Rainier Youth Choirs will present its spring choral concert at the Kent United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. Saturday.
The church is located at 11010 SE 248th St.
The concert showcases RYC’s three auditioned groups, Bella Voce, Colla Voce and Consonare, spanning grades 4 through college age youth. Members come from Covington, Kent, Maple Valley, Auburn, Federal Way, Enumclaw and Renton.
“The theme ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ was great fun to program,” said Leora Schwitters, RYC’s artistic director. “Listeners will be treated to a wide variety of choral music, from Passereau’s 16th century madrigal, ‘Il est bel et bon’, to Rutter’s ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’, to songs from China, Japan, Africa, to traditional folk songs and contemporary choral gems such as Whitacre’s ‘Animal Crackers’ and Ticheli’s ‘Earth Song’.
“These talented young singers present wonderfully and are certainly up to the challenge of singing such a wide variety of styles and genres well.”
Four RYC senior soloists who placed in the Green River Music Region’s Solo and Ensemble Contest on March 6, will perform their clasical solos as a special addition to the program. Katie Wenndt, Kentridge High School, won first place in the soprano division and will represent GRMR at the State Solo/Ensemble Contest in Ellensburg on April 24.
Alternatives often are called upon to perform at state, so Ryan Callahan, tenor, and Devon Wilson, alto, both from Kentwood High School, and Daniel McCafferty, baritone, Auburn Mountainview High School, are on call for the competition. Wenndt and McCafferty are private voice students of Kerstin O’Shields, and Callahan and Wilson study voice privately with Berit Ballard. Their school choral directors are Anthony Giles (KRHS), Karen Frerichs (AMHS) and Daisy Emans (KWHS).
Applications for RYC’s Honor Choir for treble singers in grades 3-7 are available on the Web site for the session running from April 15-June 19 concert, “Sentimental Journey”. Auditions by appointment for fall enrollment may be requested online.
Tickets for Saturday’s concert are $12 and $10 purchased in advance and $15 and $12 at the door. For ticket orders and more information about Rainier Youth Choirs, visit www.RainierYouthChoirs.org.
