RainShadow Chorale performs “This Shining Night,” a concert of choral music, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, at Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2333 San Juan Avenue, Port Townsend.

The concert will be repeated at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10, at the same location.

The program includes musical selections in English featuring the work of American and Canadian composers. The title of the concert comes from a work by Washington native Morten Lauridsen based on the text of James Agee’s poem Sure on This Shining Night.

The centerpiece of the concert is the “Songs and Sonnets from Shakespeare” composed by jazz artist George Shearing. The final set includes works by Aaron Copland and Srul Irving Glick, one of Canada’s most prominent and prolific composers.

Director Rebecca Rottsolk said, "I love this program because there’s so much ‘color’ in it, both in the use of different voices – men only, women only, and full choir – and in the range of repertoire and texts, from classical to jazz, from pirates to mashed potatoes.”

RainShadow is an auditioned chorale dedicated to the performance of classical choral repertoire. Formed by a small group of choral musicians in 1997, it has grown to become an ensemble of the Olympic Peninsula’s finest singers.

Past concerts have featured Mozart’s Requiem, Bach’s Magnificat and Cantata 140, English and Italian choral masterpieces, Baroque works by Handel and Telemann, and a 2007 concert of African-American music with a guest choir, The Sound of the Northwest, from Seattle.

For more information about RainShadow, go to http://rainshadowchorale.org.

Director Rebecca Rottsolk served as artistic director for the Northwest Girlchoir from 1982 until 2001, building the choir into one of the most respected youth choral organizations in America. Now retired, Rebecca frequently presents workshops on girls’ voices, conducting and rehearsal techniques, inspirational teaching and techniques for maximizing performance. She enjoys a national reputation as guest conductor and clinician, conducting many all-state and regional festival choruses.

Rottsolk also adjudicates for Heritage Festivals and Worlds of Fun Festivals and edits a choral series for Alliance Music Publications. She also conducts two adult community choirs on the Olympic Peninsula and is co-founder/director with Beth Ann Bonnecroy of Mirinesse Women’s Choir in Seattle.

Tickets for the concert are $15 ($10 for students aged 10-18) and can be purchased at Crossroads Music, from chorale members, and at the door. For more information, call 360-301-0767.