Oregon Chorale

Bernd R. Kuehn founded the group as the Washington County Chorale in 1985 as a 50-member choir.{{cite news|title=West Zoner: A showtime founder takes a bow|last=Sather|first=Katherine|date=July 7, 2005|work=The Oregonian|page=1}} A German immigrant, he also directed choirs at Pacific University, Hillsboro High School, and Gaston High School. Beginning in 1989 they presented a musical or comedy in the spring every few years. In September 2002, Anne Avery was hired as the executive director of the group. The group teamed with both a Scandinavian and a Polish dance group in March 2003.{{cite news|title=West Zoner: Dancers step into Chorale concert |last=Chvatal|first=Nicole|date=March 13, 2003|work=The Oregonian|page=2}} Held at Hillsboro High School, "Many Voices, One World" featured folk songs sung by the Oregon Chorale with the two dance groups performing traditional dances.

In April 2005, the group premiered a musical comedy written by Linda Needham entitled "The Great Lewis & Clark Extravaganza of 1905 or Paddle Your Own Canoe".{{cite news|title=West Zoner: Oregon Chorale launches 1905 expo extravaganza|last=Campbell |first=Polly|date=April 7, 2005 |work=The Oregonian|page=1}} The musical was set at the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland. The group’s Christmas concert in December 2005 featured songs in Czech, Polish, Russian, and Latvian in addition to English.{{cite news|title=Metro West Neighbors: Choir shares story in many tongues|last=Campbell |first=Polly|date=December 1, 2005|work=The Oregonian|page=2}} To prepare for a tour in Europe, the Oregon Chorale performed folk songs from Ireland and Scotland for St. Patrick’s Day in 2007.{{cite news|title=Metro West Neighbors: Neighborhood Roundup|last=Demlow|first=Kay|date=March 15, 2007|work=The Oregonian|page=26}}

By 2008, the group grew in size to include 60 singers.{{cite news|title=Metro West Neighbors: Shakespeare's music: a two-act approach|last=Demlow|first=Kay|date=March 6, 2008|work=The Oregonian|page=14}} The chorale’s spring concert revolved around William Shakespeare in a concert titled as "The 409th Annual Night at the Globe Awards". That June and July the group toured in Europe with concerts in Ireland, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, including a performance at the Belfast Maritime Festival.{{cite news|title=Metro West Neighbors: Europe on the agenda for Oregon Chorale|last=Luedloff|first=Rebecca|date=June 19, 2008|work=The Oregonian|page=17}} The tour was the fifth for the group in Europe. The group debuted Another Right-Down Rollicking Evening With Gilbert & Sullivan from a local writer in 2012.{{cite news|last=Boatwright|first=JoAnn|title=Oregon Chorale tunes up for March 10 debut of playwright Linda Needham's "Another Right-Down Rollicking Evening With Gilbert & Sullivan'|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2012/03/oregon_chorale_tunes_up_for_ma.html|access-date=March 5, 2012|newspaper=The Hillsboro Argus|date=March 5, 2012}}

The Hillsboro-based group is made up of 60 people from across the Portland metropolitan area.{{cite news|title=Metro South Neighbors: Group offer more than singalongs|last=Puterbaugh|first=Candy|date=August 2, 2007|work=The Oregonian|page=17}} A symphonic choir, they require auditions in order to join. Most members reside on the west side of the metro area, specifically in Hillsboro, Tigard, and Beaverton.{{cite news|last=Parks|first=Casey|title=Oregon Chorale returns to rehearsal for its upcoming fall performances|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2011/09/oregon_chorale_returns_to_rehe.html|access-date=28 September 2011|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=September 22, 2011}} The Oregon Chorale presents a holiday concert each December. Music performed by the group ranges from classical music from Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi,{{cite news|title=Metro West Neighbors: Oregon Chorale sings holiday concert Sunday|last=Demlow|first=Kay|date=December 4, 2008|work=The Oregonian}} and George Frideric Handel,{{cite news|title=Arts and Living: "Gospel Christmas"|date=December 3, 2004|work=The Oregonian|page=38}} to folk and other varieties of music from around the world. They have also presented a vocalise concert where no words are sung, and instead singers use vowel sounds.{{cite news|title=Metro West Neighbors: Oregon Chorale concert Sunday at St. Matthew|date=May 31, 2007|work=The Oregonian|page=6}} Performances are held at a variety of venues including Pacific University in Forest Grove,{{cite news|title=Arts & Entertainment: "Ulysses": Portland Opera continues its studio theater|last=Stabler |first=David|date=December 1, 2006|work=The Oregonian|page=42}} St. Matthew Catholic Church in Hillsboro, United Methodist Church in Tigard,{{cite news|title=Metro West Neighbors: Local news – Metro West Hillsboro; Oregon Chorale concert Sunday at St. Matthew|date=May 31, 2007|work=The Oregonian|page=6}} and Liberty High School, among other locations in the Portland metropolitan area.[http://www.oregonchorale.org/concerts/past Past Concerts.] Oregon Chorale. Retrieved on September 8, 2009.

{{Reflist|2}}

• [http://www.oregonlive.com/living/argus/index.ssf?/base/lifestyle/1243966847320970.xml&coll=6 “Oregon Chorale to perform Northwest composers' work”], – The Hillsboro Argus
• {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130222141257/http://thetribonline.net/features/story.php?story_id=116482722675493800 "Songs of the season"]}}, – The Forest Grove News-Times

{{Hillsboro Oregon}}

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Category:1985 establishments in Oregon

Category:Choirs in Oregon

Category:Culture of Hillsboro, Oregon

Category:Musical groups established in 1985