Carpe Sono

RAISING HOPE THROUGH AWARENESS

SINGING FOR SHELTER
A CONCERT TO BENEFIT HOMELESS YOUTH

NOVEMBER 14, 2015

September 11, 2015 – Sometimes a single act of charity can mean the difference between hope and hopelessness. To that end, the Rio Grande Theatre will be the staging ground for an inspirational musical and visual journey geared toward raising awareness of a very real problem facing society today. Benefitting the efforts of Casa Q, a not-for-profit organization providing safe living options and services for homeless LGBTQ youth throughout the state of New Mexico, Singing For Shelter will feature the talents of award-winning Austin artists Sarah McSweeney, Ryan DeSiato and acapela group, Carpe Sono, alongside Las Cruces’ own La Cella Bella, on Saturday, November 14, 2015.

Presenting covers and original music, some arranged specifically for this event, the artists of Singing For Shelter will perform a heady mix of country, pop, classical, rock and inspirational styles. Ryan DeSiato is a rising star whose eclectic rhythms are beautifully orchestrated to compliment a strong baritone voice that is both soulful and captivating. Sarah McSweeney is a skilled singer/songwriter whose angelic voice has led to her performances as an opening act for such popular artists as Colbie Caillat, Michelle Branch and B.B. King. Carpe Sono is an acapella group that performs a variety of musical genres from Top 40 pop to classic rock.

Representing Las Cruces during the event, La Cella Bella is the immensely popular cello quartet made up of Alyson Reynolds, Alicia Dolan, Debbie Eckles and Tatianna Dickens, whose musical stylings are as varied as the radio dial. Together, these very diverse artists will come together to create a harmonious experience unlike any other through simple staging, inspirational visuals and a seamless integration of musical styles.

The organizer of this spectacular event is local resident Domenic Metta, who transformed personal tragedy into a positive community effort to bring hope to an underserved population. After the senseless murder of his partner during a home invasion in 2011, by a young drug addict whose history was that of a violent child, Metta became aware of the serious issue of youth homelessness in New Mexico and the similar tragic lives that await them, through Casa Q founder, Cristy Carbon-Gaul. Seeing an opportunity to not only memorialize his partner’s life, but also assist in bringing awareness to the cause through the support of Casa Q, the inspiration for a one-of-a-kind concert event was born.

“I was overwhelmed by the amazing achievement and hard work enacted by the Casa Q team, which organized and established a residence for kids ages 14-18, in just one year’s time,” he said. “I thought, now there’s a group of truly concerned individuals who know how to get things done!”

Add to that the horrifying statistics of childhood homelessness, including the estimate that most children run away as a result of abuse at home and that 75 percent of all runaways are female, and Metta knew he had to act.

“I had no idea that 1.3 million kids are out living on the streets every day in our country and that 20 to 40 percent of them identify as gay,” he said. “How sad is it that children are disowned just because of who they are? Maybe we can’t control how kids are treated by their families, but I just had to do something about the state in which these kids are left to fend for themselves.”

Joining in the promotion of this worthy cause, KRUX University Radio is sponsoring the event with radio ads and interviews and Project Mainstreet will arrange a reception on Main Street, outside the Rio Grande Theatre, prior to the concert. The festivities will begin at 6 p.m., with a food truck roundup, featuring the city’s finest wheeled purveyors of gastric delights, DJ grooves, information booths and more.

The Rio Grande Theatre is located at 211 N. Main Street, in Las Cruces. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 balcony and $28 orchestra. Advance tickets are available for purchase online at www.HoldMyTicket.com or at the Doña Ana Arts Council offices upstairs in the Rio Grande Theatre, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, call (575) 523-6403 or visit www.RioGrandeTheatre.com. Ticket sales, which additionally benefit The Center For Spiritual Living are also available by calling Teresa at (575) 642-4334. To find out more about Casa Q, visit www.casaq.org. - Discover New Mexico

November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month and Las Cruces will be doing its part when Singing for Shelter, a concert to raise awareness about[...] - Desert Exposure

