User:Pchoirs/"Piedmont East Bay Children's Choir"

The Piedmont East Bay Children's Choir is a regional choral program in the San Francisco Bay Area, offering a comprehensive program of musical training, performance and tours. The choir was founded in 1982 by Susan Rahl and Robert Geary and today enrolls over 300 children ranging in age from 5-18.

Choral Program
The choral program is divided into two divisions: the Training and Performing departments.

The Training Department, for beginning singers, provides a thorough grounding in the basics of singing and music theory, helping students to build their skills at a steady pace while keeping the emphasis on “fun.”

The Performing Department choir groups represent the pinnacle of children’s choral training and performance. Students at this level learn discipline, teamwork and musical professionalism, and build life-long friendships.

Tours
Annual performance tours, with appearances at national and international choir festivals and competitions, have been a hallmark of the Piedmont East Bay Children's Choir experience since 1984. Through touring and cultural exchange, Piedmont East Bay Children's Choir members form relationships with children from other local, national, and global communities, promoting cross-cultural understanding through the sharing of music.

Awards and honors
The Piedmont East Bay Children's Choir has received the following awards:
 * Grand Prix St. Petersburg Choral Festival: Gold Medals in the Spiritual/Gospel/Jazz, Folklore, and Children's Choirs categories (2008)
 * Hong Kong International Children’s Choral Festival: Gold Medals in both the Children's Choir and Contemporary categories; Silver Medal in the folk category (2006)
 * 42nd International C. A. Seghizzi Choral Competition, Gorizia, Italy – Special Prize for the highest score of equal-voiced choirs; Silver Medal in the Contemporary category (2003)
 * Children as the Peacemakers Choir of Angels Award, presented to Ensemble for taking initiative to raise funds for September 11 victims (2002).
 * International Choir Olympics, Linz, Austria - First Prize in Contemporary Music (in a field of competition that included 360 adult and children’s choirs); Three Gold Medals in Contemporary, Children’s Choir, and Gospel/Spiritual categories (2000)
 * 33rd International Festival of Choral Song, Miedzyzdroje, Poland – Grand Prize; Special Award for Artistic Interpretation (1998)
 * 2nd International Children’s & Youth Choir Festival, Giessen, Germany - Gold Medal; Outstanding Conductor Award – Robert Geary (1997)
 * Des Moines International Children’s Choir Festival, Iowa USA – Awarded “Best of Choirs,” First Prize in Contemporary category, Second Prize in Folk category (1997)
 * Kathaumixw International Choral Festival, British Columbia - First Prize in Contemporary Music (1996 & 1992)
 * International Peace Child Award to Robert Geary for co-founding the Golden Gate International Children’s Choral Festival (1991)