JOANNE COUVRETTE/the San Diego Master Chorale
The San Diego Master Chorale includes more than 125 of San Diego's finest singers performing more than 25 concerts a year. As "The Voice of San Diego," the SDMC actively participates in many community events, in addition to regular appearances with the San Diego Symphony and the San Diego Chamber Orchestra. The Chorale has also made a number of tours throughout Europe, including performances at St. Paul's Cathedral in London and the Great Dom Cathedral in Salzburg, as well as many other venues in Scotland, Switzerland, and Germany.
The San Diego Master Chorale's mission statement is: To promote and preserve the art of choral music through performance, education, and diverse community outreach. We are entering our 48th season. Originally established as the San Diego Symphonic Chorale, the choral arm of the San Diego Symphony, the Chorale became an independent arts organization in 1979. At that time, our name was changed to the San Diego Master Chorale.
As an independent non-profit arts organization, we have the autonomy and artistic ability to present concerts of almost any nature in a variety of settings. Our repertoire ranges from the masterworks of choral literature to contemporary songs, spirituals, folk songs, opera choruses, and choruses from all types of musical theatre.
The SDMC is funded by a grant from the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, and by donations from our singers, our corporate sponsors, and our dedicated friends throughout San Diego.
Our
meeting was held off site at Rady Children's Hospital. Our club provided
fund raising for the construction of the original Children's Hospital and with
other Kiwanis clubs in the area continues to support this great facility.
In a
small grassy area are benches and a plaque recognizing our support. On the
back of the plaque monument is another plaque discovered during the hospital's
construction that was from the original hospital construction noting that the
"Building Fund Raised By Kiwanis Club"
We
were welcomed to Rady Children's Hospital by David B Gillig, FAHP. He is
Senior Vice President and Executive Director of Rady Children;s Hospital
Foundation. 
David Gillig introduced our speaker Dr Ghazala Q. Sharieff. Dr. Sharieff
is the Medical Director of the Rady Children's Hospital San Diego Sam and Rose
Stein Emergency Care Center. Dr Sharieff told us about some of the
operations of the Emergency Care Center and their constant efforts to improved
the efficiency of the operation. Their goal is to decrease waiting time
while providing the finest emergency medical care.