High school singers join chorus concert

The Sisters High School Chamber Choir will join the Sisters Community Chorus in two winter concerts at the Episcopal Church of the transfiguration in Sisters on Sunday, March 14 and Monday, March 15.

The High School Choir had a new beginning recently when Forrest Daniel joined the school staff as choral director. Daniel also directs the community chorus.

"The talent was there I just had to cultivate it," Daniel said.

Daniel's arrival marked the beginning of a new concentration on voice, separate from instrumental instruction.

"I think this is the first time its been an overall voice instruction," he said, "They're just aching to get out there in front and sing."

The concerts will be in two parts, beginning with the Sisters Community Chorus and concluding with the Sisters High School Choir. Jeni Foster and Michele Gregg will perform solo between the two groups.

The Sisters Community Chorus has some new members, some as young as 10 years of age, giving the group an age range from pre-teen to the 70s.

"It's a real community chorus," Daniel said.

Music for this quarter will include "Lament of the Enchantress," composed by Houston Bright and based on poetry by Percy Shelley, "Totus Tuus," by Henryk Gorecki, "O Magnum Mysterium," by Morten Lauridsen, "Sure on this Shining Night," by Samuel Barber and "Simple Gifts," a Shaker song adapted by Aaron Copeland.

The Sisters High School Choir will sing "The Road Not Taken" with music by Randall Thompson and text by Robert Frost, "Haste Thee Nymph," composed by George Handel, "Three Madrigals," with music written by Emma Lou Diemer and text by William Shakespeare and "Music as Soft Voices Die," by Eugene Buffer with text by Percy Shelley.

"I chose these pieces because of the poetry and the composer," said Daniel. "For instance, "Lament of the Enchantress. Shelley and Houston Bright, two very good artists. Houston Bright didn't really get his due. He lived in this little town in Texas and he had this magnificent talent."

Since very few tickets are left for the first performance on Sunday March 14 at 2 p.m. a second performance has been added the following day at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free for both events, but tickets are required for Sunday's performance. The few remaining tickets for the first concert are available from choir group members.

No tickets are needed for the second performance.

For information call the COCC box office at 383-7575 or 383-7512.