"From The Conductor"
 

This concert is filled with popular tunes - promising to keep you humming as you leave the auditorium! Not only are the melodies irresistible, but the memorable lyrics will stay with you.

In selecting the program, our goal was both variety and singability. Many great tunes were first written as instrumental numbers and the lyrics were added later. In fact, many were so individualistic that they wouldn't lend themselves to choral arrangement

Cole Porter, the sophisticated composer of the era, frequently wrote his own lyrics while the Gershwin brothers shared writing duties. Other composers collaborated to produce their songs.

We are fortunate to have Charles "Chuck" Cassey as a resident of southern Oregon. He's arranged and published hundreds of tunes and has allowed us to use four of the most appealing. Because we usually sing traditional, classical choral works, it's been a pleasant revelation for us to learn and perform these standards from America's great song-writing period of 1920 to 1950. They require different techniques and special attention to style and lyrics, which must be translated from listening hundreds of times to singing them as a group.

We hope you enjoy them. If you do, let us know - there are hundreds more we could sing!

We want to thank those who contribute to the Chorale. Like all non-profit organizations, we can't make it without the generous help of donors. If you would like to help us, please refer to the "Support Programs" page of our website for details on how to contribute. 

And finally, after 28 years, we feel it is time to become a permanent part of southern Oregon's musical picture, so have started an endowment fund. For those who love choral music, an endowment program seems to be the best way the Chorale can continue. If you are interested, please contact us at endowment@roguevalleychorale.org. 

We do want to thank you for being a part of our concerts. It is our hope that by singing a great variety of quality music, we all gain musically and aesthetically.

Lynn Sjolund