News Release

January 4, 2007

SHADES Yale Choir to Serenade children of Nickerson Gardens

The voices of Shades will perform a short concert at the Nickerson Gardens SAGE Center on Tuesday, February 9, 2007 from 2-3 pm. The event benefits Crystal Stairs’ Nickerson Gardens SAGE Center, located within the housing development.

Shades will present a short selection of songs for the children, followed by a brief workshop on staying in school, striving for greatness and reaching for opportunities beyond your immediate geographic boundaries. The goal of the event is to inspire the children through songs and lived experiences.

Shades is a non-profit, co-educational collegiate a cappella group of Yale University founded to celebrate music of the African Diaspora. Drawing on the rich ethnic and musical backgrounds of its members, Shades focuses on African-American music, particularly R&B, gospel, jazz, pop, and traditional music. The group's mission is to “offer a unique, musically excellent, and spiritually enriching performance experience to audiences at Yale University and beyond.”

Crystal Stairs was pleased to partner with Shades on this event. “It is important to expose our children to all types of positive experiences”, says Holly J. Mitchell, CEO of Crystal Stairs. “Shades represents good talent and good mentors and role models. Our children need to see both”.

When: Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Where: Nickerson Gardens SAGE Center
1450 E. 114th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90059-1752
Time: 2:00pm – 3:00pm

Shades plans to sing at a number of other venues, including at the Black AIDS Institute, and before the Los Angeles City Council. Crystal Stairs and SAGE are excited to have this unique group share their art and we hope you will join us!

For more information, please contact Sydney Kamlager-Santner at 323-421-2631.
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