The Santa Cruz Chorale presents a benefit concert in support of the people of Ukraine

The Santa Cruz Chorale presents a benefit concert in support of the people of Ukraine

Conductor and artistic director Christian Grube offers a personal invitation:

“Having lived through the war in Germany as a child, seeing the faces of traumatized children, surrounded by devastation and hiding behind their mothers’ skirts brings back memories of that kind. In addition, my wife and I lost our home and all our belongings in the CZU fire, and we are experiencing the impact of that loss on a daily basis. Watching images on TV of the unbelievable tragedy unfolding in Ukraine makes us all feel absolutely helpless. But when a friend of the Santa Cruz Chorale, Julia Fuerst, suggested that the Chorale might sing a benefit concert for Ukraine, it made me realize that, with music, we are not helpless—and the entire Chorale wholeheartedly agrees! Our concert will give the community an opportunity to demonstrate their support for the Ukrainian cause with generous financial donations that help alleviate the suffering—while the healing power of music will hopefully help lift our own spirits.
I have chosen settings of prayers for peace from centuries past, including the Gregorian “Da Pacem Domine;” Psalm settings from Mendelssohn’s “Elijah,”; “Shalom Aleichem,” by Aldema; The “Agnus Dei” from Josquin’s Missa da Pacem; “Call to Remembrance,” by Farrant and “Cantique de Jean Racine,” by Fauré. The audience will be invited to add their voices at the end of the concert, as we sing the “Dona Nobis Pacem” round.”

Admission will be by donation, and all proceeds will go directly to Save the Children to support their current humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
Masks and proof of vaccination are required for admission.

Donations can also be made at the Santa Cruz Chorale website www.santacruzchorale.org (when entering donation details, click “Add a special message” and enter “Ukraine Benefit”).

Alternatively, checks made out to “Save the Children” can be mailed to the Santa Cruz Chorale at PO Box 272, Santa Cruz, CA 95061.