New York, N.Y.
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April 21, 2016 Outstanding music program receives special invitation Distinguished Concerts International New York City (DCINY) announced today that Darnell Dibbles and Carpe Sono have been invited to participate in Total Vocal – a performance of contemporary a cappella under the creative direction of arranger/producer Deke Sharon (The Sing Off, Pitch Perfect) –
on the DCINY Concert Series in New York City. This performance will take place on Sunday, April 9, 2017 in Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall. These outstanding musicians will join with other choristers from around the world to form the Distinguished Concerts Singers International, a choir of distinction. Deke Sharon will lead the performance and will serve as the clinician for the residency. Why the invitation was extended Dr. Jonathan Griffith, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for DCINY states: “Carpe Sono received this invitation because of the quality and high level of musicianship demonstrated by the singers as well as the exceptional quality of their audition recording. It is quite an honor just to be invited to perform in New York. These wonderful musicians not only represent a high quality of music and education, but they also become ambassadors for the entire community. This is an event of extreme pride for everybody and deserving of the community’s recognition and support.” The singers will spend 5 days and 4 nights in New York City in preparation for their concert. “The singers will spend approximately 9-10 hours in rehearsals over the 5 day residency.” says Griffith. “Not all of the time is spent in rehearsals, since there is so much history and culture to see in New York City. However, the performance is the primary purpose for their visit to the city.” Members of the community are encouraged to give financial support in sending these singers to New York by contacting Darnell at 512-497-7927 or via email at darnell.dibbles@automattic.com. Conductor Deke Sharon Heralded as "The Father of Contemporary A Cappella" and "a one man a cappella revolution" (Boston Globe), Deke Sharon is responsible for the current sound of modern a cappella, and for spreading the dense vocal-instrumental sound around the world. Born in San Francisco, California, Deke is the founder, director and arranger for the House Jacks, and has shared the stage with countless music legends, including Ray Charles, James Brown, Crosby Stills and Nash, Run DMC, The Temptations, LL Cool J and the Four Tops, and performed for luminaries including President Bill Clinton. The House Jacks have eight albums, and dozens of international tours to their names, including multiple appearances Carnegie Hall, and performed the Monday Night Football Theme with Hank Williams Jr. in 2011. Deke produces "The Sing-Off" worldwide (USA, Netherlands, China), which had the highest ratings of any new, unscripted television show in the US in 2009, and was the third highest rated show on NBC in 2010. In addition, Deke served as arranger, on-site music director and vocal producer for Universal's "Pitch Perfect" starring Anna Kendrick (2012). Deke founded the Contemporary A Cappella Society while in college, and is responsible for many seminal a cappella programs, including the CARAs (Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards, ICCAs (International Championship of College A Cappella), BOCA (Best of College A Cappella Compilation), the first contemporary a cappella conferences (the A Cappella Summit), and the new Contemporary A Cappella League. He is also contemporary A Cappella's most prolific arranger, having arranged over 2,000 songs, with many of them in print worldwide with Hal Leonard/Contemporary A Cappella Publishing. His first book, "Acappella Arranging" was published in 2012. He has produced dozens of award winning a cappella albums (including Straight No Chaser, Committed, Nota, Street Corner Symphony and the Tufts Beelzebubs), created a cappella groups for Disneyland and Disneyworld, and frequently tours the world teaching a variety of topics to students and professional singers. DCINY Productions Founded by Iris Derke and Jonathan Griffith, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) is the leading producer of dynamically charged musical excellence. With its unforgettable concert experiences in renowned venues, empowering educational programs, and its global community of artists and audiences, DCINY changes lives through the power of performance. Tickets For more information on tickets, group sales or other special offers, please contact us at 212-707-8566 Ext. 307, or BoxOffice@DCINY.org. Contact & Interviews Interviews and press requests may be arranged by contacting Andrew Ousley at Unison Media at 212-707-8566 Ext. 316, or Press@DCINY.org. - Distinguished Concerts International New York