Welcome erkeley Broadway Singers (BBS) is a 75-member community chorus, founded in 1998, under the music direction of Ellen Hoffman. We sing songs from Broadway shows and movie musicals with a strong dash of standards from the Great American Songbook, nostalgic tunes from the 20s, 30s, and 40s, as well as jazz, Latin, doo-wop, blues, and other popular music. Many of our songs are arranged by Ellen for BBS. Our repertoire includes Broadway tunes, such as Oklahoma and Seasons of Love, blues like Kansas City and classics such as Begin the Beguine. We cover many terrific 20th century popular songs, not only those written by Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter and the Gershwins, but also artists like Smokey Robinson, Luis Bonfa, Stevie Wonder, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney. There's something for everyone! (Check out our repertoire!) Our goal is to provide a joyful and creative music experience for both our members and our audiences. Our concerts are free. We love to sing! And, we strive to reach a large community that is diverse in age, race and ethnicity. Welcome to the Berkeley Broadway Singers home page! CONCERTS Spring 2009 We're in the home stretch now, rehearsing every Thursday night until our Spring concerts on Saturday, April 25 at 8:00pm at St. Ambrose Church in Berkeley (Gilman x Cornell), and Sunday, April 26 at 4:00pm at St. Augustine's Church in North Oakland (Alcatraz x Colby). Our wonderful Music Director Ellen Hoffman is back from her well-deserved sabbatical (after ten years, she sure earned it!). We have welcomed her back with great joy, and she's invigorated and champing at the bit for these next concerts. We are also having a Guest Conductor this season; in addition to regular part-time conductor and chorus member Eddie Anderson, a goodly number of the songs will be conducted by John Kendall Bailey, well known Bay Area conductor, performer and music director in his own right http://www.oebs.org/page/bailey.htm. And Ellen will be at the piano for all the songs, and conducting the ones that Eddie and John aren't. As we move into the final couple of rehearsals with Ellen, the choral and ensemble numbers — in order — that we'll be singing are: Everything's Coming Up Roses Moonlight Serenade/It's Only a Paper Moon I've Got You Under My Skin I'll Be Seeing You (a Quartet) It Could Happen To You New York State of Mind (with Soloist) (Our) Love Is Here To Stay (Hey) Big Spender (a Trio) Besame Mucho (with Soloist & percussion) Mas Que Nada (with percussion & Background Quartet) Sweet Talkin' Guy (a Trio) I Will (a Quartet) Flat Foot Floogee Side by Side Audience Singalong: Side by Side In the Mood Also, please notice that Ellen has extended the "no solos" experiment from the last two seasons' concerts, and is only including ensemble numbers of trio size and higher (marked in the song list above). We really hope we get to see you in the audience, and that you'll be "In The Mood" for some knock-out choral singing and fabulous harmonies! Hear the songs Sample the smooth styles of the Berkeley Broadway singers on our repertoire page. » click here to listen