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.
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