CHIMACUM — RainShadow Chorale will present the first of three afternoon performances of “A Heaven Full of Stars” in Chimacum on Sunday.
The Chimacum concert will be at 3 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 45 Redeemer Way, Chimacum.
The fall concert also will be presented Saturday, Nov. 19 in Port Townsend and Sunday, Nov. 20 in Port Angeles.
The Port Townsend concert will be at 3 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 609 Taylor St.
The Port Angeles concert will be at 4 p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 301 E. Lopez Ave.
For the Chimacum and Port Townsend performances, tickets are a suggested $20 donation for adults, $10 for students from ages 10 to 18. They may be purchased at Crossroads Music, 2100 Lawrence St., Port Townsend, or at the door.
Admission to the Port Angeles concert will be by a $15 donation at the door.
Rebecca Rottsolk, artistic director and conductor, has chosen the repertoire for the program from a broad range of time and composers: early music of Giovanni Gabrielli, music of Brahms and Mendelssohn, and on through folk and contemporary compositions and arrangements.
“Come to the Woods,” a new work by Jake Runestad, is based on the words of John Muir, and follows his venture into the woods and climbing a tree during a storm “for a wider look.”
“Stars,” by Latvian composer Eriks Esenvalds, takes its text from a Sara Teasdale poem in which she describes the majesty of the night sky, accompanied by 20 chorus members “playing” tuned wine glasses.
A poem by Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss), “A Prayer for a Child,” was the inspiration for an arrangement by Estonian composer Pärt Uusberg.
The program will conclude with John Rutters’ “When Icicles Hang,” a set of five wintry songs.
RainShadow pianist, Lisa Lanza, will be assisted by Sharon Snel and Tirzah Small, flute and Anne Krabill and Nancy Reis, oboe.
Rottsolk says of her selections: “I knew I wanted our music not to be an escape from real life, but rather be music we could sink our teeth into, texts and songs that would help us be grounded in tumultuous times and uplift and inspire both singers and audience.”
She said that if one text sums up the reason for the concert it would be the opening lines from the Rabindranath Tagore text used in “My Song,” also by Esenvalds: “This song of mine will wind its music around you like the fond arms of love.
“This song of mine will carry your sight into the heart of things like a faithful star in the dark night over your road.”
RainShadow Chorale is a nonprofit group based in Port Townsend. Its website is at www.rainshadowcho rale.org.
For more information, contact Bev Schaaf at 360-379-3458 or bevschaaf@gmail.com.
RainShadow Chorale members are, starting in back from left, Doug Rodgers, Will Kalb, Don Landstra, Franz Witte, Glen Koch, Malcolm Hepworth, Pat Rodgers, Paul Becker, Linda Bach, Dorothy Hensey, Liz Hazen, Sally Chapin, Bev Schaaf, Claus Janssen, Brian Goldstein, Sue Reid, Sheila Hunt-Witte, Pat Nerison, Phina Pipia, Colleen Johnson, Helen Lauritzen, Weezie Jenkins and Kathleen Schott, Cherry Chenruk-Geelan, Rebecca Rottsolk, Diana Seifert, Jody Bower, Pat Vaughan, Bob McCauley, Kris Lott and Rick Kirkwood.
RainShadow Chorale members are, back row, from left, Doug Rodgers, Will Kalb, Don Landstra, Franz Witte, Glen Koch, Malcolm Hepworth, Pat Rodgers, Paul Becker, Linda Bach, Dorothy Hensey, Liz Hazen, Sally Chapin, Bev Schaaf, Claus Janssen, Brian Goldstein, Sue Reid, Sheila Hunt-Witte, Pat Nerison, Phina Pipia, Colleen Johnson, Helen Lauritzen, Weezie Jenkins and Kathleen Schott; front row, from left, Cherry Chenruk-Geelan, Rebecca Rottsolk, Diana Seifert, Jody Bower, Pat Vaughan, Bob McCauley, Kris Lott and Rick Kirkwood.
