The Vallejo Choral Society ushers in the season with ‘Carols and Lullabies’

VALLEJO – On Wednesday evenings, the Springbrook Masonic Temple in Vallejo fills with the sound of warm-up scales, harmonies, and the rustle of sheet music. For the Vallejo Choral Society, now in its 108th season, these midweek gatherings are not just rehearsals — they’re a ritual that has connected generations of singers since 1917.

“I know I speak for many members when I say our rehearsal night, Wednesday, it's our favorite night of the week,” said Laura Pyles, the choir’s board president and a longtime member.

With singers ranging from 17 to 93 years old, newcomers mix easily with veterans who have been in the choir for decades. 

“At the heart of it, it’s a community,” Pyles said. “It brings together people from different backgrounds who may not have had an opportunity to meet in any other circles of their lives, and yet, we come together and do this beautiful thing.”

This December, that “beautiful thing” is Carols and Lullabies, a seasonal program the symphonic choir will perform in Benicia and Vallejo on Dec. 13 and 14. The concerts pair two major works: Benjamin Britten’s ”Ceremony of Carols” and ”Carols and Lullabies” by Conrad Susa. 

The chamber choir will also present three shorter pieces — the French carol ”Noel Nouvelet,” the Ladino lullaby ”Durme, Durme,” and the beloved Ukrainian folk song ”Shchedryk,” a melody known here as “Carol of the Bells.” 

“Benjamin Britten is a 20^th century English composer,” said Julia Morris, artistic director of the Vallejo Choral Society. “He has a very modern sensibility when it comes to harmonies and melodies, but at the same time he’s accessible, and ‘Ceremony of Carols’ is a very joyful piece of work.”

Traditionally performed by harp and  a treble choir — a choir for soprano and alto — Morris has chosen a version written for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.

Susa’s “Carols and Lullabies” draws on Latin American and Spanish songs. “They're warm folk, traditional melodies that are arranged in a larger choral context,” Morris said. 

The work was commissioned as a companion to Britten’s. “It's interesting to juxtapose the two, because they are very different, and yet they have a lot of similarities,” Morris said. “They’re both written for harp but Conrad Susa also added marimba and vibraphone, a percussionist playing both instruments. It's a very unique sound.”

The concert will feature three guest musicians, Zane Mallet on harp, David Tanenbaum on guitar, and David Dieni on percussion. Tanenbaum and Dieni both worked closely with Susa during his years as chair of the composition department at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. 

“As a conductor you always want to try to stay as true to the composer's intention as possible,” Morris said. “It’s such a boon to be working with musicians who can give us some insight into his thoughts and his interpretation. It's a really special opportunity.”

Under Morris, the choir interprets masterworks of choral music but it has also ventured into new repertoire, exploring modern artists and women composers, and they have sung in over 33 languages. Morris has also deepened its relationship with audiences. 

During the performance she addresses the audience directly to provide background on the pieces the choir will perform, reflecting her belief that choral music is communal at its core. 

“We are all in this group because we love to sing, because we love music, because it moves us, and we want to wrap the audience in that experience as much as possible,” she said.

Joining the choir is simple. Interested singers can attend a rehearsal or contact the group via their website. No prior musical training is required. The choir offers a musicianship class before rehearsals to help members learn to read sheet music, and, Morris said, rehearsals are structured to make learning accessible. “We strongly believe that music should be for everyone,” she said.

Monthly membership is $40, with seasonal sheet music usually around $25. As a nonprofit, about one-third of income comes from dues, with the rest supported by concert tickets and grants. 

“We try to keep our costs for our members very reasonable, because we don't ever want the money to be a barrier to participation,” Pyles said. “We've worked with members in the past who are going through difficult times, and we're like, ‘it's more important that you're here, than that we receive your contribution.’”

The organization’s dedication to music education extends beyond adults. The Choral Society also sponsors the Campanelli Youth Chorus, an afterschool program for children from seven to 17. 

After years of fluctuating enrollment and funding challenges in their youth program, the choir partnered with the Greater Vallejo Recreation District following the COVID-19 pandemic. GVRD now provides space, administrative support, and promotion through its activity guide.

Classes meet Tuesdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Vallejo Community Center on 225 Amador St., and families can drop in anytime to check them out. Each session is $12, with scholarships available so cost never becomes an obstacle.

“It's more than just a chorus of kids, it’s really music education through choral arts,” Pyles said. “The kids are working on learning rhythm and tempo and intervals of notes. They're learning how to read sheet music, the words and the notes. They find the same joy in singing as adults do and our artistic director, John Montenero, makes it a lot of fun for them.”

And the benefits, she said, extend far beyond the classroom. “If they're learning music, they're learning another language, right? And that rewires the brain as well. So it's something that can benefit them for a lifetime.”

“Carols and Lullabies” will be performed on Saturday Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Benicia and Sunday Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. at the Springbrook Masonic Temple in Vallejo. Tickets are $20 dollars in advance and $30 at the door. Students are admitted free.

An abbreviated version of the program will be presented at St. Peter’s Chapel on Dec. 20 at 2 p.m. as a benefit for the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation.