||| FROM LYNN BAKER for ORCAS CHORAL SOCIETY |||
Dogs barked. Kids played. Airplanes roared overhead. And Orcas Choral Society sang, joyfully and in full voice, to open the holiday season at the tree lighting ceremony on the Eastsound Village Green this December, vaccinated, masked and distanced for safety.
“It was so great to bring the community together,” said one audience member. “We’ve needed this!”
Marianne conducted 25 choir members on stage to a crowd of about 200 hardy souls. “It was a very new audience for us,” Marianne observed. “We sang to more kids that day than ever.”
To cap off the event, the choir moved to the Christmas Tree to lead traditional carols and count down to the tree lighting.
Girl Scouts, Food Bank and Salmonberry Sing-Alongs
The choral society also caroled this year outside Island Market, the Food Bank and Salmonberry School. Thanks to Holly King and Laura Jean Miller, their Girl Scout troop and one Cub Scout sang along at the choir at the Food Bank. Both with the Girl Scouts and at Salmonberry, Laura gave kids props for “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” The kids did a great job and sang with glee. Salmonberry students kindly gave each singer a hand-made card. Marianne’s even shows a conductor conducting.
“I LOVE what you did bringing Choral Society mini concerts out into the community – fabulous!!!” said Sharon Abreu. “To be sure, singing and playing outdoors in December is not the most comfortable thing to do. But I think you really made some excellent lemonade with the lemons handed to you by the pandemic.”
Choral Society members are signing up now to rehearse for their spring concert, slated for April 23-24. If it, too, is sung outside, at least the weather will be warmer!
Girl Scouts joined in at the Food Bank.
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