2025-2026 Season:
Anchored In Justice - Reaching in Love
The Three B’s: Bach * Beethoven * Brahms
Cantare Chorale with Orchestra and Soloists
Saturday, March 21, 2026 -7:30pm; Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church
Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 4pm; First Presbyterian Church of Oakland
The Chorale will perform works by these three famous classical German composers featuring Beethoven’s Symphony #9, Mvt 4: Ode to Joy; Bach’s Motet #6: Lobet den Herrn, all Heiden, and Jesus bleibet meine Freude; and Brahms’ Nänie and Mvt 4 of his German Requiem, Wie lieblich sind seine Wohnungen.
General: $48 | Senior: $43 | Student: $15
Featuring soloists:
Shawnette Sulker
Laura Krumm
Samuel White
Kenneth Kellogg
Spring Concert: Give A Little Love
Aurora, Nova and Music Stars Youth Choirs
Friday, May 1, 2026 - 6:30pm; Oakland Temple Hill Auditorium
Our annual spring concert celebrating the hard work from all of our youth choirs! Music stars from Cleveland Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Melrose Leadership Academy, Piedmont Ave Elementary, and Lincoln Elementary, will join our advanced Nova and Aurora youth choirs for this concert honoring the second half of our season title, “reaching in love”.
Until All of Us Are Free
Cantare Chorale & Aurora Youth Choir
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 7:30pm - Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church
We close our concert season commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the signing of The Declaration of Independence, featuring the Cantare Chorale and Aurora Youth Choir. Our concert title, Until All of Us Are Free, addresses aspirations of unity, freedom, equality, the pursuit of happiness, the protection of individual rights and self-government in light of today’s realities. Included are William Billings Revolutionary song Chester (1778) and Hanson’s extended work from Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” entitled Song of Democracy, Garth Brooks’ We Shall Be Free, Keep Marching from the Broadway musical Suffs, Where Is the Love by the Black Eyed Peas, and settings of two spirituals. We also pay tribute to all who have served in our Armed Services with a medley of their iconic anthems, plus stunning arrangements of Lift EveryVoice and Sing and America the Beautiful.
Previously This Season:
Your Ticket to the Movies
Lafayette - Saturday, July 26, 2025 - 7:30pm
Oakland - Sunday, July 27, 2025 - 4pm
Join us for a variety of the American Film Institute’s greatest songs from the last 100+ years! Songs include “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”, “Singin’ in the Rain”, “Rainbow Connection”, “My Heart Will Go On”, and “Let It Go”.
People Get Ready
Cantare Chorale & Aurora Youth Choir
David Morales & Julie Haydon, Directors
Sunday, October 5, 2025 - 4pm; Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church
The perfect family outing! A concert for all ages that includes a medley of Duke Ellington songs and works by Copland, Alanis Morissette, Hagenberg, Jeffrey Ames, and Curtis Mayfield. Free ice cream for all from Loard’s Ice Cream - Orinda following the concert.
Pride & Joy: Rise Up Singing
Aurora, Nova & Music Stars Youth Choirs
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 -6:30pm; Oakland Temple Hill Auditorium
Our annual Fall youth concert celebrates our children, the pride and joy of our communities. Over 300 students from Cantare's youth choir programs will unite for an uplifting program featuring music from Civil Rights icons Mavis Staples and Curtis Mayfield and "Glory" from the movie Selma. This concert is free to attend!
Lead With Love
Cantare Chorale, Aurora & Nova Youth Choirs
Saturday, December 6, 2025 - 7:30pm; Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church
Sunday, December 7, 2025 - 4pm; First Presbyterian Church of Oakland
Our annual December holiday set, Lead with Love, is always a highlight for our audiences and will feature selections that focus on themes of the holiday season that include hope, promise, justice, love, peace, compassion, and unity. Included are works by Willan, Memley, Hailstork, Runestad, Ešenvalds, and others, including C. H. Johnson’s All of Us from Considering Matthew Shepard.
Cantare Annual Youth Recitals
Join us for our annual youth recitals celebrating the achievements of our advanced-youth singers! Enjoy both group performances and smaller groups showcasing our voice-lesson programs. Concerts will be followed by a reception for snacks and socializing!
Cantare in Action
Sanctus | Messa da Requiem | Giuseppe Verdi
Ol’ Man River | Jerome Kern, arr. Russell Robinson
Unclouded Day | Shawn Kirchner
Freedom Train | Rollo Dilworth
