This Sunday in Oakland: "The Gift of Love" Choral Concert

Only 2 days until opening afternoon—an invitation to rest, recharge, and experience the transformative power of live a cappella harmony.

The wait is almost over. This Sunday, August 9 at 4:00 PM, AfterGlow Chorus takes the stage at the historic St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Oakland to open our summer concert series, "The Gift of Love": Music for Healing & Loss.

If you’ve been seeking a moment of quiet reflection, a lift for a heavy heart, or simply the chance to experience breathtaking live music in a soaring acoustic setting, this afternoon was created for you.

Inside the Program: A Three-Part Journey

Under the vaulted stone arches of St. Paul's, Founder & Music Director Arnold Lee, Principal Guest Conductor Lynne Morrow, and our singers take you on a carefully crafted emotional arc:

• Part 1: Lament & Longing — We move from the intense internal turmoil of György Orbán’s Daemon Irrepit Callidus into the serene grace of Maurice Duruflé’s Ubi Caritas. This section features a lush meditation on nostalgia by Oakland's own Greg Murai (Pure Imagination) and Thomas LaVoy’s luminous Alleluia.

• Part 2: Solace & Devotion — Celebrating caregivers and loved ones, this section includes Alma Bazel Androzzo’s If I Can Help Somebody—famously quoted by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to describe how he wished to be remembered—alongside Sara Bareilles’ empowering pop anthem Brave, embraced worldwide by cancer patients and care teams.

• Part 3: Healing & Hope — Emerging into vibrant bloom, the final movement unleashes the high-energy power of Stacey V. Gibbs’ Wade in the Water, Richard Smallwood’s gospel masterpiece Healing, and Sam Cooke’s soul classic Bring It On Home to Me.

"Moving from lament to enduring strength, this concert ends not in despair, but in lasting joy—a tribute to the caregivers who sustain us, the loved ones we lift up in our hearts, and the enduring power of love that binds us all."

Reserve Your Seats for Opening Afternoon

Tickets are selling quickly for our opening performance. We encourage you to reserve your seats online in advance to ensure smooth entry on Sunday.

• Opening Performance: Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 4:00 PM

• Second Performance: Sunday, August 16, 2026 at 4:00 PM

• Venue: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 114 Montecito Ave, Oakland, CA 94610 (Adams Point near Lake Merritt)

Bringing a loved one or a caregiver? Share this post or invite them along for an afternoon of warmth, comfort, and music.

🎵 Sing With AfterGlow Next SeasonAre you an experienced Bay Area vocalist looking for a musical home? AfterGlow Chorus is holding auditions for our upcoming season! Explore our repertoire, rehearsal details, and voice openings on our Choral Auditions Page.