who we are
Founded in 2014, our mission is to provide a new outlet for musical collaborations in the Silicon Valley Area, especially multi-media collaborations that make music more exciting and relevant to our audiences through the use of technology. In particular, we combine vocal singing with technology, thus presenting traditional choral works in a new light, and we encourage local composers & artists to create new works for this special combination. In addition, we strive to highlight important social issues and educate and engage our community into a discussion about possible solutions of the problems we face, and the role of choral art in finding those solutions.
singers
Approaching music with open minds, our singers give voice to new musical works from our collaborators, as well as performing works that are rarely heard in the Bay Area. VOSV consists of both qualified volunteers and professional singers.
composers
Working with local composers, we explore a variety of musical styles, including the use of electronic music. VOSV became known for presenting Stockhausen vocal masterpiece Stimmung for the 1st time in Bay Area in 30 years
Community Engagement Program
Since its inception, VOSV has placed a lot of weight on educating our audiences on the important social
issues facing society today. Our most recent event that was a part of this program, Ghost Ship Memorial
concert, was covered on several San Francisco Bay area TV stations:
https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/memorial-honors-victims-on-eve-of-ghost-ship-fire-anniversary/
technology
Re-imagining the concert-goer's experience by translating sound waves into waves of color, incorporating the
use of cell phone apps, or by using Max/MSP plugin OMAX developed by IRCAM to re-mix what it hears, we use technology to enhance our concerts
About Our Director
American composer, conductor, and organist Cyril Deaconoff, originally from Russia, was born in Moscow. He attended Gnesine State Music College and is a graduate of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Composition and Conducting). In December 2006, Deaconoff completed his Doctoral degree in Conducting at Indiana University Bloomington, where he also studied composition with Sven-David Sandström. A number of his other works, including the choral ballade A Northern Tale, were also performed at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory.
An active choral/orchestral conductor, Dr. Deaconoff was one of only sixteen conductors chosen by Chorus America to participate in the 2006 Beethoven Conducting Master Class with the Philadelphia Singers and the Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Christoff Eschenbach. Several of his recent works — including A Northern Tale, the cantata Canticles of Love, Despair, and Hope, and the orchestral overture Symphonic Parallels — have been recently published by E.C. Schirmer. In November 2011, West Bay Opera in San Francisco Bay area presented a workshop performance of Deaconoff's new opera, The Last Tycoon, based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In February of 2018 West Edge Opera included The Last Tycoon into their Snapshot presentation.
Cyril Deaconoff is also a well-known organist and was one of 7 organists selected from all over the world to perform at the 14th Cesar Franck International Competition and Masterclass in Netherlands in 2013, the only American organist to be given such an honor. He is in demand as a concert organist and has performed on the symphonic organ at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco on several occasions.
Audio tracks for Cyril's works and more information may be found on www.cyrildeaconoff.com
