Local youth choral singers will bring British rock classics to life at Cantabile Youth Singers’ annual gala, scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday at Los Altos Community Center, 97 Hillview Ave.
Themed “A Celebration of British Rock ‘n’ Roll,” the gala will feature performances of songs by Queen and The Beatles by Cantabile’s performance-level middle and high school ensembles. The evening also includes a dinner, auction, silent auction, speeches and more – all helping to fundraise for the nonprofit organization.
“This is our large fundraising event of the year, and we are super grateful for our donors,” executive director VanNessa Hulme Silbermann said. “Being a nonprofit, especially in this time period, is challenging. I really love the idea of us coming together to celebrate live music, and everybody walking away knowing that they’ve contributed to this great organization.”
With a $100,000 fundraising goal for the night, Silbermann said 50% of donations will support student scholarships. Cantabile currently involves about 200 elementary, middle and high school students from throughout the Bay Area, with approximately 25% of them receiving scholarships, according to Silbermann.
“Cantabile has always been very focused on providing scholarships so that everyone has access,” Silbermann said. “Those scholarships pay for season participation as well as summer tour participation. The more we raise, the more scholarships we can give, which is a wonderful model.”
The other 50% will fund Cantabile’s operating costs, Silbermann said.
While many songs programmed for Saturday might be fan-favorites, rock tunes aren’t typical for Cantabile performances, which are usually classical choral pieces.
For Ashna Yadav, a senior at Homestead High School who has been singing with Cantabile since eighth grade, rehearsing for the gala emphasized different skills and details than her typical choir repertoire.
“We’re singing Queen and we’re singing The Beatles, so we rehearse those different emotions,” Yadav said. “What does angst look like? What does rebellion look like? We focus on those kinds of things because those are the themes you see in that music.”
Along with singing, Yadav is among the students and staff who will be giving speeches at the gala, emphasizing Cantabile’s mission and purpose for fundraising.
“I want to talk about the person Cantabile helped me become,” Yadav said. “I have never taken a voice lesson, but I think the reason why I progressed quickly is because of the community that we are – and that has really helped me feel confident.”
Helping students like Yadav find their voice is what Cantabile exists for, Silbermann said.
“One thing I love about our mission and vision is the idea that those who sing together find peace,” Silbermann said. “Cantabile firmly believes that when we make music together, we all become better. Anybody who comes to the gala will be blown away by not just the musicianship of the students, but the spirit and genuineness of the music.”
Individual tickets to the event are $250.
For tickets and more information, visit tinyurl.com/CantabileGala.
