SCC Chamber Chorale and Shoreline Singers in free concert Thursday

Shoreline Community College presents:

Chamber Chorale and Shoreline Singers

featuring Jeff Kashiwa

The concert is titled “Sing To Me”

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Doors open at 7pm

First Lutheran Church of Richmond Beach

18354 8th Avenue NW, Shoreline 98177

No admittance fee, but donations are graciously accepted.

By Evan Norberg, SCC Director of Choirs

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to this Fall session concert of Shoreline Community College’s two choral ensembles. The evening's program will feature Chamber Chorale, Shoreline Singers, and wonderful saxophonist, Jeff Kashiwa. 

The program stemmed from a single piece, Ola Gjielo’s, Evening Prayer. A beautiful flurry of chords, melody, and beauty all tied together with tenor sax. When I first presented the idea to Jeff, he whole-heartedly agreed and proceeded to blow us all away with his world-renowned musicianship. This inspired a program that featured him on more than just the one tune. Jeff continued to astound us with his professionalism and musicality striking the statement: “If only I had that much emotion in my little pinky!”

Furthermore, it was my plan all along to test Jeff to the limit; to challenge his ability to jump between instruments. (Actually, this is just how it worked out but are you in for a treat!) Jeff moves seamlessly between Soprano Sax, Tenor, and Clarinet. His ability to transpose on sight is impressive to say the least and we are honored and privileged to have him not only playing for us tonight, but on the regular faculty here at SCC.

We welcome Northwest composer John Muehleisen to our program. John has composed for all types of ensembles and set ups and is most recently honored with premiers across the nation for his work on Pietá, a 90-minute oratorio about compassion and mercy, and But Who Will Return Us Our Children? – A Kipling Passion, a moving compilation of letters, prose and poetry that explores the costs of war from the view of families left behind surrounding the devastated Kiplings and how they find peace in the wake of their son John’s death in the First World War.

Muehleisen is also well known for his humorous contributions to choral music. With Eat Your Vegetables: I. Bounty, we had the pleasure of meeting with John directly and hearing the stories that unravel this peculiar piece.

Programing music from living composers has been an amazing experience for these students, and learning from the masters will continue to inspire us to greatness. A special thanks to Jeff and John in working closely with little-old us!

Another project that we have started for the year makes its appearance at the end of the program. Both choirs will join that of Edmonds Community College and Edmonds-Woodway High School for an evening in the Spring singing the entire major work of Vivaldi’s Gloria. Tonight, we sing four movements in preparation for the spring and have had a blast preparing the music and the nuance if this exciting work.

I truly hope you will enjoy our featured artist and allow the students to take you on an emotional journey. The repertoire has proven challenging but has truly provided us a means to connect with one another, and with you!

Please come in, sit back, relax, and enjoy our program: Sing to Me!