CalArts Contemporary Vocal Ensemble

09/13/2022

Throwback to a fun performance from a few years ago—now it’s a published work by Seeadot Music Publishing!

06/20/2022

Trans and non-binary vocalists, join our soprano Socks Whitmore in this up and coming pro choir!

Calling trans and nonbinary vocalists! Key Change Ensemble, an all-TGNC professional choir based in Los Angeles, is holding open auditions now through the end of June. To audition or request more information, send your name, pronouns, resume, and representation status to [email protected].

ID: A promo graphic for Key Change's casting call on a blue and pink sky background about dark pink trees. Additional text reads, "Paid gigs and high profile solo opportunities. Rehearses in Koreatown on Tuesday nights."

04/07/2022

The months have flown by, and it is time for our flock of vocalists to perform in the Wild Beast once more. Catch us next week on Wednesday, April 13 at 8:00 pm debuting five choral works by CalArtian composers—an echo of last year's concert, but this time in-person. OURS, again.

Poster Credit: Socks Whitmore

[Image description: A black silhouette of a telephone pole sits in the lower right. A teal collection of bird silhouettes fly above it. Black text against a white background reads "CalArts Contemporary Vocal Ensemble presents: OURS, again. 04/13/22, 8:00 pm, Wild Beast. Featuring world premieres by CalArts composers."]

01/11/2022

The Spring 2022 semester is almost here, and auditions for the CalArts Contemporary Vocal Ensemble are now open! CalArts students, alumnx, faculty, and community members are all welcome to join us this semester for a concert of entirely student-composed choral works. Email [email protected] by February 3 for more information and to sign up. 🎶

Image credit: , featuring the CVE logo by

Image description: A burst of orange, light blue, dark blue, and yellow scribbles runs under several text bubbles reading “Join the CalArts Contemporary Vocal Ensemble!” “Performing new choral works by CalArtian composers.” “Rehearsals on Thursdays 7-9 pm.” “Email [email protected] to audition.”

12/13/2021

"In a world where choral music is mainstream, predictable, and tonally homogenous (and frankly quite boring), you dove headfirst into some very challenging, provocative, and quite literally unpredictable music—and you did it with professionalism and aplomb." - Ryan Chatterton, CVE member and guest singer from the LA community.

An enthusiastic thank you to everyone who attended "Questions & Answers" live or watched the livestream this past Friday—after all, what is a return to live performance without an audience to enthrall? We wish you a happy rest of your semester, and look forward to captivating you again come this spring!

Photo credit: Michelle Sevilla


Image descriptions
Slide 1: The Wild Beast concert hall with lights in circular patterns shining on the right and far walls. The Contemporary Vocal Ensemble stands in two slightly curved rows with music binders poised to sing, their conductor Daniel facing them from the center.
Slide 2: The choir stands in the back of the concert hall, grouped into several circles. Choir conductor Daniel, a man with short brown hair, glasses, a brown suit jacket, and black mask, looks up off camera.
Slide 3: A close up on multiple choir members wearing masks as they look at cards in their hands and carry black magic eight balls. To the left are two white men with glasses, and to the right a white woman with long blonde hair.
Slide 4: A close up on multiple choir members wearing masks as they look at cards in their hands and carry black magic eight balls. To the left is a brown skinned man in overalls, and to the right two nonbinary people with short brown hair and shoulder length brown hair respectively.
Slide 5: A wide shot on multiple choir members wearing masks as they look at cards in their hands and carry black magic eight balls.
Slide 6: A white nonbinary person with short brown hair and a black mask leans over their vibraphone to look at a music stand. A Korean woman with a white patterned mask and ponytailed brown hair with bangs plays violin while looking at a black music stand. A white man with glasses and dirty blonde hair holds a black magic eight ball and a stack of cards as he walks towards the right.
Slide 7: A wide shot on multiple choir members wearing masks as they look at cards in their hands and carry black magic eight balls. On the right, a genderqueer human sits at a laptop and a man plays piano.
Slide 8: A wide shot of the choir walking with their cards and eight balls in a brightly lit concert hall.
Slide 9: The choir poses for a group photo in a brightly lit concert hall.

12/10/2021

Today at 7:00 pm PT in the Wild Beast! CalArts CVE performs in person for the first time in two years with their concert "Questions and Answers," led through a challenging selection of choral music by the one and only Daniel Newman-Lessler. Can we expect to see you there?

A livestream is also available at https://youtu.be/xIQBSUd-bVc!

10/15/2021

Introducing CVE Member Shout-Outs! Check out the cool stuff our choir members are up to. ✨

Alexandria Shaner is performing at the Mom's Cafe Open Mic Night TONIGHT at 8:30 pm! Don't miss their rendition of "Welcome to the Internet" from Bo Burnham's INSIDE with live guitar and some original lyric rewrites.

Anaís Azul is performing in Boston at Cambridge Community Center for the Arts on October 25 at 7:30 pm. Grab tickets for the concert, "About Love and Grief," and all of Anaís's other upcoming events at https://anaisazul.com/events!

Socks Whitmore starred as Pace in "The Magical Christmas Tree," an upcoming Christmas romcom movie streaming on December 3! Watch the trailer for a sneak peek at https://youtu.be/ADW5bRZ71I8.

[Image description: A rectangular wooden frame surrounds a white piece of paper on a black background. A sheep is drawn on the left side of the paper in black standing atop a partially visible blue orb, and blue gusts of wind are drawn on the right side. Black superimposed text reads, "CVE Member Shout-Outs!"]

09/04/2021

Auditions for the Fall 2021 semester of the CalArts Contemporary Vocal Ensemble are open! Get more information and sign up for a time slot before Friday, September 10 at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P7Qq6NdI9TKylIyLT7WJQFl0FiT5F_DuQaf9jux2Muw/edit?fbclid=IwAR0FLe4N-xepR9MspA1qn_LpxG-EGwbekDi-39xGbVx7plial5MhPV27RBo. All CalArtians welcome—current and former students, faculty, and community members come through!

Background art credit: Chia-Hsin Lee

Image description: black text reading "Audition for CVE!" imposed over a painted background of creams, purples, and blues in curved patterns.

05/04/2021

Tonight!

CalArts Contemporary Vocal Ensemble presents: OURSA concert consisting entirely of original compositions by singers in the choir including works by: Levi Gil...