Oakland Youth Chorus to perform at Arts Day event

By Eldridge "Big Cat" Tolefree

On Friday, Oakland will present the first annual Oakland Arts Day Ceremony and Reception in celebration of California Arts Day. The free National Arts and Humanities Month kickoff event will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Oakland City Hall.

    Featured performers include Oaktown Jazz Workshops with Khalil Shaheed, AXIS Dance Company and Prescott Circus Theatre. Oakland filmmaker Mateen Kemet, a recent finalist on FOX-TV’s “On the Lot,” will serve as a guest speaker.
    The Oakland Youth Chorus (OYC) will also perform at the event. Goapele and LaToya London of “American Idol” fame credit OYC with providing great leadership training and connecting them with wonderful friends.
    OYC formed in 1974 to bring teens together from disparate areas of Oakland to make great music and foster understanding between youth from different backgrounds and ethnic identities. Thirty-three years later, OYC has expanded into a major music education organization and concert chorus. The concert chorus is a performing ensemble of singers from Bay Area high schools and colleges. The group performs music from many genres, including pop, classical, world music, African American spirituals and original works. They have performed at the White House and with Bobby McFerrin, the Oakland Symphony and Oakland’s Interfaith Gospel Choir.
    The ensemble will tour next spring and have lots of performances scheduled this semester, including a national anthem appearance at a Raiders game in October.
    For more information, visit www.oaklandyouthchorus.org.

Send your comments to Big Cat at insidebuzz@yahoo.com.