Angel Michaels, new Director of Orcas A Cappella Singers
Updated May 11 at 11:30 a.m.
Concerts on Orcas, Lopez and Shaw
The public is invited to welcome and congratulate Angel Michaels in her debut performance as Director of the Orcas A Cappella Singers this month.
The Singers, now in their eighth year, will perform under her direction at a series of concerts on Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw Islands from May 20 to May 23.
Upon former director Dennis Bonner’s retirement to the Portland, Ore. area, Michaels, who is also director of the San Juan Singers, Sound Vibrations (a women’s a cappella chorus) and the Barbershop group, Island Chordsmen Plus, agreed to become Associate Director for the A Cappella Christmas concerts. (Bonner continues to sing with the group as a choir member). In January of this year, she became the Director for the group.
Bonner had a warm, patient “soulful” style of direction; Michaels brings an exuberant and personal style to her direction, often giving different musical perspectives to produce a desired quality, such as the nasal sound of women’s choirs in Eastern Europe. She also demonstrates the effects of novel vocal techniques — for example. singing as if you’re holding a mouthful of water. For all her spontaneity, Michaels brings a thoughtful and professional perspective to the music and “her” singers.
Before directing choirs Michaels sang in them — everything from madrigal groups to the Houston Symphony Chorale. She received a Master of Arts in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at Holy Names College before moving to the San Juans.
Orcas A Cappella will sing "Lovely and Lively" Concerts on three islands May 20-23
She is a lifelong student of music. “Whether as a director, a singer, or an audience member, I love choral music and have listened to it, sung it and studied it most of my life.”
Orcas Islanders will have two opportunities to hear the Spring A Cappella concerts — on Friday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Orcas Center, and on Sunday, May 22 at the Moran Mansion Music Room at 5 p.m. Tickets are available at Darvill’s Bookstore.
Concerts will also be performed on Lopez Island at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, and on Shaw Island at 5 p.m. on Monday, May 23.
