Does your son spontaneously sing without realizing it?
Would you like for him to learn about other cultures and languages, experience the joys and challenges of performing, and develop a life-long love of music?
THE GOLDEN GATE BOYS CHOIR AND BELLRINGERS makes a tremendous impact in the education of boys and young men. With music as their vehicle, choristers learn to set priorities, make responsible decisions, relate to their peers, present themselves with grace and dignity, and gain self-esteem. Successful members graduate with music skills, but more importantly, with a deeper understanding of themselves and their ability to be leaders in their community.
THE GOLDEN GATE BOYS CHOIR AND BELLRINGERS is a music school committed to the tradition of boy choir training. We offer extensive instruction in musical skills and choral performance for boys and young men in the San Francisco bay area. The choir school develops vocal skills, knowledge of music theory, and repertoire which is proudly showcased in local, national, and international venues.
ABOUT OUR PROGRAM
Minnesingers
At this level, the boys vocal techniques are refined including the ability to sing easily and clearly in their head voice. Two- and three-part repertoire is learned, and more advanced theory is incorporated into the curriculum.
Master Singers
Our premier performance group has become internationally known for its excellence in the boy choir communities. They perform extensively throughout the year with Bay Area orchestras, opera, and ballet companies. This group takes on leadership roles by mentoring the younger boys and encouraging their success, creating a rewarding friendship for both.
Bellringers
Enriching the choral music program is our English handbell program, which provides in-depth experience in close teamwork, note reading, and rhythm. It also provides the opportunity for young men to remain active in the choir program and advance their music education as their voices change and mature.
Mens Choir
Further enhancing the GGBC, alumni, dads, older brothers, and other men from the community provide tenor and bass voices for the performance of great choral literature. Alumni are especially proud to rejoin their fraternity of fellow singers.
Boys ranging in age from 6 to 12 years old or boys with changed voices from 13 to 18 years old are accepted into the choir for a probationary three-month period. This time gives him and his family a chance to see the level of commitment and benefits of membership. Rehearsals for Apprentices are held once a week plus an additional once a month all-choir rehearsal. Minnesingers and Master Singers attend two rehearsals a week plus the monthly all-choir rehearsal.
Apprentices
This beginning choral group is taught early sight singing, elementary music theory, and performance techniques. Beginning polyphony helps train their ears to hold a pitch and harmonize with their fellow choristers. The older Master Singers act as big brothers to encourage and support the Apprentices learning.
In 2009, reported in their Choral Impact Study that children who participate in a choir improve their memory, listening skills, and creativity; moreover, they developed good practice and homework habits. Later in life, choral singers tend to be more involved in their communities and better team players. Golden Gate choristers learn to set priorities, make responsible decisions, relate to their peers, present themselves with grace and dignity, and gain self-esteem. Successful members graduate with music skills, but more importantly, with a deeper understanding of themselves and their ability to be leaders in their community.
THE GOLDEN GATE BOYS CHOIR is distinct in that:
Constance Torrey
Tim Silva
Dominic La Counte
Steven Meyer
Artistic Director
Samara Olivier
Therese Labuguen
Dominic Truoccolo
Mr. Meyer, a founder of the Golden Gate Boys Choir and Bellringers, has over twenty years experience working in boy choir programs. He directs the performance group of the Golden Gate Boys Choir and also directs the internationally acclaimed Ringmasters of San Francisco Bay. In addition to his work with the GGBC, Mr. Meyer is director of music and organist at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School and Church in San Francisco and the Director of Music at All Saints School in Hayward.
Under his direction since 1988, the Choir has gained much worldwide fame through numerous national and international tours. In 1990, his Ringmaster group had the honor of being the showcase handbell choir for the AGEHR (American Guild of English Handbell Ringers) Area XII convention in Sacramento. The choir has also performed at St. Peters Basilica in Rome three times for Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.
Accompanist & Vocal Coach
Mrs. Torrey, formerly organist and choirmaster at the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation in San Francisco, freelances as a substitute organist, especially at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation in San Francisco. Mrs. Torrey is the main vocal coach for training the boys to perform their solos for promotion in the choir groups and for the opera (San Francisco Lyric Opera).
Tim Silva has been with the choir since 1999, first as a singer and ringer, then as an alumni volunteer, and now as a teacher. He received a bachelor's degree in Music Education and Composition from UCLA, as well as a California K-12 teaching credential in music. He also studied at the Boston Conservatory, and Holy Names University,
where he earned a certificate in the Kodaly Method of music educationin 2011. He is the music teacher at St. Leander School in San Leandro. Passionate about spreading the joy of music, Tim spends his energy practicing, performing, teaching, learning, organizing musicians, hosting concerts, and writing music... and playing softball.
Ringbearers Director & Theory Coach
Dominic is an alumnus of the GGBC Choir Program, and a student at Stuart Hall High School for Boys in San Francisco. Young Mr. La Counte is an assisting cantor at Saint Vincent de Paul Parish in San Francisco. Dominic participated for three years as a selected participant in the National Catholic Honor Youth Choir at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota.
Assistant Conductor &
Director of Ringmaster Handbell Group
Dominic Truoccolo, since our 2011 Summer Camp, has been the assisting conducter and director of B1, our Ringmaster Handbell Group. He is an alumnus of the GGBC Choir program, and is a student at Saint Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco. Young Mr. Truoccolo is an assisting cantor at Saint Vincent de Paul Parish in San Francisco.
Administrative Assistant
Ms. Olivier is the administrative assistant for the Golden Gate Boys Choir and Bellringers. She is also a music teacher at St. John Catholic School and has an Masters of Arts degree in music. Ms. Olivier is a former assistant director of the GGBC.
