OPEN REHEARSALS!

OPEN REHEARSALS!

Come and join us!

Our current ensembles include:

*NEW* Intro To Singing Class, Grades K-2 —Mondays, 4pm - 4:45pm (All are Welcome)

*NEW* Girls/Mixed-gender Choir Grades 3-8 — Wednesdays, 4pm - 6pm

Boy’s Choir, Grades 9-12 — Mondays, 4:45 pm - 7:15pm

Boy’s Choir, Grades 6-8 — Mondays & Wednesdays, 4pm - 6pm

We are hoping to expand, so if these options don’t work for you, please let us know and we’ll work on making a space for you.

REGISTER

Interested? Come check out any of our free rehearsals throughout the month of January

Our kick off rehearsals will be January 12th and 14th, so please join us on those days for treats, music, and fun! RSVP at the link above.

If you like what you see, enroll day-of for 50% off your first full month of tuition.

Questions? Email walbrecht@sfems.org

Watch the Berkeley Youth Choir Holiday Concert

Missed the concert? You can now watch the full Berkeley Youth Choir Holiday Concert, recorded on December 20 at First Church Berkeley UCC (First Congregational). This special performance marked the debut of the Berkeley Youth Choir and features festive music, holiday cheer, and the results of their hard work this season.

The Berkeley Youth Choir is ready to foster the next generation of singers!

Founded in the fall of 2025, the Berkeley Youth Choir is rooted in our mission to expand access to music education. This choir will empower young singers to develop their voices, artistry, and sense of community. Through rigorous training and meaningful performance opportunities, it builds pathways for lifelong engagement in the arts.

The Berkeley Youth Choir is a vibrant training and performance program for young singers, offering exceptional musical education grounded in centuries of choral tradition. Participants will explore a wide range of repertoire, develop healthy vocal technique, and build strong ensemble skills under the guidance of experienced faculty. Through rehearsals, performances, and community-building activities, choristers learn the discipline, teamwork, and artistic expression that define great singing.

In addition to local concerts, the choir will participate in tours and competitions, giving young musicians the opportunity to share their artistry with audiences across the country and around the world. These experiences foster confidence, broaden cultural understanding, and create lifelong memories for participants.

The program currently offers middle school and high school ensembles, with future plans to expand to younger students, ensuring a clear pathway for early musical engagement and growth. We hope you will join us on this journey!

If you think you may have a young singer who is interested, please contact Willa Albrecht at walbrecht@sfems.org.

Stay tuned for an announcement soon about elementary school singer enrollment in the spring!

Meet the Faculty

  • Black and white portrait of a man in formal attire with short hair, wearing a tuxedo and bow tie, against a plain background.

    Derek Tam

    DIRECTOR

    The Executive & Artistic Director of SFEMS as a whole, Derek has extensive experience working with youth choral ensembles. For four years, he served as artistic director of the 70-voice Star Valley Children’s Choir, and he was also responsible for resurrecting a choral program at Berkeley High School in 2013, He is excited to work again with developing singers to expand their knowledge and passion for choral singing.

  • A young woman with short brown hair, smiling, wearing a green top, earrings, and a necklace, outdoors with trees and a metal gate in the background.

    Willa Albrecht

    INSTRUCTOR

    A Pomona College graduate with a B.A. in Music, Willa has a deep background in choral performance, leadership, and education. She has sung with the Pomona College Choir, Glee Club, and Coro Des Moines Choral Festival, performing a wide range of repertoire in both domestic and international settings. Willa is excited to bring her love of choral music and teaching to the Berkeley Youth Choir.

  • A portrait of a young man with curly brown hair, blue eyes, and light facial hair, wearing a white T-shirt against a black background.

    Evan Alparone

    INSTRUCTOR

    A Bay Area native with 15 years of teaching, conducting, and accompaniment experience, Evan Alparone earned his B.A. from University of California, Los Angeles and studied choral conducting at San Francisco State University. He served as Choral Director at Moreau Catholic High School and has music-directed more than 90 musicals, including Off-Broadway productions and major Bay Area theatre projects. Currently Music Director at Bethany United Methodist Church in San Francisco, Evan brings his passion for ensemble singing and musical theatre to every rehearsal and performance.

  • Rita Lilly

    INSTRUCTOR

    Rita Lilly has been lauded by The New York Times for “possessing a voice o strength, clarity, and virtuosity” and by the S.F. Classical Voice for “having a pure, silvery voice with plenty of color.” Specializing in baroque, classical and contemporary music, Rita has been a featured artist with the American Boychoir, American Classical Orchestra, Artek, Clarion Music Society, Concert Royal, Folger Consort, Gotham Early music series, New York Consort of Viols, Ojai Music Festival and Sacabuche, among others. As the soprano of the Waverly Consort, she toured throughout the U.S. and abroad, including performances at Alice Tully Hall and Town Hall in NY. Rita has been featured on live broadcasts on WNYC, WNCN, National Public Radio, and Radio-Canada.an active vocal studio in her home.