Northwest
Chamber
Chorus

Celebrate!   

The Northwest Chamber Chorus closes a busy concert season with its 40th Anniversary Celebration concerts on June 7 at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church where the chorus is artist in residence, and June 8 at Town Hall in downtown Seattle. (Read more)

Come celebrate with the Chorus:

• Past directors Joan Catoni Conlon and Steven M Demorest return as guest conductors.
  
  
• The Chorus premieres an exciting new work by Northwest composer Joan Szymko.
  
  
• NWCC alumni join the chorus onstage.
  
  
• A reception follows the Sunday concert at Town Hall.

In honor of the occasion, Mayor Greg Nickels has proclaimed June 7 & 8 as Northwest Chamber Chorus Days in the City of Seattle.

The 40th Anniversary concert program features music of celebration by Bach, Scarlatti, Rheinberger, Eric William Barnum, René Clausen, Ola Gjeilo, and Moses Hogan. Joyous songs by great American composers Randall Thompson and Alice Parker include Alleluia, Ye Shall Have a Song, and Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal.

The Northwest Chamber Chorus will premiere Carpe Diem (Pluck the Day) commissioned from award-winning Portland composer Joan Szymko in honor of the 40th Anniversary celebration. Text for the piece comes from Roman poet and satirist Horace from Book I of his Odes:

Be wise, strain the wine; and since life is brief, prune back far-reaching hopes! Even while we speak, envious time has passed: seize the day, pluck the fruits of the day, putting as little trust as possible in tomorrow!

Joan Catoni Conlon, director of the Chamber Chorus from 1971 to 1995 and noted Monteverdi scholar, guest conducts Ecco momorar l'onde by Monteverdi.

Steven M Demorest, director from 1996 to 2005, guest conducts Bogoroditse Devo by Rachmaninoff.

Past chorus members will join the current ensemble to sing Victoria's O Magnum Mysterium, a choral classic that has been performed by the Chorus in each decade of its long history.