About Us

For two decades, Channel Islands Choral Association‘s dedicated mission has been to provide quality choral music education and performance opportunities to students of all ages in Ventura County. Current projects include partnerships with the CSU Channel Islands University and the Pleasant Valley School District and the ongoing sponsorship of two, dynamic choral programs: 

The CSU Channel Islands University Chorus is a class that is offered at the university and is open to students, faculty, and staff, as well as, the community at large. The students enjoy the benefit of singing with experienced choral singers and establishing friendships with local community members. Community members enjoy the ability to mentor young talent, make new friends, sing under the baton of a skilled conductor, and perform energizing choral programs right in their own backyard! Each semester, the chorus performs at a venue in the community as well as on campus. Each spring, the chorus performs a major choral work with the Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra in an annual community tradition entitled, “Choral Spectacular.” 

The Pleasant Valley School District Chorus is an afterschool program for elementary and middle school students helping provide the District with a high-quality music instructional program, but is open to all children throughout Ventura County. The PVSD Chorus is led by a talented team of music educators and professional community musicians giving students the opportunity to learn musical skills, develop personal confidence, and experience the joy of live concert performance. Students rehearse once a week throughout the school year with many performance opportunities in the local Camarillo area, including holiday concerts, and the annual Camarillo Christmas Parade. 

Our newest endeavor focuses on Ventura County’s high school choral programs. In an effort to recharge and refresh high school choral programs and dust off the many unused chairs for high school students, CICA is excited to explore innovative and motivating ways we can help. This endeavor will give high school students the opportunity to perform with CICA and the Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra under the skillful baton of Artistic Director, Dr. KuanFen Liu. In addition, students and their Directors will be supported through a mentoring program designed to bring the support, experience and expertise of local choral conductors and creative musicians attuned to high school culture directly to high school students and their staffs. Additionally, high school choral programs are financially supported through granted access to CICA’s extensive choral music library and offered the opportunity to perform in some of our community’s most exciting concert venues.

As CICA moves into the next decade of its 21st century mission, we are more determined than ever to provide students of all ages access to a quality choral music program. CICA embraces the belief that this not only cultivates musicality, but also a sense of community, belonging, and contribution that adds value to life and provides a safer and healthier community. We are moving forward… clear in our mission and vision, connecting with our community and contributing beautiful, life-enriching choral music FOR ALL!

Statement of Commitment

OUR RESPONSE TO EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

Channel Islands Choral Association (CICA) and its Board of Directors acknowledges the profound grief recently experienced in many communities across California and the U.S., including our own community of Camarillo and greater Ventura County, as a result of issues of racism and inequity so visually evidenced by recent events impacting the African-American community. Speaking directly to the systemic issues of racism is vital in the days ahead as they have impacted all of us.

We stand alongside other organizations of similar design to emphatically state that we do not condone racism in any form. To the contrary, our mission statement employs us to dedicate every effort to provide excellence in choral music education and performance FOR ALL irrespective of race, sex, religion, gender or sexual-orientation.

Further, we acknowledge that our organization has much work to do and many lessons to learn around these issues. Through open and frank discussions we will ensure that all stakeholders have an equal voice in assisting us in bettering our commitment to diversity, equality and accessibility for all members.

As we launch a new fiscal year, CICA’s Board of Directors is committing to publicly undertake the following action items to ensure that we are not complacent in our abilities to address the issues impacting so many individuals and families across our community:

  1. We will use virtual programming and instruction related to CSU Channel Islands University Chorus to examine and explore the contributions of female choral composers to enrich the dialogue on what it means to treat all individuals with equity.

  2. We will continue to fully embrace and stand beside the non-discrimination policies of our two sponsored program providers, California State University Channel Islands and Pleasant Valley School District while working to strengthen our own.

  3. We will explore ways to increase the diversity of our membership and in the music we perform so that our audiences will see a more accurate depiction of their community in the faces and voices of our participants.

To this end, we dedicate ourselves to the universal expression of music in all its forms to be a facilitator of healing, a conveyor of peace, and a unifying force within our community and beyond.

Board Members

PRESIDENT: JOAN LUOTO RUST

Singer, dog and cat lover, cook, yogi, gardener, photographer, contemporary classical music and art fan, activist, member Pleasant Valley Historical Society, friend, family member; former software engineer, technical writer, web developer, yoga teacher, bartender, art student, TV production assistant, volunteer Mary Health of the Sick, and volunteer Casa Pacifica.

SECRETARY: ELAINE LYLE

Retired Elementary and Middle School Music Teacher (24 years); Children’s Choir Music Director; Church Music Director; Director of Christmas and Spring musical performances; Accountant; won scholarship in voice during high school.

TREASURER: JERRY CRUZ

Performing Arts Teacher, Director of Vocal Music, Assistant Director of Instrumental Music, and Theatre Team Advisor at Santa Paula High School; Music Department Advisor for Fillmore HS; alumnus of Santa Paula High School, Ventura College, CSU Channel Islands, and Cal Lutheran University.

mEMBER: SOFIA AVILA

Singer, Mexican Folk Dancer (Ballet Folklorico); CSUCI Tomorrow’s Teachers Club, Student California Teachers Association; Student Assistant at the Office of the President (CSUCI); Bracero Scholarship (CSUCI), Fairburn Memorial Scholarship (VCCF), Cheryl Schearer Scholarship (VCCF).

MEMBER: VINCENT DOMINGUEZ

Director of Music at St. Brendan Church in Los Angeles working with choirs and instrumentalists of all ages; studied music at California State University Northridge and is an accomplished pianist, accompanist, composer and arranger; studied voice privately and travels throughout Southern California teaching choral workshops to various churches and institutions; currently lives in Camarillo and enjoys sharing the gift of music with young people who are looking to develop their skills and talents.

MEMBER: SABRINA MORENO

Singer, Concert Soloist, Educator; Music Director of Pleasant Valley School District Chorus; Co-Director Santa Paula High School Cardinal Choir; private voice teacher; Graduate CSU Channel Islands.

MEMBER: MOLLY KOHLER PEI

Actor, Singer, Voice Over Actor, Member of SAG-AFTRA and AEA, Writer, Cook, Baker, Food Blogger and Vlogger.

MEMBER: SARAH PETERSEN

Singer, Pianist, Registered Nurse, CSUCI Alumna, Crocheter, Cross Stitcher, Cook, Baker, Tortoise Enthusiast.

MEMBER: SIMON REYES

Composer, Pianist, Bandleader, Audio Engineer, A/V Technician, CSUCI Alumnus, Tutor - Santa Paula Unified School District, Orchestrator, Church Music Director.

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