Spring is here at last, and suddenly, we hear a lot of singing.
There’s secular and sacred music, choirs and quartets, Sequim and Joyce, so take your choice; it all begins tonight.
First, the Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers will step onto the risers at Sequim Community Church, 950 N. Fifth Ave., this evening to open with its a cappella theme song “Rise Up O Men of God.”
The 7 p.m. concert will go forth into songs such as “Blow the Trumpet in Zion,” “Holy Highway” and the duet “Down from His Glory” with bass Lee Moseley and tenor Dan Cobb.
End with favorite hymn
“We end with a very favorite hymn: ‘It Is Well with My Soul’ a cappella,” added choir spokesman and second tenor Mike Stenger.
Admission tonight is by donation, with most of the proceeds to benefit the 40-member Sequim Community Church youth group, which will spend spring break working at the Door of Faith orphanage on Mexico’s Baja California peninsula.
“Both the orphanage and the youth group benefit enormously from this annual mission trip,” Stenger said.
On Sunday, the Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers will travel west to perform at Joyce Bible Church, 50470 state Highway 112. Admission to the 6 p.m. concert will be by donation.
“It’s a smaller church, kind of off the beaten path,” Stenger said, adding that the choir sang at Joyce Bible in spring 2011, too.
“We love the warm reception we get there,” he said.
Saturday songfest
A flock of spirited singers will warm up the Sequim High School Performing Arts Center on Saturday, promised Rich Wyatt, chairman of the production titled “Starstruck.”
This is no mere concert.
The Olympic Peninsula Men’s Chorus, the Aspire! women’s quartet, the Sequim High School Select Choir and the men’s quartets No Batteries Required and the Jaybirds will flock together twice: for a 2 p.m. matinee and a show at 7:07 p.m. Saturday.
And “we don’t just roll out act after act,” Wyatt said.
“We put together a script” to tell the story of Jill Shacon — sung by Ayla Iliff — a young Sequim woman in pursuit of stardom.
All seats at either performance of “Starstruck” are $12, and tickets are available in Sequim at Pacific Mist Books, 121 W. Washington St., and Frick’s, 609 W. Washington St.; and in Port Angeles at Port Book and News, 104 E. First St., and the Peninsula Daily News, 305 W. First St. More information also is available at 360-681-7761.
“Starstruck” is the year’s major fundraiser for the Olympic Peninsula Men’s Chorus.
The ensemble is a chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, an international promoter of barbershop-style singing, while the Aspire! quartet is a regional award-winning member of Sweet Adelines International, a worldwide sisterhood of 25,000 cappella singers.
First time with choir
This is the first time the men’s chorus has put together a concert with the Sequim High School Select Choir, Wyatt noted.
“We were impressed with them when they performed at the Veterans Day celebration at the Port Angeles Coast Guard station” with director John Lorentzen.
Singer Mike Menefee, like his fellow Jaybirds, is coming from Kitsap County to be part of Saturday’s show.
He said his quartet specializes in “making a happy, raucous noise together” with a bright streak of humor.
There’s nothing like these harmonies, Menefee said, adding a shout-out to his hosts.
“In a world where fraternal organizations and live performances are being replaced by Facebook and YouTube,” he noted, “we are so fortunate to still have a gem like the Olympic Peninsula Men’s Chorus.”
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3550 or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
