by ASHLEY MILLER
for the Sequim Gazette
The Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers is giving the gift of music this holiday season.
Last year, the Christian men’s choral group performed a large, invitation-only Christmas concert at the Sequim Senior Activity Center. This year, the guys — and piano accompanist Joy Linderfeldt — are expanding the guest list to include the entire community and will perform two concerts: one in Sequim, another in Port Angeles.
The first concert is 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Sequim. The second concert is 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, at the Senior Services and Community Center in Port Angeles.
A third “mini-Christmas” concert is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 16, at Park View Villas Retirement Center in Port Angeles.
Admission is free. Donations are accepted and greatly appreciated.
The 17-person choir (18 if you count the professor who lives in Minnesota but performs when he visits each year) rehearses every Thursday and performs more than 20 times each year. Michael Rivers directs the group.
“It’s quite a commitment that people make, but I think all of us feel strongly about making this as good as we can,” said Paul Wessel, performance vice president and choir baritone. “All of us believe the message and all of us like to sing, so why wouldn’t we want to get together with like-minded people once a week?”
The Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers performs at a variety of venues year-round, including nursing homes, assisted living centers and the Clallam Bay Corrections Center.
The Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers conducts multiple concerts throughout the community each year. The group will finish the 2010 season with two Christmas performances and one “mini-Christmas” concert. Submitted photo
“We take the rich Christian music tradition to people who aren’t readily able to access it,” Wessel explained, describing the two concerts at the correctional facility as highlights of the year. “They really appreciate the performances.”
This is the group’s 10th season. Members come from all walks of life, nine different churches and six denominations. The music selection includes traditional gospel, contemporary music, old-time favorites and spiritual tracts.
“We are doing a much wider variety of songs now,” Wessel said. “Even the standards we do — like ‘Joy to the World’ and ‘Silent Night’ — Michael rearranges them and makes them unique for our group.”
In the springtime, the choir regularly takes an out-of-town trip to spread the cheer. The group is planning to perform multiple concerts in the Shelton and Tacoma areas the last weekend in April 2011.
Samples from the choir’s five CDs are available for listening online at www.pmgospelsingers.com.
’Tis the season
The Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers will perform Christmas concerts at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 525 N. Fifth Ave., Sequim, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, at the Senior Services and Community Center, 328 E. Seventh St., Port Angeles.
The concerts are open to the public and free. Donations are accepted.
An additional “mini-Christmas” concert is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 16, at the Park View Villas Retirement Center, 1430 Parkview Lane, Port Angeles.
