Angel City Chorale Performs Video Game, Film Music in 'EPIC' Concerts This Weekend

Angel City Chorale (ACC), the acclaimed Los Angeles choir led by Artistic Director Sue Fink, will present EPIC: Blockbuster Music from Video Games & Film, its thrilling annual spring concerts, the first weekend in June. This adventurous event will entertain audiences over two very special nights tonight, June 6, and Sunday, June 7, 2015.

ACC's 150+ member choir and its instrumental ensemble will perform a diverse selection of music from the exciting worlds of video games and film in the choir's eclectic blend of styles, including classical, pop, world, folk, jazz, gospel, and R&B. "The best and brightest composers are writing for video games these days," says ACC's Fink. "Talented artists are pouring their souls into this art form, which presents fantastic opportunities to play with a world of sounds in endlessly creative possibilities. This is where it's happening, where fresh, fun, brilliant new music is emerging."

Both family-friendly performances of EPIC will start at 7:00pm at the historic Wilshire United Methodist Church (4350 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010; map). The evening includes a 15-minute intermission and the audience will also be invited to join the performers for a reception with light refreshments after each performance. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door, with discounts for children (ages 5-12) and seniors. Advance tickets are on sale now via the ACC website here. Online ticket sales close at 7:00am on the day of the show. Same day tickets may be purchased at the door. For additional information on ACC, visit www.angelcitychorale.org or call 310-943-9231.

EPIC: Blockbuster Music from Video Games & Film is an adventurous journey through worlds real and imagined, as the choir presents a truly unique offering of music from video games and film. The event will feature wildly imaginative soundscapes from video games, including selections from World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy VIII, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Tetris.

Inspired by recent blockbuster movies such as Frozen, art house favorites like Cinema Paradiso, and science fiction classics including 2001: A Space Odyssey, this truly special event offers something for everyone - even Mel Brooks fans, who won't want to miss the men of ACC interpreting the Blazing Saddles theme song. Also featured will be a medley of music from television, including theme songs from Cheers, Friends, I Love Lucy, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Song selections for the varied EPIC program were made to showcase the breadth of creativity in the dynamic video game and film art forms.

The evening's songs are performed in a variety of languages, including Russian, Latin, Italian, Swahili, and Dovahzul, the Dragon Language.

"This is absolutely the most diverse selection of music we have ever performed at any of our concerts," says Fink. "The arrangements are almost entirely unique -- most of the pieces have been re-orchestrated to take full advantage of Angel City Chorale's talent and range."

The evenings will also feature a 26-piece live ensemble performing with the choir. "This year, we've added more brass to the ensemble due to the nature of the music," says Fink. "This is big music -- it's epic!"

In other news, Angel City Chorale will celebrate LACMA's 50th anniversary during a dedicated musical event, Celebrating Los Angeles, on Wednesday, April 29, 2015. The evening features music created by some of the world's finest composers and ensembles, all residents of the Los Angeles area. ACC will perform a short set, which includes two pieces by composer Morten Lauridsen and a new work by Mitch Glickman. The concert starts at 7:30pm in LACMA's Bing Theater in Los Angeles. Tickets can be purchased here.

ACC also recently performed at the Los Angeles County Alliance for Boys & Girls Clubs Youth of the Year Awards in March 2015.

Sue Fink, ACC Founder and Artistic Director - As founder, artistic director, and conductor, Sue Fink brings a dynamic energy to ACC that distinguishes it from other choral groups. Fink attended UCLA and also studied conducting and toured with internationally renowned musician/choral director Roger Wagner. She established the Oriana Renaissance Ensemble and the Los Angeles Women's Community Chorus, serving as conductor for both groups prior to founding Angel City Chorale. As a singer-songwriter, she has toured extensively, recorded albums, and won international songwriting contests. She maintains a private voice studio in Los Angeles, composes and arranges for choral groups, and writes songs for television and film. As a respected vocal coach, Fink has worked with well-known recording artists including Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys), Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, Weezer, the Foo Fighters, and more. She has released two full-length solo albums and four with ACC.

Angel City Chorale - Angel City Chorale, conducted by Founder/Artistic Director Sue Fink, is a multi-talented, multi-cultural group of more than 150 men and women that truly reflects the spirit of Los Angeles, the city it calls home. Recognized for its signature blend of musical styles and commitment to community, Angel City Chorale strives to give back to the Los Angeles community through the gift of song, donations, and volunteerism. Offering a diverse selection of musical material including classical, jazz, folk, gospel, rhythm and blues, and more, ACC performs two concerts seasonally, in spring and winter, to standing-room only crowds at the historic Wilshire United Methodist Church. ACC has also performed at a variety of venues from the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles to Carnegie Hall in New York, appeared on national television, sung with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and worked with artists including Stevie Wonder, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Luther Vandross, and Natasha Bedingfield. ACC's associate conductor is Dan Barnett and the choir's principal accompanists are Mark McCormick and Gordon Glor.

ACC, which was formed by Fink in 1993, has recorded four highly acclaimed albums, which are available on CD through various online retailers found here. As a way of giving back to the Los Angeles community, each year in December, around 100 members of Angel City Chorale also participate in the organization's Tour of Hope, where the singers take a full program on the road, performing concerts for the homeless, elderly, and others who could genuinely benefit from an infusion of holiday spirit.

Praised by music writer and producer T-Bone Burnett as "one of the most engaging and entertaining evenings of music you can hear in Los Angeles," Angel City Chorale's concerts are appreciated by Angelenos for the choir's signature blend of music styles, unexpected humor, and contagious warmth.

Wilshire United Methodist Church - Located at Wilshire and Plymouth in the Mid-Wilshire area of Los Angeles, the Wilshire United Methodist Church first opened its doors on May 24, 1925. Its storied history is woven into the fabric of the Los Angeles community and the multi-ethnic ministries it serves. Jeanette MacDonald and Shirley Temple each had marriage ceremonies in the church. The church building, reflecting Gothic and Italian styles, has been designated as a historical monument by the Los Angeles City Council. The facade was inspired by the Church of St. Francis at Brescia in Italy and the tower found its genesis in the Torracio of Cremona, near Milan. For more information, visit www.ewilshireumc.org.

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