The Wild Rose Chorale, a Port Townsend a cappella group, will perform Thursday as part of the Candlelight Concert series at Trinity United Methodist Church.
The performance will be at 7 p.m. at the church, 609 Taylor St., and streamed live at https://trinityumcpt.org. The concert will also be simulcast on KPTZ FM 91.9. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and masks will be required for in-person attendees.
Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $10 per person. Half of the proceeds go toward the Wild Rose Chorale’s scholarship fund, which makes awards to promising high school and college students who pursue choral music in their post-secondary education.
Wild Rose Chorale awarded two scholarships in June.
The Wild Rose Chorale has been entertaining audiences in Jefferson County and beyond since 1992. The group sings pop, jazz, folk, show tunes, classical and all genres in between.
“We have lots of upbeat music on this program,” bass Doug Rodgers said in a press release.
Pieces include both sacred and secular songs. Some are familiar, such as “Deck the Halls,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Jingle Bells” and “I Saw Three Ships” on which the singers will be joined by Dana Africa on the flute.
But audiences can expect the unexpected, because even the arrangements of familiar tunes can be surprising, including a Pentatonix arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”
Alto JES Schumacher said that, after a traditional start, the song quickly veers off into “rambunctious” parts and vocal percussion.
“I love the variety of sacred and secular, up-tempo and lush ballads,” director Leslie Lewis said in the release. “We even have a beautiful rendition of the 15th century text, ‘Come Down O Love Divine,’ composed and arranged by our very own Rolf Vegdahl.”
Rodgers said he enjoys singing at Trinity.
“It’s a wonderful place to sing. It’s just the right size and shape for a group like ours to be heard and to hear ourselves as we sing. I also really like that our concert is livestreamed, recorded and available on the church website for our friends who are not able to come in person.”
“We always enjoy collaborating with others in the community who want to promote good music,” said Lewis, a soprano. “We are excited to return to Trinity United Methodist again as part of their Candlelight Concert series. The acoustics are wonderful and the staff and volunteers at the church are very accommodating. It’s nothing but positive.”
“Leslie brings out the best musicianship in us. It’s a joy to sing with skilled singers and there are exciting ‘goosebump’ moments when chords, dynamics and tone all come together beautifully,” Schumacher said.
Wild Rose currently has 11 singers, including some new faces.
“It’s been fun working with new members this fall,” Lewis said. “They have given us an injection of new energy. Each person brings their own personality and strengths. Audiences will meet new singers Mark Schecter, bass; Pat Nerison, alto; Cherry Chenruk-Geelan, soprano; and the tenor who joined us last spring, Rolf Vegdahl.”
Rounding out the roster are sopranos Lewis and Sarah Gustner-Hewitt, altos Schumacher and Lynn Nowak, tenor Chuck Helman, and basses Al Thompson and Rodgers.
The singers will perform again at 3 p.m. Sunday at Trinity United Methodist Church. In keeping with COVID-19 protocols, audiences will be required to mask and show proof of vaccination at the Sunday concert.
Admission is by donation at the door.
For information, call 360-643-3345, email wildrosechorale@gmail.com or visit wildrosechorale.org.
