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December is typically the busiest month of the year for choral musicians, and this year is no exception for the fine singers of Long Beach Camerata Singers. As the reputation of the group and of choral music grows in our area, the calendar has become crowded with concerts and performance engagements. First up for the holiday season, is Camerata’s own performance of Handel’s “Messiah” on November 30, 2018 and December 1, 2018. Marking the 11th annual mounting of this holid

Article By: HUNTER LEE | hlee@longbeachcameratasingers.orgscng.com | The Long Beach Camerata Singers used music and song to spread its message of unity at its annual Camerata Peace Project on Sunday. The Camerata Peace Project II began with a community roundtable discussion, moderated by Long Beach Councilmember Suzie Price, where attendees were encouraged to discuss the topic of love. Then, after Artistic Director James Bass’ signal, the rows of singers synchronized their

Article By: Asia Morris One by one, members of the Long Beach Camerata Singers file into rehearsal on a Tuesday night, the room growing louder as their energetic conversations bounce off the walls. In a matter of moments and with a flick of the wrist from artistic director James K. Bass, their voices come together to form a wave of breathtaking harmonies. On Oct. 7, the singers will perform during “The Hope of Loving”, a choral event exploring the nuances of how we show lov

In a recent interview with the Artistic Director of Long Beach Camerata Singers, Dr. James K. Bass, we discussed his approach to the group’s upcoming performance of Carmina Burana: Peanutsez: What makes Carmina Burana an enduring favorite? Dr. Bass: First of all, the piece has a special combination of rhythm, melody and imagery. PS: Imagery? DB: Yes! First there’s the big beginning, “O Fortuna,” and then we are immediately introduced to the imagery of spring — the ma

Why is Carmina Burana so popular? Perhaps it is the simple, repeated melodies, and the insistent rhythms. It is also the connection between past and present, the yanking of early medieval poetry into the present day and the universality of the human experience that we discovered in the process. Here’s a little background on the composer and the piece in advance of Long Beach Camerata Singers’ April 22 performance. Carl Orff (1895-1982) was a German composer known mainly f

It’s a good thing that Peanut wasn’t GF Handel’s dog — he never would have put up for being ignored during that 3-week period when the master composed Messiah! You can see that Mr. Peanut is ready for the holidays in this photo, wearing his little hunter’s cap. The little guy is surprisingly good natured about having his photo taken! Here’s some interesting trivia about this beloved piece for your reading pleasure: Messiah is rich with vast effects derived from simple means,

Mr. Peanut is getting ready for the Holidays. If you watched his Thanksgiving Message, you know he is expecting lots of goodies. Today Peanut would like to recommend that you attend the upcoming performance of Handel’s Messiah by the Long Beach Camerata Singers — it’s a holiday tradition! Here are 5 big reasons to attend this year’s show: Bring Family and Friends Together — In a world laden with consumer goods, why not invest in an afternoon with the people who are importa