PORT ANGELES — The fundraising for the Port Angeles High School choir should be music to the community’s ears this holiday season.
The choir, which is raising money to go to New York City during spring break, will be up for hire, said Director Jolene Dalton Gailey.
Community groups, organizations, businesses or individuals may hire any combination of the choir to sing winter music, Gailey said.
“We have Christmas music, Hanukkah tunes and songs that are basic wintertime things,” she said.
“What I usually ask is that they [the audience] make a donation and be as generous as they can be, rather than setting a specific amount.”
The choir will go to New York City where it will perform at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine and the Heritage Festival International Competition.
About 100 students will make the trek to New York, Gailey said.
She said the choir also was offered the opportunity to sing at the Field Studies International Choral Festivals, but she opted not to.
“We only get to travel every four years, and I chose not too because it requires rehearsals once we are in New York, and the choir would be performing with other groups,” she said.
“I wanted concerts that were just our choir.
“It is so wonderful — I get to select the literature we will sing and it is just my students.”
In addition to the performances, the group will also attend two Broadway shows and sing for the firefighters at Station 10 — the first responders to the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Gailey said the trip would be both a fun and educational experience for the students.
“We will be doing a lot of different fundraisers — selling doughnuts next Saturday and a few other things,” she said.
“But I’m trying to have as many as possible to be fundraisers that involve us singing.”
Two weeks ago, the choir transformed the performance hall at the high school into a night club atmosphere and 30 students sang solo performances.
“That raised us $4,000,” Gailey said.
She said the aim is to raise between $75,000 and $100,000, and so far, the group has raised about $20,000.
“We’re doing well, so far,” she said.
In February, the choir will be selling Singing Valentines for $25. They will be delivered in town by a small ensemble of singers.
The choir can be hired by contacting Gailey at 360-565-1535 or by e-mail at jgailey@portangelesschools.org.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily news.com.
