Ask enough of your neighbors, and you’ll find one or two at least who are involved in a chorus somewhere. There are hundreds of local groups, if you count church choirs, and a goodly number even if you don’t. Bay Area choral aficionados have a lot to choose from, but the concerts listed here are hugely appealing, even if you don’t sing in the shower yourself.
Chanticleer: Out of This World
The men of Chanticleer are one of the most familiar choral groups in America, and they live up to their reputation. While the roster changes bit by bit with the passing years, the velvety sound does not. Although many people catch up with them at their Christmas concerts, they actually have a wide-ranging repertoire, as they demonstrate in this concert about stars, planets, and heavens, which includes a premiere by Mason Bates, plus everything from Renaissance composers to Schumann and Gershwin.
Chanticleer, Out of This World, Sept. 17, 8 p.m., Sept. 19, 5 p.m., S.F. Conservatory of Music; Sept. 21, 8 p.m., Lesher Center for the Performing Arts, Walnut Creek, $20-$44.
California Bach Society: Purcell and Handel
The California Bach Society, under Music Director Paul Flight, sings with remarkable assurance and style. The group belongs to that second tier of choral groups that can surprise you with a great performance on any given day. On this program, you’ll hear Purcell’s suave Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day and Handel’s dramatic cantata Acis and Galatea, with a fine trio of singers (tenor Brian Thorsett, soprano Ann Moss, bass Jeff Fields) taking the leads.
California Bach Society, Purcell and Handel, Oct. 22, 8 p.m., St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, S.F.; Oct. 23, 8 p.m., St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park; Oct. 24, 4 p.m., St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Berkeley, $10-$25.
San Francisco Girls Chorus: The Power of Place
Here’s a group that can sing anything at all, in almost any language conceivable, and sing it beautifully. The difference is, they’re teenagers. We bow before Music Director Susan McMane, whose accomplishments with the organization, particularly its top-level Chorissima group, are nothing short of astounding. Who cares what’s on the program? Just get your tickets.
San Francisco Girls Chorus: The Power of Place, Oct. 22, 8 p.m., Calvary Presbyterian Church, S.F.; Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m., First Congregational Church, Berkeley, $18-$35.
San Francisco Symphony Chorus: Carmina Burana
It’s easy to forget that one of the most active choruses in the Bay Area is attached to the San Francisco Symphony. A month before the S.F. Symphony Chorus delivers for John Adams in the composer’s oratorio El Niño, the gloves come off for Carl Orff’s incredibly popular choral free-for-all, Carmina Burana. It’s a great showcase for this outstanding group, which has done so well under the directorship of Ragnar Bohlin. It’s also a showcase for the Pacific Boychoir. And the Crowden School Allegro Chorus and three soloists and the entire orchestra. (Makes you wonder what Orff’s parties were like.)
San Francisco Symphony, Carmina Burana, Nov. 3-5 and Nov. 8, 8 p.m., Davies Symphony Hall, S.F., $35-$135.
Chora Nova Sings Joseph Haydn
Another Paul Flight–directed group, Chora Nova, thinks big. It gets a nod here for programming: three masterworks by Haydn, including the Harmoniemesse (Mass with wind band), and Der Sturm (The storm), both of them less-frequently performed. And the finale is given over to the Te Deum for Empress Marie Therese. If you love your Haydn, you have to make time for this concert.
Chora Nova, Nov. 20, 8 p.m., First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, $10-$20.
American Bach Soloists: The Messiah
I know I promised no Christmas concerts, but if hearing this work performed by the period-instrument specialists American Bach Soloists in the incredible ambience of Grace Cathedral is on your Christmas to-do list, you have to get tickets ASAP. Really, there are people out there writing down their gift shopping lists right now, with the majority of seats to this seasonal highlight already gone and no rafter seating in the cathedral. Don’t wait.
American Bach Soloists, The Messiah, Dec. 16-17, 7:30 p.m., Grace Cathedral, S.F.; Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m., Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, UC Davis, $20-$70.
And bear in mind ...
Artists’ Vocal Ensemble (AVE),Wise and Foolish Virgins, Oct. 1-2. An excellent small chorus performs a program based on a Gospel parable.
Sanford Dole Ensemble, The Unicorn in the Garden by Ken Malucelli (premiere), and other contemporary works. Oct. 17.
Masterworks Chorale, Brahms Requiem, Oct. 23-24. Hard to get tired of this particular masterwork.
Sacramento Choral Society, Cathedral Vespers, Oct. 30. Mozart’s Solemn Vespers and other evening service works, performed in Sacramento’s Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.
Pacific Collegium, Monteverdi’s Vespers, with The Whole Noyse, Oct. 30-31. If you haven’t heard this masterpiece performed during its anniversary year, this is pretty definitely your last Bay Area chance.