Eric Whitacre

Eric is honored to be leading the Big Sing California in collaboration with the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Read the full press release below.

The 2017/18 season will further expand beyond Los Angeles culminating in July 2018 with a state-wide shared singing project called Big Sing California. The Los Angeles Master Chorale aims to engage with a broad cross-section of people throughout the state beginning in 2017 and leading up to a concert led by Swan Family Artist-in-Residence Eric Whitacre in Walt Disney Concert Hall in July 2018 that will be live-streamed. Expanding beyond existing choirs and singing groups, it will encourage people of all ages and abilities to find their voice and be part of a group experience, learning new techniques and songs together. No previous singing experience is necessary and the aim of the project is to be open to all.

“When you sing in an ensemble you learn compassion, you learn empathy, you learn discipline, you learn history, you learn focus—all of these things that are essential for every part of your life,” said Whitacre. “But with choral music you get the addition of language so you’re beginning to sing and think about the great questions of the human mystery: why are we here? What are we doing? What is love? What is death? You start to build an ethical foundation through the art that you’re singing. Then, on top of that, there is study after study showing the health and welfare benefits of singing. We now know that just singing together in a group reduces the stress hormone cortisol, it releases endorphins, it causes a sense of joy and euphoria and it creates a physiological bonding chemical between the people in the room.”

Participating Big Sing California groups will connect by learning the same pieces of music. A Big Sing California website will be developed and serve as a resource center for Los Angeles Master Chorale-curated materials and online tutorials to guide the participants in learning and rehearsing the program. Participants will be invited to connect with each other through the website and build an online community as the project progresses. On the day of the performance, some participants will attend and sing at Walt Disney Concert Hall while others will watch and sing via a live-stream, allowing for world-wide participation.

To learn more, contact Adrien Redford, Audience Engagement Coordinator, at [email protected].

The Big Sing California is supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation, with additional funding provided by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.

Eric Whitacre, master of ceremonies
Grant Gershon, conductor
Los Angeles Master Chorale
Guest Conductors & Guest Artists