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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2019)
10 Wednesday, October 16, 2019 GO! magazine — A&E in Northeast Oregon Choir tradition brings unity through song ■ High school choirs join community and college choirs at Choirs of the Valley concert Oct. 17 LA GRANDE — A decade-old tradition brings unity to communi- ties in and around La Grande at the Choirs of the Valley concert. Through music, “the young, old and anyone in between” come to- gether, said Peter Wordelman, EOU Chamber Choir’s director. Sponsored by Red Cross Drug Store, the 2019 Choirs of the Valley concert will begin at 7 p.m. Oct. 17 in McKenzie Theatre on the Eastern Oregon University campus in La Grande. The event happens every year on the third Thursday of October. Almost all 446 seats in McKenzie Theatre fi ll up. Five local choirs partake in the musical performance, including high school choirs from La Grande, Hermiston and Milton-Freewater, the Grande Ronde Community Choir and the EOU Chamber Choir. All of the choirs open their performance season with this col- laborative event. Wordelman said the fall concert exposes many community mem- bers and rural students to local choral music, solidifying EOU’s role as the educational and cultural engine of the region. The annual Choirs of the Valley concert introduces high school students to performing in large choirs, said Peter Wordelman, who directs the EOU Chamber Choir. Five regional choirs will participate in this year’s free concert on Thursday at EOU. “Since a lot of our students came from small high schools, they are not used to hearing larger high school choirs,” said Wordelman. “(EOU) students tell me they like to hear the high school choirs per- form, especially if they were a part of it (in the past).” For the high school students, the concert gives them an opportunity to perform together rather than against each other. The schools regularly compete in the annual Oregon School Activi- Old-time dance planned in Joseph JOSEPH — An Old-Time Com- munity Dance is planned for Oct. 19 at the Hurricane Creek Grange Hall, 63081 Hurricane Creek Road, Joseph. From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. there will be a live band of local musi- cians and a caller to walk dancers through all the moves. All dances will be called/taught — no experi- ence is needed, and beginners of all ages are welcome. Partners or spe- cial clothing are not necessary. The family friendly evening includes potluck snacks (bring fi nger foods to share, if you are able). Coffee and hot tea will be provided. Admission is $5 per person or $10 per family. Children younger than 12 get in free. The Grange welcomes volunteers to help set up for the dance, put up posters, take money at the door, clean up afterward and do other chores. For more information, call Laura Skovlin at 541-398-0800. ties Association choir competition. La Grande High School has taken fi rst place six times, and last year, Milton-Freewater won second place. “This is a great way for every- one to share what they have been working on,” Wordelman said. “A fun-spirited and quick taste of everyone’s pieces sets the tone for the rest of the year.” This event is free and open to the all. For more information, contact Wordelman at pwordelm@eou.edu. Johnson Family Fruit’s Pumpkin Patch Thousands of pumpkins Great fam to choose from! to choose from! ily fun! Wine Pairing Dinner TONIGHT! Reserve your table today 541-963-8766 tendepotstreet.com Picked or U-Pick Highway 82 4 mi North of Imbler (Follow Signs) Open 7 a.m. - Dusk 541-786-1493
