The local vocal ensemble, Women of Note, is presenting ‘Love Lost,’ a concert featuring songs spanning five centuries. The first of two free performances is tonight at 8 PM in Christ Lutheran Church at 6500 Stearns Street, and the 2nd is this Sunday at 4 pm in St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, located at 7th and Atlantic.
Carla Strandberg, the director and founder of Women of Note, spoke about the music.
“Our programs are always eclectic,” she said. “We select a theme for our concert and then choose songs from all periods and genres to make up a varied and interesting program.
“This concert is called ‘Love Lost.’ Some songs are blue, such as Duke Ellington’s ‘Mood Indigo’ and others are hilarious, such as Stephen Sondheim’s ‘You Could Drive a Person Crazy.’ We contrast a 16th century madrigal, ‘Ojos Claros Y Serenos,’ wih a 21st century one, ‘His phone is Never On Anymore and I Sent a Text.’ Also, a soloist will sing Adele’s ‘Someone Like You.’
“We sing both accompanied and a cappella,” explained Carla. “Curtis Heard, choral director at Wilson High, has arranged ‘Falling in Love With Love’ for us for this program. Wilson Alum Bill Stein, will sing A House is Not a Home.’ Wilson Alum Carrie Janisch will sing ‘Guess Who I Saw Today.’ It’ll be a great show. Once people attend a concert, they tend to come back.
“A list of this concert’s repertoire is on our web site: WomenOfNoteLBCA.com. The site also tells a bit about us, how to engage a program, and how to become a participant.”
I asked Carla about the origins and history of the group.
“Women of Note began under the name ‘The Ovations,’ and was originally a fund-raising group for the Long Beach Symphony. We sang for groups in the community and gave our honoraria to the symphony, about $2,000 per year.”
Four years ago, the group detatched itself from the Symphony, and became Women of Note.
“We then reinvented ourselves,” Carla said. “We’re a secular community vocal ensemble. Membership is by audition. We rehearse once a week and give concerts, free and open to the public, in June and in December. Performing in two different parts of the city, and on two different days, helps us catch audience members at these busy times.
“There are 16 singers. We also have some ‘men of note’ who help us. One spouse plays guitar and ukulele when needed, as for ‘Bye Bye Love.'”
I asked Carla about her background.
“I was the choral director at Wilson High School from 1980 -92,” she said. “I began directing church choirs while still in my teens. I’ve been training singing groups for 60 years now and am really catching on how to do it. Nice thing about singing, you can never learn all there is to know about it. It never gets boring.”
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To learn more, visit WomenOfNoteLBCA.com.