Don’t miss out on our 35th Anniversary Celebration!

By Patty McKeehan, Alto, Magnolia Chorale since 2013

It’s hard to believe it’s been just a short 35 years since Magnolia Chorale performed its first concert in the old Nordic Heritage Museum in Ballard in December 1989! Here we are almost three and a half decades later, about to celebrate that remarkable milestone with a gala celebration on Saturday evening May 4, and a matinee concert on Sunday May 5.
 
Both concerts combine an eclectic repertoire of member-chosen favorites from the past, such as the hushed harmonies of Lauridsen’s “Sure on this Shining Night”, and selections from
The Sound of Music and the Beatles. We’ll be inviting audience and former Chorale members to join us for a founders’ favorite—Linda Spevacek’s contemporary arrangement of “Shenandoah” that captures the romantic spirit of the wide, rolling Missouri.

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In addition to those and other past favorites, we’ll be singing a few pieces that the Chorale has never performed before, including Mozart’s “Ave Verum Corpus” and Fauré’s “Madrigal, Op. 35”, which are already becoming new favorites. Another highlight of the repertoire is the premiere of “To Anyone Who Needs a Song”—a brand new piece commissioned specifically for our 35th anniversary celebration from local composer Theresa Redmond. It captures the special experience of singing in a choir and builds layers of unexpected harmonies and rhythms toward an exquisite crescendo before resolving to a simple finish.
 
To celebrate this anniversary in style we’re mounting two concert formats in different venues.
 
First, is our Gala Concert in Pilgrim Hall at Magnolia United Church of Christ on Saturday night May 4. It starts at 6:30 pm with a pre-show mingle with Chorale staff and singers, past and present, as you nibble on catered appetizers and beverages included with your ticket. Then you can take a seat before we start singing at about 7:00 pm.
 
Note: You need to purchase your tickets for Saturday’s concert online ahead of time, and they are limited, so you might want to buy them now while you’re thinking about it.
 
The Sunday Matinee Concert at 2:00 pm May 5 will follow the format of past years’ Sunday concerts, with beautiful music and a cookie reception afterward, where you can mingle with Chorale members and friends. An important difference is that the Sunday concert will be performed at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Magnolia. You can purchase tickets for Sunday’s concert both online and at the door. Doors open at 1:30 pm.
 
Click here for addresses for both venues. ​

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