The Biennial Choral Composition Competition is sponsored by a generous gift from David Chacko and Hannah Thomas. Samuel and Hannah Thomas began sponsoring this competition in 2008.  The SFCM Composition Department is grateful for the unique opportunity their generosity has provided for our student composers. 

Program

Tyler Kinnaman: To The Muses

Pavle Cajic: Moonrise

Zoe Yost: O Me! O Life!

Alex Rotundo: Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night

Jarron Carlson: i carry your heart with me
San Francisco Choral Artists

Grant Steinweg: I Will Sing to the LORD

José Vargas: Alleluia

Xingyue Song: The Sorrow of Love

Lawrence Pech: A Joyous Psalm

Max Marcus: Cantate Domino

Theo Popov: Zeug-o-Matic
International Orange Chorale of San Francisco

Artist

Magen Solomon, conductor
Active across the US and abroad as a clinician, teacher, and guest conductor, Magen Solomon has been Artistic Director of the San Francisco Choral Artists since 1995. Under her leadership SFCA has established the Composer-in- and -Not-in-Residence programs, the Composers Invitational, the New Voices Project competition (for composers under 30), and SFCA+1 to expand the repertoire for chamber choir and one instrument. She is also in her 10th season as Artistic Director of the 70-voice San Francisco Bach Choir, which specializes in Baroque and Classical works performed with period-instrument orchestras.
Dr. Solomon has taught at UC-Berkeley, USC, Santa Clara University, UC-Santa Cruz, Smith and Mount Holyoke colleges, and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and she maintains a private voice and conducting studio. Artistic Director of the Oakland Symphony Chorus for 12 years, Magen Solomon has also directed the Stockton Chorale, and the SF Girls Chorus; she has guest-conducted the California Bach Society, Pro Coro Canada, and other ensembles; and has collaborated with Michael Tilson Thomas, Nikolas McGegan, Helmuth Rilling, Kent Nagano, and Christoph von Dohnányi among others.
Dr. Solomon has chaired the ACDA's Herford Dissertation Prize committee since 2008 ; served for many years as editor for the ACDA’s ChoralJournal; and her scholarly performing edition of Johannes Eccard's "Newe deutzsche Lieder” (1578) has been published by A-R Editions.

Zane Fiala, conductor
Zane Fiala has been a member of the International Orange Chorale of San Francisco since 2007 and was named Artistic Director in 2009. During his time with the chorale, Zane has collaborated on concerts and new works with composers including Jake Heggie, Fredrik Sixten, Robin Estrada, and Caroline Shaw. In 2010, he conducted IOCSF in the West Coast premiere (and first-ever unaccompanied performance) of Milton Babbitt’s Music for the Mass. As director for IOCSF, Zane pioneered the Freshly Squeezed program—a concert entirely made up of premieres, presented every other year. His work with the ensemble has led to the premieres of over 100 compositions, including two of his own. He is also the producer and co-host of the choral music podcast, In Unison.
Mr. Fiala received his M.A. in Choral Conducting from San Francisco State University, where he studied with Dr. Joshua Habermann, and his B.A. in Jazz Studies from Columbia College Chicago.

Chris Filice, conductor
Chris Filice is a singer and teacher originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. Chris received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Master of Arts in Teaching at Westminster Choir College. While at Westminster, Chris participated in multiple choral ensembles, including the Westminster Williamson Voices. As a member of Williamson Voices, Chris sang on the Grammy-nominated recording of James Whitbourn’s Annelies. Chris returned to the Bay Area after graduating from Westminster to serve as the Director of Choirs at Livermore High School. In addition to IOCSF, Chris currently sings in The Same Stream, a professional choralensemble under the direction of James Jordan.

San Francisco Choral Artists
Winner of the 2019–2020 American Prize in choral performance, San Francisco Choral Artists (SFCA) are fostering the creation of new American choral music with five different programs and resulting in over 300 premieres. Their eclectic, imaginative programs offer new works, intermixed with the repertoire of the last 600 years, in performances of uncompromisingly high quality. SFCA has recorded 4 CD’s, been twice invited to perform for the American Choral Directors Association, and has twice received Chorus America/ASCAP’s prestigious Adventurous Programming award. They have collaborated with a diverse range of musicians, including jazz violinist Mads Tolling, harpsichordist Jillon Stoppels Dupree, the SF Chamber Orchestra, the Alexander String Quartet, The Whole Noyse, the Galax Quartet, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Der Kammerchor der Künste Berlin (Germany), and the Ateneo Chamber Singers (Philippines).

International Orange Chorale of San Francisco
Orange Chorale of San Francisco (IOCSF), led by Artistic Director Zane Fiala, was founded in 2003. Named after the color of the Golden Gate Bridge, the International Orange Chorale of San Francisco is an auditioned, all-volunteer chamber choir devoted to performing established repertoire of all periods, with particular attention to contemporary music, including newly commissioned works by promising composers.  IOCSF has performed world premieres of 25 choral works and has also presented regional premieres of five works, including Milton Babbitt’s “Music for the Mass,” Nico Muhly’s “Lorde Heare My Prayer,” Jake Heggie’s “Faith Disquiet,” and Pulitzer Prize- winner Caroline Shaw’s “Fly Away I.” IOCSF has collaborated with Frederica von Stade, Zheng Cao, Jake Heggie, and Nicolle Foland; appeared as part of the Noontime Concert Series at Old St. Mary’s Church and the Noe Valley Chamber Music Series in San Francisco; performed in collaboration with the Yale Glee Club at Grace Cathedral; participated in the Haiti Earthquake Relief Concert at the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland; and served as a Featured Ensemble at the Chorus America National Conference by giving both performances and master classes. Since its inception, the group has been committed to performing free concerts featuring challenging and imaginative a cappella choralprogramming.