Mother's Day Concert in Balboa Park

It's a gift not only for mothers, but for the San Diego community.

The Kiwanis Club of San Diego and the San Diego State University School of Music and Dance invite all music lovers to attend the annual free SDSU Aztec Choir concert in Balboa Park's Spreckels Organ Pavilion on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 9.       

"The annual concert makes it possible for the community at large to experience our students' talent and to enjoy the concert at the beautiful Balboa Park venue," said Donna Conaty, director of the SDSU School of Music and Dance.

"I applaud Kiwanis for presenting the concert and want to thank our faculty who spend hours inside and outside the classroom helping students prepare for such performances."

The Aztec Choir, directed by Chris Allen, is comprised of 150 SDSU students, both music majors and non-majors. From 5 to 6 p.m., the choir will perform selections spanning a wide variety of musical literature, from classical, folk, opera and spiritual to American musical theater. This year's vocal selections also include a tribute to Haiti.

Program

The program includes:

• "Pour Toi, Mere," a beautifully moving piece by Haitian composer Sydney Guillame
• "Ubi Caritas" by Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo
• "Shout Glory"
• "The Prayer," a duet made famous by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli
• "A Jubilant Song" by Rene Claussen with text by Walt Whitman
• "Fields of Gold," music and lyrics by Sting
• "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat" from Guys and Dolls
• "Good Morning Baltimore/You Can't Stop the Beat" from Hairspray
• "Belle Nuit," a popular duet from Tales of Hoffman

About Chris Allen

Choir Director Chris Allen has been involved in many facets of choral music in San Diego, including the:

• San Diego Opera
• San Diego Comic Opera
• San Diego Master Chorale
• San Diego Men's Chorus
• San Diego Women's Chorus
• San Diego Children's Choir

About the concert

The Mother's Day Concert in the Park is a "gift" to the community from the Kiwanis Club of Downtown San Diego. The San Diego Kiwanis Club has spent the past 90 years providing extensive community involvement programs for youth and the greater San Diego community.

"This Mother's Day Concert will also help celebrate our club's 90th Anniversary of serving the community with programs like this," said Kiwanis Club President Ethel Merriman.   

For more information on the Kiwanis Club or the Symphony in the Park, visit www.kiwanisclubsandiego.org.