Orff Specialist
Mrs. Labuguen holds a Bachelor of Music with an emphasis in Music Education from California State University, Long Beach, and a K-12 California teaching credential in music. She was also awarded an Orff Schulwerk certification from the San Francisco Orff Course. Mrs. Labuguen has taught at St. Philip Neri in Alameda, Wilson Elementary in San Leandro, and Las Lomitas Elementary in Atherton, and currently teaches private piano lessons and homeschool music classes. Her older son Dominic, joined the GGBC in March of 2011, and her younger son Benicio, aspires to be in the GGBC like his big brother.
Board of Directors
President
F. Christopher Ford
Secretary
Jennifer Carini
Treasurer
J. Anthony Hanley
Members
Keith Cosbey
Tom Bartley
Martie Canterberry
Barbara Pinto Choate
Musical Advisors
Donald Allured t
Kenneth Z. Mansfield
Rufus Olivier, Jr.
Dr. David Stein
Matthew Walsh
If you have a boy age 6 to 13 who loves to sing...
The Golden Gate Boys Choir is currently holding auditions.
No experience is necessary --- just a love of singing and a heart for music!
To request an audition, please contact:
Director Steven Meyer at (510) 887-4311 or
St. Marys Cathedral, Downstairs Choir Room
1111 Gough Street at Geary, San Francisco
Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Parish Center
2808 Lakeshore Avenue, at Boden Way (near HWY 580), Oakland
All Saints Catholic School, Auditorium
22870 2nd Street (between C & D Streets), Hayward
St. Vincent de Paul Church, School Music Room
2320 Green Street at Steiner, San Francisco
St. Peters Episcopal Church, 6013 Lawton Avenue at Broadway, Oakland
**This combined rehearsal is held on the 2nd Saturday of every month.
Mondays:
Wednesdays:
Thursdays:
Fridays:
Singers Saturdays:
GGBC produces several concerts throughout the year. Our Christmas Concert initiates the holiday season, then later in December the Old English Christmas Feast and Revels features a five-course English feast in the midst of poetry, readings, trumpet fanfares, and holiday carols. The pageantry and magic of the holiday season comes alive with singers in full costume. In the spring, the choir produces two spring concerts and a Bell Spectacular to highlight our Bellringers. Carl Orffs Carmina Burana was produced in 2011. Previous works have included Ode to the Virginian Voyage (Thompson), Requiem (Fauré), Saint Nicolas (Britten), Ceremony of Carols (Britten), Chichester Psalms (Bernstein), and Fantasia on Christmas Carols (Vaughan Williams). Additional performance opportunities include weddings, Mass liturgies, and private events.
The choirs talents have been distinguished during its national and international tours, which typically occur every two years. As a member of Pueri Cantores, an international Catholic choral organization that provides opportunities for school-aged youth choirs from all backgrounds to participate in liturgical music, Golden Gate Boys Choir attends the international choir festival every four years. In January 2011, forty of our members sang for the Pope's New Years Day Mass in Rome. Moreover, the choir has conducted successful tours in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America including singing at the White House and United Nations.
Our two-week camp is an integral component of the GGBC experience. Boys participate in either overnight or day camp where they have daily instruction in sight-singing, vocal technique, ear training, music theory, solo coaching, and group rehearsals. Various music approaches such as Kodály and Orff Schulwerk are utilized. Additional activities include team and individual sports, campfires, arts and crafts, star gazing, and skits. Camp directors and staff members are the same dedicated music staff and alumni that are known to the boys and their families throughout the year.
All Boys Can Sing!
February 24, 2012
7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
All Saints Catholic Church
22824 Second Street, Hayward, CA
$10 per person
Go to - Boys Can Sing TOO! for more information.
Support the Golden Gate Boys Choir Today!
The Golden Gate Boys Choir & Bellringers relies on generous gifts and contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations to support our program. Donations are used to award Summer Camp and Tuition Scholarships to boys who would otherwise not be able to participate. All Gifts and Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
To make a Secure, tax-deductible Donation NOW,
simply click on the link on this page.
Other wonderful ways YOU can support the GGBC...
The GGBC is a California nonprofit 401(c)(3) organization. Federal Tax ID#94-3093661.
Your Product 1
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur ut dolor est, vitae laoreet est. Praesent aliquam erat quis dui luctus ut placerat dolor pharetra. Phasellus eget libero eget dui dictum tempor commodo
$19.99
Your Product 2
$99.99
Your Product 3
$1000
Your Product 4
Your Product 5
$9.99
Your Product 6
$199.99
Your Product 7
$1.99
Your Product 8
$1299
CHECKOUT
Golden Gate Boys Choir
480 Larchmont Street
Hayward, CA 94544
T 510 / 887.4311 or
415 / 431.1137
F 510 / 786.2458
BOOK
THE GGBC
FOR YOUR
NEXT EVENT
(click for details)
Copyright 2011 Golden Gate Boys Choir & Bellringers
The Golden Gate Boys Choir boys group and the Ringmaster Handbell group can perform for a variety of events, in addition to their annual self-produced concerts.* The choir and bellringers have appropriate music available for liturgical weddings, general entertainment for community concerts and patriotic music for conventions and special meetings.
Generally speaking, the GGBC requires a minimum of three (3) months advance notice in order to calendar a special event such as a wedding, convention or concert performance.
The GGBC is a member of the International Boy Choir Federation, Pueri Cantores International, and as such also maintains a repertoire of sacred and classical music appropriate for most church services. The choir sings a monthly Catholic Mass at Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in San Francisco (2320 Green Street), on the second Saturday of each month at 5:15 p.m.
For information about booking the choir, please contact the artistic director, Steven Meyer, via telephone (510) 887-4311 or email at
