Valley Voices Community Choir to host 25th annual Christmas concert
The Whitefish Pilot | Whitefish Pilot | UPDATED 6 days, 20 hours AGO
The Valley Voices Community Choir rehearses for "Silver Bells," the annual Christmas Concert, on Monday, Dec. 8. (Photo provided)
Allyson Kuechmann has been directing the Valley Voices Community Choir for twenty-five years, and this year, she expects the 25th anniversary Christmas concert to be bigger and better than ever.
“We call it Silver Bells, in honor of our silver anniversary,” she said. “And it’s the biggest group of singers we’ve ever had.”
The choir has 94 singers on its roster this year.
“That’s considerable growth from our original group of about twenty,” she adds. “It will provide a striking debut for our new risers, which we acquired for the safety of larger steps and railings on the back and sides.”
David Vale, longtime singer and board member, said he frequently ends up on the back row, about three feet off the ground. He said it is comforting to know there’s a railing now that “has my back, so to speak.”
The new risers are a result of a recent fund-raising campaign headed up by choir member Lois (Lolo) Lindquist.
“I was pleased to be able to so readily raise over $20,000 from local individuals and businesses,” Lindquist says. “And almost half of that came from one very generous donor who prefers to remain anonymous.”
The program will provide a full two hours of entertainment featuring the full choir, two special vocal groups, and the talents of world-famous violinist Wai Mizutani.
Local radio personality John Hendricks will emcee the concert. Familiar songs on the program include “Silver Bells,” “What Child is This,” and Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” Less familiar pieces include songs like Mozart’s “Fa La La,” “O Nata Lux,” and “Somebody Build a Manger.” It appears to be a concert with something for everybody, including cookies.
“Yes, don’t forget the cookies,” Kuechmann adds. “Many of our singers are also talented bakers, and they are baking literally hundreds of cookies to share with the audience at intermission.”
Both admission and cookies are free. A free-will offering will be taken, but contributing is at everyone’s individual discretion.
The concert will be Saturday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. Both performances will be in the Whitefish Performing Arts Center at 127 Spokane Ave. Everyone is invited to attend.