By Clarice McKenney
This year, Director Jule McLeish has selected 12 Christian pieces for the concert, which she named “Christmas Praise,” celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth over 2,000 years ago.
Longtime choir accompanist Jeff Hunsaker will play a Prelude, including Chopin, Mahler, Rachmaninoff and two of his original works for half an hour prior to each performance. The prelude begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday and again at 2:30 p.m. Sunday to entertain the gathering audiences.
Among this year’s choir members are alto Carole Dinning, who has been with the choir 40 years, ever since Earl Erickson started it. Pianist Barb Nelson, the Lutheran minister ‘s wife, began many years of directing the choir. She continued to accompany the choir after Vicki Blake became director.
McLeish and her family moved back to town after nine years away, and she joined the choir under Blake Thompson. A year later, in 2019, Thompson wanted to focus on her choirs that perform internationally and asked McLeish to direct the community choir.
“This year we have the most (singers) I have directed,” McLeish explained. “We have lots of new people, who have worked so hard and sound beautiful. I am so excited for our performances!”
In addition to choir director and accompanist, the choir manager/librarian plays an essential part by keeping records, maintaining enough sheet music for everyone and coordinating with Trinity Lutheran for rehearsals and performances. Boundary County Library staffer Diana Zills, who has sung with the choir for 22 years, was Vicki Blake Thompson’s choir manager/librarian for six years.
Second soprano Colleen Haley has been managing the choir for the past 10 years. Through all of her years in different choir positions, she has continued to travel from her home near Sandpoint for rehearsals and performances. The professional nurse currently works at the Boundary Community Hospital Extended Care Facility.
The churches represented in the choir (listed by most members to least) are Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints, Trinity Lutheran, St. Anne’s Catholic, Kootenai Valley Mennonites, Mountain Springs, United Methodist, 7th Day Adventist and the Eastern Orthodox. Six members said Tuesday that they are not part of any denomination
Regardless of one’s spiritual beliefs or church affiliation, according to a woman listening to Tuesday night’s practice, “Everyone will be blessed by the performances.”
Donations always are appreciated, and a reception with snacks provided by the singers follows each performance.