Arlene Sagan

              BCCO Music Director Emeritus

Arlene Sagan, BCCO Music Director Emeritus

Arlene Sagan began her tenure as Music Director of BCCO in 1988, upon the retirement of the chorus's founder, Eugene Jones. She retired as Music Director Emeritus in June 2011, after 23 years of leadership, friendship, and musicianship. Under Arlene's tutelage, BCCO grew from a small group of singers to a 200-member chorus that welcomed singers at all levels of experience who wanted to learn and perform choral masterworks.

For over 50 years Arlene conducted choral and instrumental groups throughout California, from the 12-member Point Richmond Singers to BCCO. She has appeared on radio and TV nationally and has conducted many major works, ranging from Charpentier's Messe de Minuit to Bach's Mass in B Minor to Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3. In the summers of 1997 and 1998 she was invited to participate in an international choral music festival, "Music of Our Time," held in France and directed by John Poole, conductor emeritus of the BBC singers.

In 1993, Arlene founded and became Artistic Director of Bella Musica, which she retired from in 2012.

Arlene graduated with honors from the University of California, and she held an MA degree in education and musicology from California State University East Bay.

Arlene passed away on July 5, 2012, but her legacy — BCCO — thrives on.