EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH
VFLA is committed to building bridges. The organization has gone to significant lengths to expand its horizons musically and to build its audience while educating the community on women’s issues and gay and lesbian issues.
VFLA led the project FREEDOM TO SING in 1999. This project brought together a number of community groups to create and perform music targeting the African American community. “Let Freedom Sing: Songs of Liberation & Freedom” was the title, theme and purpose of a Gospel Music Workshop, and Concert produced by Vox Femina Los Angeles and Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. The workshop was led by Gregg Payne, Artistic Director of Lavender Light: the Black and People of All Colors Lesbian and Gay Gospel Choir of New York. Lavender Light also joined VFLA and GMCLA in performance. This was a significant event in beginning to build bridges to the African American community.
In 2000, VFLA produced a concert entitled CELEBRATING WOMEN - SINGING FOR OUR LIVES. This project, featuring the West Coast premiere of "Where I Live" (an oratorio depicting the struggles of women with breast cancer), was performed in Westchester at no cost to the public - so that a "suggested donation" could be donated directly to Wendy's Hope, an organization that specializes in lesbians with cancer. This extraordinary concert not only provided excellence in music, but educated and empowered the audience as it related to issues of women and cancer.
IN 2001, VFLA produced CELEBRATING WOMEN, CELEBRATING OUR DIVERSITY. This concert utilized poems chosen by VFLA’s Artistic Director from LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Los Angeles youth describing their personal experiences and journeys. VFLA commissioned 3 living composers to set these poems to music utilizing 3 distinct styles. It was entitled “The Tolerance Project,” and premiered in June 2002. This project allowed VFLA to build bridges and create relationships with LGBT student groups. A free concert was given that was the first introduction to choral music for many of the students. The relationships built in 2002 continue to be utilized in developing additional educational outreach programs.
In 2003, VFLA produced CANTA PARA TODOS, a concert of Central and South American music that included world-renowned Jackeline Rago and the Snake Trio as guest artists. The educational outreach to the Hispanic community (more than 50% in Los Angeles) is another critical community building and educational activity for the organization.
In 2004, VFLA produced a full concert with the Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company, integrating the words and music of Shakespeare in an innovative, entertaining concert. The educational outreach brought theatregoers in touch with Shakespearean text set to music and concertgoers in touch with the poetry of Shakespeare--from a women’s point of view.
In 2005, VFLA welcomed the internationally renowned Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers in the production of JUBILEE AND SONG, a concert celebrating music from the African American choral tradition. Once again, as in our 1999 FREEDOM TO SING concert, VFLA built bridges to the African American community in Los Angeles. At the same time, by engaging a premier ensemble known for keeping the legacy of the traditional spiritual alive throughout the world, VFLA helped to educate the audience and carry on the musical legacy of African American choral music.
Additional outreach activities are scheduled for 2007 and beyond.
