2026 Choral Workshop

Choral Workshop: Explore Early Music!
First Church Berkeley UCC (First Congregational)
August 10–15, 2026
Derek Tam, director

REGISTER NOW

Derek Tam • Magen Solomon • Zachary Gordin

At a Glance

After the success of last year’s mini-choral workshop, we are excited to bring a more comprehensive experience to the SFEMS community. If you are a singer who loves Renaissance and Baroque music, this is the place for you. This workshop will provide opportunities to not only sing a major work with a period orchestra—André Campra’s (1660–1774) now-rarely performed but once-beloved Requiem—but also opportunities for solo coaching, small ensemble work, as well as performing opera scenes. In addition, there will be technique classes and lectures on a variety of vocal and musical topics. Whether you’re testing the waters with early music, or are ready to go into a deep dive into historically informed performance, we are ready to accommodate you!

All singers must register for the choral-orchestral track, which involves preparing, rehearsing and performing the Campra Requiem. Rehearsals will be during the evenings of August 10–14, with a performance in the afternoon of August 15.

Rehearsals for small ensembles, solo coaching, and opera scenes will happen during the afternoons of August 10–14, with a performance in the late morning of August 15.  More information about registering for small ensembles, solo coaching, and opera scenes will be coming out in late February.

Those sessions will require an audio assessment and additional advance preparation.

We’ll be creating a special edition of the rarely-performed work, available later this spring – not available anywhere else.

Tuition

Choral track only (base tuition): $200

Add-on 1) Opera Scenes track: $250

Add-on 2) Small Ensemble track: $200

Add-on 3) Solo Coaching: $200

  • After the success of last year’s mini-choral workshop, we are excited to bring a more comprehensive experience to the SFEMS community. If you are a singer who loves Renaissance and Baroque music, this is the place for you. This workshop will provide opportunities to not only sing a major work with a period orchestra—André Campra’s (1660–1774) now-rarely performed but once-beloved Requiem—but also opportunities for solo coaching, small ensemble work, as well as performing opera scenes. In addition, there will be technique classes and lectures on a variety of vocal and musical topics. Whether you’re testing the waters with early music, or are ready to go into a deep dive into historically informed performance, we are ready to accommodate you!


    All singers must register for the choral-orchestral track, which involves preparing, rehearsing and performing the Campra Requiem. Rehearsals will be during the evenings of August 10–14, with a performance in the afternoon of August 15.

    Rehearsals for small ensembles, solo coaching, and opera scenes will happen during the afternoons of August 10–14, with a performance in the late morning of August 15.  More information about registering for small ensembles, solo coaching, and opera scenes will be coming out in late February. Those sessions will require an audio assessment and additional advance preparation.

  • We’ll be hosting the Choral Mini-Workshop on the grounds of First Church Berkeley UCC (First Congregational), Berkeley, CA at 2345 Channing Way.

    COMMUTER PARKING 

    There are a number of public parking lots and facilities near campus and in downtown Berkeley. The list below includes municipal and privately owned parking lots and garages open to the public. Please consult signs for hours and fees prior to entering the facilities.

    Telegraph Channing Garage has hourly rates

    First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley has an underground garage

    There is a covered pay lot at 2315 Ellsworth between the Berkeley City Club and St. Mark’s Episcopal.

    There is hourly street parking around our block. Street Parking Apps are Spot Hero and ParkMobile.

    First Congregational Church has a lot that you enter from west-bound Channing. Spots there are not guaranteed. $10 per day.

    UBER, LYFT, FRIENDS & FAMILY

    App maps don’t have the address quite right. They will land you on either Durant Ave. or Channing, neither of which have a proper door to enter the spaces we use. All our entrances are on Dana between Durant and Channing.

  • TUITION:
    Base workshop tuition (choral track) is $125.
    Added tuition for the one-on-a-part intensive is $150.
    Added tuition for the solo aria intensive is $100.

    Participation is the choral track is mandatory for the one-on-a-part and solo-aria intensives.

    Choral track singers must apply by August 16.

    One-on-a-part intensive and solo aria intensive singers must apply by August 5. Assignments for the intensives will be made no later than August 7.

  • Will we be tuned to A=440 Hz or A=415 Hz? We will tune to A=440 Hz.

    Can I see the music ahead of time? Choral singers will be provided a pdf file with learning tracks. For early perusal, view this choral score on IMSLP. and enjoy this 2004 performance on Youtube with Members of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis.

    May I register for the intensive only? No, participation in the Choral track is essential to the workshop. The intensive portion is an add-on to the workshop experience.

    What if I registered for the intensive without being placed? If you are not selected for participation in one of the Intensives, you will be refunded.

    If you have questions, please contact SFEMS administrator Stacey Helley at workshops@sfems.org.