the community and preserve the integrity of the choral art. Singers Marin provides singers of all ages the opportunity to experience the joy of making music together and bring that joy to the community through our outreach program and public concerts. Most importantly, we strive for the highest level of musical standards in all of our presentations.

Founded by Artistic Director, Jan Pedersen Schiff in January, 1987, Choral Singers of Marin, Inc. became a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization in July, 1988 with Wings of Song as its first ensemble. This all-female, non-auditioned chorus continues to grow in numbers and in excellence. In September of 2001, the chorus expanded to serve more women by holding rehearsals during the daytime and evenings, which also increased the number of performances it provides for the elderly audiences of Marin. The group sings a repertoire of familiar songs, including light classical, folk songs, show-tunes, and popular standards. In 1994, Wings of Song hosted the California Women's Chorus Convention. The chorus recorded its first CD, Sentimental Journey, during the summer of 1999.

Hometown: Mill Valley, CA

‘Til Dawn

Based in San Rafael, CA, 'Til Dawn is a 15 piece a cappella group made up of teens from different high schools around Marin. We perform at a variety of concerts, festivals, elementary schools, public events, private parties, and business functions in and around the bay area. We love to sing, performing on average 40-50 times a year.

Hometown: San Rafael, CA

West Marin Choir

Common Voice is the Community Choir of West Marin, singing uplifting group harmony songs and chants from around the world. All voices are welcome, and absolutely no music or singing experience is required. Common Voice is a nonprofit program of Sound Orchard.

Hometown: Point Reyes, CA

Marin Harmony

Formerly known as Urban Harmony, Marin Harmony Chorus has been in existence for 20 years. The group was founded by Ed Cohn of the Edlos and previously directed by Rebecca Jones. Daria has been the director for the past 5 years. A prize-winning contestant at the Marin County Fair in 2010, Marin Harmony is a fun-loving community who brings joyous entertainment to families, friends, libraries, retirement communities and to each other.

Hometown: San Rafael, CA

Dominican Chorale

The Dominican Chorale is a community choral ensemble sponsored by Dominican University of California. The Chorale is open to all interested in singing choral art music, and serves as an academic credit ensemble for university music students and other students enrolled at Dominican. The Chorale is conducted by Francisco Ortiz, Adjunct Professor of Music in the Department of Music and Performing Arts and a Dominican alumnus, with a repertoire that includes works by the classical masters, as well as more contemporary composers. Rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings throughout the semester. Two concerts, accompanied by a small professional orchestra, are performed at the end of the each semester.

Hometown: San Rafael, CA

SoarSing

Led by Pollyanna Bush on the 3rd Saturday of every month, SoarSing unites people and offers soul nourishment through the magic of group singing. During the interactive session, participants are invited to connect with others through vocal expression, guided to sing in harmony with interlocking melodic and rhythmic parts and encouraged to explore their creative impulses in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Hometown: Fairfax, CA

Consort Chorale

Consort Chorale, founded in 1994 and directed by Allan Robert Petker, is an audition-only group of select singers from the San Francisco Bay Area who are dedicated to the chorale art form. Consort singers are committed to achieveing choral excellence across a broad spectrum of musical eras and styles. Every summer for the past ten years, the group has gathered for a solid week of rehearsals, culminating in a standing-room-only concert of choral classics from the Baroque age to the modern era. This unique "intensive" format provides an opportunity for singers to fine tune their skills while sharing their love of choral music through the ages.

Hometown: San Anselmo, CA

Threshold Choir

We are an international network of 130 choirs of primarily women's voices. In 20 of our choirs, men have joined to add their voices to the comfort we provide. In the Bay Area, there are Threshold Choirs in Santa Rosa, San Rafael, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Pacific Grove, Oakland, Berkeley, Davis and Sacramento.

Hometown: Inverness, CA

Marin Symphony Chorus

The 100-member Chorus of the Marin Symphony is featured yearly in the Symphony's concert programming.

The 44-member Chamber Chorus sings annual Holiday Choral Concerts in the San Rafael Mission Church. These concerts are presented on the first weekend of December and include a mix of world Holiday music, featured youth choirs, vocal soloists, Marin Symphony instrumentalists, smaller vocal ensembles, and audience-sung carols.

Hometown: San Rafael, CA

Lighthouse Singers Gospel Choir

The Lighthouse Singers is a interdenominational community-based gospel choir in Marin County, California. Directed by Reverend Ulis Redic, Jr., the choir's repertoire includes both traditional & contemporary gospel music. Founded by Helen J. H. Stephens in 1979, For over thirty years the choir has excited audiences throughout the U.S.A. in both multi-faith and multi-racial church services, community service performances, inspirational gospel workshops & national gospel conventions.

Hometown: San Rafael, CA

Marin Golden Gate Barbershop Chorus

The Marin Golden Gate Barbershop Chorus is a group of men who love to sing in the close harmonies of the Barbershop style.

Hometown: San Anselmo, CA

Mayflower Chorus

The Mayflower Community Chorus is the performing ensemble of the Mayflower Choral Society, a nonprofit organization devoted to supporting the educational and cultural benefits of musical performance to its members, the Marin community, and general public. The Mayflower Community Chorus has no formal auditions, but members must meet certain musical qualifications. Being a member of the Chorus requires regular attendance to build both shared choral experience and knowledge. We become an ensemble when you go from "I know this" to "We know this together" and from "I can do this" to "We can do this together."

Hometown: San Rafael, CA