Asilomar, Refuge by the Sea Asilomar Conference Grounds was designed almost 100 years ago by the legendary American architect Julia Morgan who, among her many achievements, was also an architect of Hearst Castle. Her original buildings at Asilomar were built as the YWCA Western Regional Conference Center in 1913 on a spectacular ocean-front site on the Monterey Peninsula. The buildings are situated under the pines, clustered around an open clearing, directly across the dunes from the beach. All of your meals and three nights' lodging are included in the cost of the program. Most housing will be in shared doubles. All rooms have private bath. Our housing is all on the main grounds, but there is walking between buildings and some stairs to negotiate. If you need special assistance, an Asilomar van is on call for transportation. Some rooms are handicapped-accessible. If you need one, please note that on the registration form. Meals are taken together in Crocker Dining Hall. The food is plentiful and varied, and special dietary needs can be accommodated with prior arrangements. Again, please note if you have dietary restrictions or prefer vegetarian meals. Facilities at Asilomar for your free time include a swimming pool, bikes for rent, sand volleyball court, pool tables, ping pong table, gift store, nature trails in the dunes and the beach! Nearby are the Seventeen-Mile Drive, the shops of Carmel, and Monterey with its historic buildings, marvelous aquarium and Cannery Row. Since free time during the workshop is quite limited, you might want to plan to arrive early or stay late to enjoy the local attractions. Fireworks over Monterey Bay on the Fourth are always impressive. If you live too far away to drive, Monterey airport is served by several airlines. Transportation from the airport to Asilomar is available on a public bus, taxi or the Monterey/Salinas Airbus. Photos and information are available at Asilomar's website.		Singer Qualifications This program has been designed as a valuable experience for seasoned choral singers who currently sing with a chorus and rehearse regularly. Everyone must be familiar with the pieces when they arrive, having learned the notes. Thus, the rehearsal sessions will be dedicated to interpretation and musical refinement, not to note learning. We intend to do credit to these great compositions and arrangements, while providing an enjoyable experience for all. An open performance will be staged at Merrill Hall at Asilomar on Monday evening and a recording will be made and mailed to all singers. Participants in a similar program in 2006 found the setting to be ideal, the presence of the composer inspiring and the whole experience to be a highlight of their singing "careers." Your Hosts The Angeles Chorale, one of the premier choral organizations in Southern California, is a chorus of 120 auditioned volunteer voices, most of whom have significant musical resumés. The group was founded in 1975 and has enjoyed eleven years under the baton of Donald Neuen, current Artistic Director. The Chorale regularly performs the major works of the choral literature, typically together with one of the many symphonic orchestras in the area. Once a year they join forces with the UCLA Chorale to mount a chorus of 200 singers to perform a large work at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus. This year it will be the Brahms Requiem on June 7, 2008. Photos Pictures on these pages were taken at our choral workshop in September 2006. Photo credits to Ray DeTournay and William Domb. Pines and the sea Merrill Hall Mealtime at Crocker Dining Hall Rehearsal in Merrill Hall Bonfire after the concert   next