Rainier Youth Choir will host all day festival Saturday, Feb. 6

Rainier Youth Choirs is hosting an all day Honor Choir Festival on Saturday, Feb. 6 at First Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 19800 – 108th Ave. SE, Kent, WA 98031. About 150 outstanding musicians in grades 4 through 8 from seventeen different schools will rehearse all day with RYC staff members Karen Fulmer, Brian Hoskins and Leora Schwitters, all experienced Regional and/or All State honor choir directors, then present a free concert for the public at 4 p.m. They will be accompanied in part by the award-winning Seattle acoustic band, Erwilian.

February 1, 2016 1:49 pm

Rainier Youth Choirs is hosting an all day Honor Choir Festival on Saturday, Feb. 6 at First Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 19800 – 108th Ave. SE, Kent, WA 98031. About 150 outstanding musicians in grades 4 through 8 from seventeen different schools will rehearse all day with RYC staff members Karen Fulmer, Brian Hoskins and Leora Schwitters, all experienced Regional and/or All State honor choir directors, then present a free concert for the public at 4 p.m. They will be accompanied in part by the award-winning Seattle acoustic band, Erwilian.

Festival participants were selected because of their excellent leadership, musicianship and citizenship. Their school music teachers have been helping them prepare the music in advance. Schools participating are from seven different school districts, including Auburn, Enumclaw, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, Sumner and Tahoma. The festival is supported in part by WA-ACDA and J.W. Pepper.

Rainier Youth Choirs groups Consonare, Colla Voce and Bella Voce will present a season concert that same evening at 7 p.m. with different selections, including a solo set by Erwilian, songs by Holst, Whitacre, Hatfield, Copland, and many other delightful songs from around the world.  Special solo performances by RYC singers who recently took first place in a NATS solo competition will also be featured. Julia Wenndt, Kentridge HS senior, and Sophia Heinz, Tahoma JH freshman, both students of Maple Valley voice teacher Kerstin O’Shields, will each present her winning classical selection as part of the program.

Tickets for the 7 p.m. concert are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors/students (12 and older), $5 for children younger than 12, if purchased in advance (available online at www.RainierYouthChoir.org).  Tickets will also be available at the door for $15/$12/$7, respectively, starting at 6:15 p.m.  All ticket prices are listed as a suggested minimum donation amount.

The Rainier Youth Choirs mission is to provide instruction designed to guide singers to attain the highest level of artistry in choral performance and music education through an affordable program.