A celebration of water: NorthWest Women’s Chorale sets Sequim, Port Angeles spring concerts

A celebration of water in song, the The NorthWest Women’s Chorale presents “Wade in the Watah,” its spring concert, twice this week.

Performances are set for 7 p.m. Friday, May 11, at Dungeness Valley Lutheran Church, 925 N. Sequim Ave., and 7 p.m. Monday, May 14, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 301 E. Lopez Ave., Port Angeles.

Admission to both concerts is a suggested donation of $15 at the door.

The concert features Gwyneth Walker’s cantata “Lessons from the Sea” based on the book “Gift from the Sea” by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1906-2001); the piece brings Lindbergh’s 1955 book to life through music. The author writes of her experiences during a vacation by the beach where she reflects on the demands of her life. Walker uses a narration of excerpts from the book coupled with musical “commentary” from the all-women chorale.

The remainder of the program covers a range of styles, from classical to spiritual to folk music, each piece relating to water. It also includes the engaging sing-a-long.

Guest narrator for these two Northwest Women’s Chorale performances is Diane Urbani de la Paz, writer/reporter and a supporter of the arts.

About the chorale

The NWWC has been singing harmony in performances locally and regionally for the past 11 years. The chorale has performed in Alaska, and across Washington state in Lynnwood, Silverdale, Poulsbo, Port Townsend, Chehalis and Forks.

The 28 members of NWWC come from areas west of Joyce to east of Sequim.

The chorale strengthens their singing abilities by attending National and Regional American Chorale Directors Association Conferences when possible. This year, more than half of the members attended the Regional ACDA conference in Portland, Ore., in March.

Leading the NorthWest Women’s Chorale is Joy Lingerfelt, who is also a deacon and minister of music and worship arts at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Port Angeles. She also directs the Port Angeles Symphony Chorus, which just gave its third performance with the symphony orchestra on May 5.

Accompanying the chorale is pianist Kristin Quigley Brye, an adjunct professor of music at Peninsula College, and collaborative pianist with the NorthWest Women’s Chorale and owner of a private music studio.

Find more information at www.nwwomenschorale.org or by emailing director@nwwomenschorale.com.