Our History
AIDS/Lifecycle Concert Series originally launched in 2007 as a project to raise funds for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
Our first concert was given on January 26, 2008, with a total of eight concerts presented through May 17, 2008. Completely volunteer driven, our first year was a huge success with over 50 total performers and $25,000 raised. The 2009 season was bigger and bolder, with ten concerts around the Bay Area. Even with the economic downturn, all the volunteers and performers stepped up to make the 2009 concert season successful, musically and financially with over $15,000 raised. We also secured three new corporate sponsors, in addition to church sponsors, and paved the way for the concert series to continue for 2010. Even with budget cuts and reduced giving to art organizations, our sponsors and supporters continued to remain loyal and support us every year.

Lifemark Group Arts, Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland, and the Piedmont Piano Company all came on board in 2009 as sponsors. Chapel of the Chimes became our home base during 2009 concert season, while Piedmont Piano Company lent a $100,000 hand-built Fazioli piano for piano concert. Bank of the West again joined us as one of our principal sponsors, and many other local merchants, both old and new, made generous donations.

Our Goals
The first goal of the concert series is to raise as much money as possible to benefit our principal charities. Our current beneficiaries are:
San Francisco AIDS Foundation serving the Bay Area with AIDS awareness, education, prevention and health issues. www.sfaf.org/aboutsfaf/

The Young People’s Symphony Orchestra (YPSO) is one of the oldest and leading youth orchestras in the nation. YPSO alumni include many internationally distinguished musicians and prominent community members. The members, ages range from 12-21, come from 31 cities and 5 Bay Area counties. www.ypsomusic.net/index.php

Healing Waters offers whitewater rafting trips for people living with HIV and AIDS. Additionally, Healing Waters offers an annual, week-long kayaking and camping (Camp Liquid) for HIV-positive teens from around the country. www.hwaters.org/index.html

Oakland-East Bay Gay Mens Chorus, one of the best-known and most active gay arts organizations in Oakland and the East Bay. http://oebmgc.org./

The second goal of the concert series has been to present talented local artists, both professional and non-professional, who share their talents for our worthy causes. Performances range across a wide spectrum of musical styles: classical, jazz, gospel, Broadway and others, in both solo and ensemble settings.  Each concert feature a guest artist or group. Several concerts are held in collaboration with The Young People's Symphony Orchestra members and performances by members of the orchestras Board of Directors. Two Piano recitals presented several local pianist in concert, which was sponsored by the Piedmont Piano company.…..

Special Guest Emcees
A number of prominent Bay Area musicians, Radio and Television personalities volunteered as guest hosts for our concerts. Among these were Dr. Michael Morgan, Artistic and Music Director of the Oakland East Bay Symphony Orchestra, Bryan Baker, and conductor of Masterworks Chorale of San Mateo, Bryan Nies, conductor of the Oakland Youth Orchestra. Radio and television personalities Maria Lopez (Smooth Jazz Radio), John Evans (Classical Radio), Fernando and Greg (Energy 92.7) and NBC-11 News anchor Craig Herrera and several notable business and non-profit CEO's.

Concert  Statistics
350 total performers, 20 Concerts and 43,000 Raised (2008-2010)
8 Ensembles
10 Duet/Duo teams
5 Choirs
4 Bands
25 Vocalist / Instrumental Soloists
16 Pianists
Bay Area Chamber Symphony-Members
Members from the Oakland Youth Orchestra (OYO), Young People's Symphony Orchestra (YPSO), Peninsula Youth Orchestra (PYO), Oakland East Bay Symphony, San Francisco Symphony and others.

Our Sponsors and Venues
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Orinda Community Church, Northbrae Community Church, Chapel of the Chimes, Lakeside Presbyterian Church, Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley (Encore), St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, All Saints Catholic Church, St. Dominic's Catholic Church, Beth Eden Baptist Church (Encore) and Lakeshore Ave Baptist Church.

2010 & Beyond
One of the many challenges for 2010 will be to increase our visibility.   We rely entirely on volunteers, local merchants and members of the local communities to help keep the concert series running, since all monies raised go directly to the charities/organizations we support. The Piedmont Piano Company will once again be a sponsor during our 2011 concert season and serve as our new home base for several piano concerts. Finally, 2011 our name will change to “Giving Concerts”, which better represents what we want to achieve as a 501c non-profit foundation.
www.givingconcerts.org

Valdez Hill, Giving Concerts, TempoVivo and AIDS/Lifecycle Concert Series Founder

Blaine Gorman, AIDS/Lifecycle Concert Series Co-Founder 2007-2008