Adriana Marcial Appointed Executive Director of San Francisco Girls Chorus

San Francisco, CA – September 8, 2021 – Adriana Marcial has been appointed Executive Director of the San Francisco Girls Chorus (SFGC) effective immediately, it was announced today by Board President Mary Ruppert. Marcial, who has served as Interim Executive Director since August 2020, will oversee strategic planning and operations for SFGC and the Chorus School, work closely with Artistic Director Valérie Sainte-Agathe on furthering the organization’s artistic and education vision, drive major donor fundraising and earned revenue goals, and collaborate with the Board of Directors to ensure the long-term fiscal health of the organization and sustainability through the era of COVID. For the first time in its history, SFGC will be led by two women of color with rich professional experiences as both practicing artists and non-profit arts administrators.

“Despite the many challenges and obstacles we have faced over the past year, the San Francisco Girls Chorus has thrived under the leadership of Adriana Marcial,” said Board President Mary Ruppert. “With a steady hand, creativity and adaptability, Adriana has expertly guided the organization and proven the natural abilities and instincts required to lead SFGC into the next phase. The decision to make this addition permanent was unanimous and I would like to thank the Board of Directors for their efforts in finding the perfect candidate for this position.”

“Our artistic and educational offerings have been of the highest quality during the course of the pandemic and this would not have been possible without Adriana Marcial’s partnership and passionate support,” said Artistic Director Valérie Sainte-Agathe. “I am delighted that she has been chosen as our next Executive Director and I look forward to building upon the important work that we have started together.”

“I truly believe in the power of the artistic voice, and so I am thrilled to partner with Valérie in creating a place for young people to discover their voice on the stage and in life,” said Adriana Marcial. “I have been humbled by the strength and resilience of the SFGC community over the last year, and I am so proud of what we've achieved. I look forward to continuing to further the organization’s incredible work.”

As Interim Director of SFGC, Marcial partnered with Artistic Director Valérie Sainte-Agathe to launch SFGC’s innovative Online Learning Program that utilized technology to keep hundreds of choristers engaged and advancing in their musical studies and performing live from their own homes. The virtual season included eight virtual performances, seven new works including five commissions, and collaborations with high profile guest artists including The King’s Singers, Roomful of Teeth and TENT Vocal Artists, among others. In addition, Marcial ensured high Chorus School enrollment, implemented robust COVID health and safety protocols, and oversaw strong fiscal management.

Adriana Marcial has worked in the performing arts for over 15 years, both as a performer and an arts manager. Prior to joining SF Girls Chorus as Deputy Director in 2019, Marcial was the Executive Director of Joe Goode Performance Group. Marcial has an extensive background in dance performance, and believes that exposure to the arts, and a meaningful investment in our young people, are integral to a thriving community. Marcial is a member of Women of Color in the Arts and is a graduate of Northwestern University.

ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO GIRLS CHORUS
Praised by Gramophone Magazine as a “remarkable tapestry of teenage voices,” the five-time GRAMMY Award-winning San Francisco Girls Chorus (SFGC) is recognized as one of the world’s leading youth vocal ensembles. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Valérie Sainte-Agathe, SFGC presents subscription performances throughout the Bay Area and regularly performs both nationally and internationally as a cultural ambassador for San Francisco. SFGC is a frequent collaborator with leading arts organizations such as Kronos Quartet, San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Opera, as well as numerous world-renowned guest artists.

Recent highlights include a fully-staged choral music and dance co-production with Berkeley Ballet Theater featuring two world premieres by Angélica Negrón and Aviya Kopelman, commissioned and co-commissioned with the Israel Institute, respectively; a debut appearance at San Francisco’s renowned Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in collaboration with Kronos Quartet; a July 2019 tour of England and France that featured six performances in London, Windsor, Cambridge, and Paris; debut performances in February 2018 at Carnegie Hall alongside Philip Glass and the Philip Glass Ensemble; and an April 2017 debut performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with The Knights for SHIFT: A Festival of American Orchestras.

In September 2019, SFGC released My Outstretched Hand on Supertrain Records featuring The Knights and Trinity Youth Chorus, following the success of its February 2018 release, Final Answer, featuring Kronos Quartet on Philip Glass’ Orange Mountain Music label. In addition to its Premier Ensemble, the San Francisco Chorus School is renowned as a regional center for choral music education and performance for girls and young women ages 4-18.

PHOTO CREDITS
Adriana Marcial / Stephanie Gray

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