PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers, freshly reunited with founding director Michael Rivers, will give one last concert this Saturday before taking a break.
On the program for the 3 p.m. concert at First Presbyterian Church, 139 W. Eighth St., are songs including “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” “Holy, Holy, Holy,” “Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying,” plus a few sing-along hymns.
Admission is by donation, with proceeds to benefit Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, a nonprofit provider of hospice care and medical equipment to hundreds of families each year.
Changes
The Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers have gone through some changes lately.
Rivers, who resigned as choir director two years ago to work on his solo CD “My Father’s Face,” has returned, replacing former director Lee Moseley.
“These guys are working their tails off,” said Rivers, adding, “I’m not an easy guy to be with in the rehearsal room.”
Smaller core group
The choir is now a smaller core group, with first tenors Jacob Brown and Mert Thornton; second tenors Larry Doyle, Gordon Shipps, Michael Stenger and Bill Laney; basses Ray Hanson, Emil Moilanen and Dave Meyer; and baritones Steve Campbell, Michael Perry and Michael Craig.
“Not to be excluded,” noted Craig, are longtime accompanist Penny Hall and sign language interpreter Karen Coles.
A special guest at Saturday’s concert, Craig added, will be local hospice founder Rose Crumb.
The performance will be a lively one, Craig and Rivers agree. Songs such as “Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying” still send Rivers’ spirit high.
“As a young man in Boston, I was gifted with a chance to sit and play music with Ken Medema, the composer of this stirring song,” Rivers said of “Lord, Listen.” Jack Schrader’s arrangement of it, Rivers added, “really pops with energy.”
Rivers also invites interested singers to think about auditioning.
The choir will hold tryouts for all parts in August. Rivers can be reached at nmrivers@olypen.com.
The Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers is one diverse bunch in terms of religious denomination, politics and age.
Their vision is to set aside those differences, Rivers said, “to sing the songs that really matter.”
Besides, added the director, “they are a really cool group of men.”
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
