About

Mission Statement: 

The Long Beach Camerata Singers is dedicated to excellence in choral music. We enrich the lives of our community and performers through a broad spectrum of repertoire, innovative programming, and arts education.

Robert Istad
Artistic Director

Tammi Alderman
Assistant Director

Na-Young Moon
Accompanist

Our History:
The Long Beach Camerata Singers was founded in 1967 by Frank Allen as the Vocal Arts Ensemble, and served as the resident chorus for the Long Beach Bach Festival, which he founded in 1973. In 1983 Dr David Wilson, a choral professor at USC became artistic director, expanding the Camerata Singers’ repertoire and changing its name. In 2005 Dr Jonathan Talberg was appointed artistic director. Dr Talberg led the Camerata Singers on a European tour, created a core of professional singers, and expanded repertoire and programming to provide more diverse performances. In Summer 2009, after Dr. Talberg resigned to accept another position, the choir hired Dr. Robert Istad, Director of Choral Studies at CSU Fullerton and Assistant Director of the Pacific Chorale, as its new Artistic Director. In 2010-2011, his first fully programmed season with Camerata, Dr. Istad has expanded the auditioned ensemble to 65 voices, further professionalized its singers, and introduced innovative repertoire and collaborations with outstanding local artists and ensembles. Dr. Istad is actively leading a renewed strategic planning process.

Our 46th annual season will give audiences of all ages and musical tastes an eclectic feast for the senses! We kick the season off with an unforgettable performance of Mozart’s passionate Requiem for chorus, soloists and full orchestra. This program also features the wildly imaginative “The Ecstasies Above” for three choirs and string quartet by wunderkind Tarik O’Regan. We celebrate the holiday season with you during our annual performance of Handel’s masterpiece, Messiah. This concert, featuring professional soloists and the Camerata Singers Orchestra, is a Long Beach holiday tradition. The Long Beach Bach Festival bursts to life with five amazing concert experiences this spring. The Camerata Singers, South Bay Children’s Chorus, organist Linda Brown, our house rock band, and soloists open the festival with an eclectic concert entitled Evensong: Stay with Us . . . Grant Us Peace. Famous choruses from J.S. Bach’s B-Minor Mass will stand together with sacred romantic motets by Joseph Gabriel Rheinberger, new classical compositions by Nico Muhly, and secular songs from America’s popular tradition. Curator Heather Richards will enhance our musical performance with stunning visuals to create a concert experience that will move you from shadows to illumination. Other festival performances feature the return of Bach a Bacchus with famous guitarist Martha Masters at Sababa Restaurant, astonishing pianist Tim Durkovic and renown violist Helen Callus in a chamber recital entitled Bach and Blues, and Los Angeles’ Horizon Chamber Choir & Players in a concert of exquisite cantatas by J.S. Bach with chamber orchestra. We conclude our concert season with the ever-popular event, “Camerata Goes Broadway.” Sample tasty hors d’oeuvres, sip wine, bid on tempting items at our silent auction, and enjoy a fantastic performance of solos, ensembles, and choruses from Broadway’s greatest hits. Please join us for this exciting season of superb choral music in the heart of Long Beach’s eclectic community. You will not want to miss a moment!