SF choruses head to Washington for Inaugural

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Dozens of boys and girls from around the Bay Area are preparing to head to the nation's Capitol. They have been selected by a congressional committee to perform at President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration.

They are considered two of the nation's top choral groups. Both are Grammy award winners. 43 members of the San Francisco Boys Chorus and 43 members of the San Francisco Girls Chorus will serenade the new president and the country on Inauguration Day.

Dominique Shaw, 13, is in the 8th grade at the Willie Brown Academy in San Francisco. The young soprano has been singing with the chorus for four years, and has toured internationally, but nothing compares to this.

"It's a great honor because I'm singing for the first black president that's going to make change for this country," Shaw said.

Emma Dowd, 15, is a sophomore at University High School in San Francisco and has been a member of the Girls Chorus since 4th grade, travelling as far as South Korea and china. Now it is on to the Capitol to perform six patriotic songs.

"We're so excited, we can't believe it's happening, it's still a little bit too good to be true, we can't believe they chose us," Dowd said.

Senator Dianne Feinstein had a lot to do with their selection since she is chair of the inaugural ceremonies.

"They had us make a tape with the boys, we didn't know what it was for, and then when they told us we were so surprised," Dowd said.

Despite the name "San Francisco," chorus members come from all over the Bay Area. The groups will be performing a free concert, a send-off, Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at San Francisco City Hall.

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