Beyond the Notes features leading scholars who provide an in-depth look at pieces being performed and the background and history behind the music performed by the San Luis Obispo Master Chorale. The educational events offer the opportunity to meet and learn from a noted expert on the subject, an enhanced understanding of the context of the music, an increased appreciation for the music and live performance, and spreading awareness about the arts.

The San Luis Obispo Master Chorale will host an educational presentation given by Dr. Alyson McLamore, Professor of Music and Distinguished Teacher at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, as part of its Beyond the Notes series. This presentation coincides with the SLO Master Chorale’s 40th anniversary season, beginning with a concert on Sunday, November 24, at 3 pm at the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo.

Beyond the Notes is sponsored by the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust and Joan G. Sargen.

Alyson McLamore, Professor of Music and Distinguished Teacher at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, has studied numerous aspects of eighteenth-century British musical life, such as the concerts of the prodigies Charles Jr. and Samuel Wesley (sons of Charles Wesley, the co-founder of the Methodist Church), and the ways that “sea”-themed compositions impacted British national identity.

Her textbook Musical Theater: An Appreciation (Routledge) is in its second edition and has been translated into Chinese; she has also produced eight music resource guides for the U.S. Academic Decathlon. Dr. McLamore has written program notes for the Master Chorale since 1992 (back when Tom Davies still sported a mustache).