Out of the imagination

Young Chang

Young aspiring dancers will get to perform this week in the same venue

graced recently by American Ballet Theatre’s Julie Kent and Marcelo

Gomes.

Amateur singers will get to sing where stars Davis Gaines, Barbara

Cook and Dionne Warwick sang in recent years.

Teams of area vocalists and dancers will get their 15 or so minutes of

fame at the Orange County Performing Arts Center during two Imagination

Celebration events: the Pacific Chorale’s Invitational Choral Festival on

Tuesday, and a night of classical performances simply titled “Imagination

Celebration” on Wednesday.

“Most students don’t end up there during their high school careers,”

said Jon Lindfors, choral director of the Costa Mesa High School

Madrigal. “And very few people in the population at large get to.”

Even the audience wins, as everyone gets to watch the shows for free.

“Here in Southern California, things are so expensive,” said Daniel

Stekol, executive director of Imagination Celebration. “A lot of families

are looking for a way to entertain the family without taking out a loan

and without sacrificing a week’s pay.”

The 17th annual festival was first started to help keep the arts in

children’s lives despite budget cuts that leave schools with less money

for culture.

The celebration, which began last week, offers 56 events in about 15

cities through May 12. County children will be performing or exhibiting

works through each event, while nonperformers can participate in art

workshops.

The first 13 years of the celebration featured mostly professionals

and were run by the Orange County Performing Arts Center. Four years ago,

the Center became a presenter of the event and Imagine Celebration became

its own entity.

One of the biggest changes Stekol and his staff brought about was the

switch from professional to amateur student performers.

“Because they don’t really get an opportunity to showcase their

talents,” Stekol said. “We thought, ‘Let’s give kids a chance to do it.’

There are so many talented kids.”

The Pacific Chorale invitational will feature 30 children, high school

and college choirs from throughout the county for a day of performance

and learning.

After each chorus performs, a team of nationally acclaimed choral

directors will adjudicate each group in one of the Center’s rehearsal

rooms as choirs sight-sing music, receive pointers and try the piece a

second time.

“It’s a real learning experience,” said Lindfors, whose choir has

participated in the invitational since the tradition started.

The Madrigal will sing the French piece “Ubi Caritas”; another French

work titled “Dirait’on”; “Gloria in Excelsis” by Mozart; and an African

American spiritual titled “Hush! Somebody’s Calling My Name.”

“It’s always an inspiration to work with people who work hard and who

are the tops in their field,” Lindfors said.

For Wednesday’s group of ballets, plays, operas and classical

performances, the Costa Mesa-based Ballet Montmartre will perform a

Spanish suite choreographed by Artistic Director Stela Viorica and set to

the music of Isaac Albeniz.

“I tried to have a piece that would appeal to non-connoisseurs --

they’re not part of the elite that goes to the ballet,” Viorica said.

Taylor Reynolds, a 15-year-old dancer with the company, has never

performed at the Center.

“It’s kind of exciting,” she said. “It can help to improve my work

too, and it’s encouraging to see other people that are dedicated to

dance.”

FYI

* What: Pacific Chorale’s Invitational Choral Festival

* When: 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday

* Where: Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive,

Costa Mesa

* Cost: Free; parking is $7

* Call: (714) 662-2345

* What: Imagination Celebration

* When: 7 p.m. Wednesday

* Where: Orange County Performing Arts Center’s Founders Hall, 600

Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

* Cost: Free; parking is $7

* Call: (949) 833-8500