MACCC Conference FAQs  

How do I fund all this?  Most faculty use a combination of personal, division, foundation, and fundraising monies to pay expenses for themselves and students.  The largest cost will be hotel rooms and most faculty book these rooms for their students using college credit cards or checks, planning on mostly 2 beds per room. 

How to pay… pay online or make checks out to MACCC and put “MACCC Conf ’23” in the notes.   Be sure to include a list of persons for whom the check is covering.  Send to Chauncey Maddren, MACCC Treasurer, LA Valley College, Music, 5800 Fulton Ave. Valley Glen, CA, 91401 

How do I Register Students? First, make sure your MACCC membership is current.  MACCC members can register their students for the ensembles at the same time they make their own conference registration, under a separate tab.  There are also separate registration tabs for Master Class, Composition Competition, and hotel rooms. 

Student information regarding scheduling, attire, and behavior will come to directors via our Northern Choral and Instrumental Representatives. 

What if I make a mistake in my registration? If you’re having any problems with registration, please alert our treasurer, Chauncey Maddren maddrecm@lavc.edu  

Transportation from Oakland Airport to Doubletree by Hilton Berkeley Marina (DHBM)…there is no complimentary shuttle, so your best bet may be public transportation, shuttle, Uber, or Lyft.  Rough price for an XL Lyft (seats 6) is $45 and the ride is about 1/2 hour.  Public transport involves BART, 51B bus and a significant walk all of which would take about 1 hour from Oakland Airport.  Public transportation planning can be done here via the BART planner.

Transportation to San Francisco Symphony…San Francisco Symphony has given us 50% off group discount tickets for the Friday, November 17 performance which you can access HERE.  Northern Section President, Jody Benecke is organizing reasonably priced  group transport to SF Symphony or SF Opera for Friday, Nov 17. Contact her if you like to reserve a spot: jbenecke@santarosa.edu. 

You could use the link above to plan your route to SF which will involve some walking, that 51B bus and the yellow line into SF.  It’ll take just over an hour to get there.  If you drive or take a taxi there it should take about 20 minutes.  By the way, check out CTA for rental car discounts if you need one - we found the best deals there! 

What about food?  There is a restaurant on site at the Doubletree (The Berkeley Boathouse) which is open for breakfast and dinner only.  It may be a bit pricey for students, so the hotel has agreed to create 4 check-out stations for grab and go items in their Made Market near the front desk.  Grab and go breakfast will run about $15, lunch about $20.  We recommend faculty and students eat these meals at the hotel as distance to local restaurants is a bit far to make it back in time for rehearsal. 

Faculty will have breakfast and lunch on Friday and Saturday provided through the conference registration. 

Faculty and students can look forward to a free reception on Friday night from about 5-6 PM. 

There are LOTS of great dinner options besides the Berkeley Boathouse!  Some of the restaurants on the marina are close enough for walking.  Skates on the Bay is about .7 mile, is highly rated and has a great view of the Bay.  Hana Japan Steakhouse is even closer.  Less than 2 miles away you’ll find a wide assortment of restaurants and shops, like Iyasare and Chez Panisse. 

Parking at the hotel is $35/day for self park for cars, $37 for valet.  Rates are higher for bus parking.  There is limited free parking across the street from the hotel at 255 Marina Blvd. 

What else is there to do near the hotel? Check out our Berkeley Local link for more info on local attractions. Cesar Chavez Park is next door to the hotel and there is a fitness center and an indoor pool at the hotel.  City Cruises operates a bay cruise yacht just outside the hotel on the marina.  Friday night is a free time, so many faculty and students enjoy taking in cultural attractions like the San Francisco Symphony.  Their program this year is part of the California Festival and features music for both choir and orchestra. 

What’s the California Festival? Founded in 2023 by the three major orchestras in California, the festival seeks to promote the performance of music written in the last 5 years in concerts all over California.  MACCC is proud to support their efforts and our Saturday concert program is featured on their website.