Broadway Tunes and Helping Kids June 5th

"a network of homes where siblings can live together, as family while in foster care"

As an outgoing board member of Redmond Chorale, I can say that one of my favorite tasks as “President” has been learning about other non-profits in the Greater Eastside area. Recently I sat down with the founders of Sibling House, Michael and Lynne Gaskill, and was so inspired by what they do!

In the early nineties, as foster parents, they realized that there was a need within the foster care system in Washington State to provide support and resources for foster parents who wanted to take on the challenge of taking in siblings.   In looking around at the resources available to support these families, they realized that there was a gap.  Thus Sibling House was born in 1997. 

What is Sibling House?  It is a network of 293 foster families that are willing to take in siblings.  This network shares resources to provide basic needs of the foster children in their care.  Sometimes it financial.  Many times it is basic practical needs.  Sometimes it is newer foster parents needing the guidance and support of those who have the experience.  Sometimes it is the support of having a special event or get together.

As Redmond Chorale has supported many non-profits over the years, one of my favorite questions to ask is, “What will our modest concert proceeds gift of $500.00 do for your organization.”  

For Sibling House the response was:

•         Provide a bunk bed and dresser for a new foster family

•     Provide gift cards for teens in foster care to buy their own clothes  —frequently when kids enter the system due to some traumatic event in their lives, they come into their new home with the clothes on their backs.  A gift card to Old Navy helps teens to be able to pick their own clothes and feel good about themselves in their school settings.

•          Help pay for training for foster parents

•         Buy new tires for a foster parent’s car so that they can continue to provide transportation
•        Help pay the expenses of a yearly holiday party where each child of a    foster family is given a gift of their very own.

The list goes on, but these stick out in my mind.

For more information about Sibling House, please visit their website at siblinghouse.org.

 And come join me at our Summer Concert where we will be featuring Broadway Hits.  From Rodgers and Hammerstein classics to songs of modern hits such as Rent and Wicked.  Fun for the whole family! Proceeds to benefit Sibling House.

Sunday night, June 5^th 7 pm  Meadowbrook Church in Redmond,WA

Tickets $16.00 for adults

                   

Come Join the Fun

and Support Your Favorite Choir

Two opportunities to check out

 Redmond Chorale's Spring Concert

1) Sunday March 20th, 2 pm, Meadowbrook Church, Redmond, WA

2) Sunday March 20th, 7:30pm, Redmond Senior Center, Redmond, WA 

Tickets available at the door or at www.BrownPaperTickets.com

Featuring Tess Altiveros & Ryan Bede, soloists

Bach (Again): Come Sweet Death, by JS Bach, arr. Sandberg
Requiem Op. 9, by Maurice Duruflé; Tess Altiveros and Ryan Bede, soloists
Make Our Garden Grow, by Leonard Bernstein
Unclouded Day, by Shawn Kirchner
Ain't Got Time to Die, by Hall Johnson

Proceeds benefit "Havens Community Connections" which supports the unique needs of women in higher socio-economic brackets fighting domestic abuse

Join Redmond Chorale for their Holiday Concert featuring the Vivaldi "Gloria" and Glorias from around the world. This family friendly holiday concert is a wonderful way to usher in the season of excitement and wonder. Proceeds benefit Cancer Lifeline, benefiting those fighting cancer and loved ones who fight alongside them. Meadowbrook Church, Redmond, WA at 1:30pm


 Second showing: 12/6, 7pm, at Lake Washington High School.

To reserve a seat ahead of time and obtain a ticket go to Brown Paper Tickets:
 
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2413674

Saturday, September 26th, 2015

Meadowbrook Church, Redmond, WA

3pm

Redmond Chorale Talent Show 

and

Silent Auction

• Enjoy an afternoon of entertainment
• Win items at the Silent Auction
• See a variety of acts by Chorale Members and Friends

Three More Weeks until We Start to Sing

Dr. Hughes directs Community Sing of Vivaldi's Gloria at Folk Life Festival 2015

We got a taste of one of this December's concert selections when we sang portions of Vivaldi's Gloria at this summer's Folk Life Festival at Seattle Center. About a 100 or so members of the community gave up their driver's licenses for an hour in exchange for the loan of music, to have a taste of singing this all time choir favorite together! 

If you would like the opportunity to sing this piece with The Redmond Chorale this December, rehearsals start on September 7th, 7 pm, at Meadowbrook Church in Redmond, WA. See previous post for details!


Also, save the date of September 26th for 
Redmond Chorale's Talent Show and Auction!

ABC's of Joining Redmond Chorale

 

The ABC’s of joining Redmond Chorale

 a wordy blog 

for those

 detail oriented people 

who want to know what is involved in joining a choir

 If you are interested in joining Redmond Chorale, or have an interest in being a part of a community choir, but don't know what that means, this is for you!

Audition: Come to one of the first two rehearsals each season and stay afterward to audition. Our fall session starts Labor Day Monday night.  Rehearsal starts at 7, come early the first or second week to sign in.  This lets you get a taste of the music and our director's style, and lets you sample before you commit.  If you are just checking us out, you can borrow music for the evening and turn it in at the end of the night. Dr. Hughes auditions folks in a easy non-intimidating manner at the end of the first two rehearsals.

Be Present: If you decide to commit, the expectation is that you would come to as many of the 12 or so rehearsals prior to the concert as you are able too. Rehearsals are on Mondays at 7-9pm at Meadowbrook Church in Redmond. To participate in performances requires missing no more than three rehearsals in a 12 week rehearsal schedule. Tech/dress rehearsals on "Redmond Chorale weekend" are mandatory.  These are generally the Saturday mornings prior to Sunday concert days.  Many times there may be an auxiliary concert on that Saturday afternoon or Sunday afternoon prior to the main concert. It varies by season.  Exact details usually firm up within the first few weeks of rehearsal. Like any other organization you join, other people are counting on you and singing in a choir is a group activity and we need you to be present.

Contribute:  Redmond Chorale uses its concert proceeds to benefit non profit community partners.  Suggested donations by choir members help pay for choir costs such as music, musicians, minor office and administrative costs and to keep things running. Your donation allows us to give back more to our partners.

Suggested donations per season are

 *$75.00 plus 1 hour of service  (additional family members $35/season + 1 hour of service)

That comes to $25.00 a month + 20 mins of service or $225.00 a year + 3 hours of service

Less than a gym membership and provides more joy! And many employers match your donation that  make Redmond Chorale possible.

 

Redmond Chorale at Redmond Lights inside City Hall 2010

__________________________________________

“Wow, I have been wanting to 

join a group like this for years 

and here it is in my own back 

yard. So glad I found you, 

Redmond Chorale!” Ruth G

______________________________________

*subject  to change