“I Have A Dream”: Concert with La Peña Community Chorus

Join us for the Bay Area Premiere of John Maas’s original piece performed by La Peña Community Chorus!

We are extremely excited to present “I Have A Dream,” a Concert with La Peña Community Chorus featuring the Bay Area Premiere of an original piece for chorus, narrator, and piano by Bay Area composer John Maas based on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s inpiring “I have a dream” speech. With special guests Benjamin Mertz and members of Vukani Mawethu!

Don’t miss this evening of music and community! You can arrive early and grab a bite at Los Cilantros if you’d like some delicious Mexican food before the show. What better way to spend a Saturday evening!

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS:

LA PEÑA COMMUNITY CHORUS: Founded in 1978 by Chilean refugees and community supporters, La Peña Community Chorus has been performing Spanish and English social justice-focused songs for over 35 years. Accompanying themselves on guitars, flutes, drums, and a large assortment of Latin American instruments, the Chorus has sung for schools, churches, homeless shelters, retirement homes, drug rehab centers, benefits for farm workers, and peace demonstrations both inside and outside of the United States.

JOHN MAAS: John Maas directed La Peña Community Chorus from 1981 to 1987. He wrote or arranged numerous pieces in its repertoire, recorded on its CDs, and also sung by other groups including Oakland Symphony Chorus, Pacific Edge Voices/Pacific Mozart Ensemble, UC Berkeley Repertory Chorus, and a few dozen others. John organized and directed Berkeley Harmonia Chorus and Orchestra, from 1988 until 1991, when he moved to Sebastopol. In 2021, he retired from 36 years as a psychologist at Kaiser and is now founding Director of Sebastopol Harmonia Community Choir.

BENJAMIN MERTZ: Benjamin Mertz was born in Hackensack, NJ, and has lived in California’s SF Bay Area since 2008. He is the Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute (BECI), on the board of directors of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, and the founder/director of the Joyful Noise! Gospel Singers. Benjamin is a composer, performer, and song leader who specializes in music of the Black Spiritual tradition. When not performing music, he writes and speaks on issues of racial justice, economic justice, Black History, and works on creating interfaith and interracial alliances.

VUKANI MAWETHU: Vukani Mawethu is a multi-racial community based social justice choir that sings freedom songs of Southern Africa, as well as songs showing links between struggles in the United States and around the world. They are united in their strong opposition to racism and injustice, and by their love of rhythms, melodies and harmonies which have grown out of many struggles for freedom. They collaborate, perform and organize to inspire and unite people to strive and work for peace, justice and equality for all.

PLEASE NOTE: Proof of vaccination and masks will be REQUIRED at the door to keep our community safe. Covid-19 protocols are determined at La Peña based on CDC guidelines and our community’s special requests. Thank you for your cooperation!