Rainier Youth Choirs embarks on its first international tour June 27-July 7 with a Bon Voyage to Ireland Concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 25, at Kent United Methodist Church, 11010 SE 248th.
The concert is free.
Thirty-two singers from RYC’s Colla Voce (grades 6 and up) and Consonare (grades 9 and up) combine with eight alumni, ages 20-27, to form the Touring Ensemble to Ireland in celebration of RYC’s 10th anniversary season. A “Parallel Tour” of 24 family and friends is also going with a similar itinerary, coinciding with the singers for all performances and the final gala Medieval Banquet at 15th century Bunratty Castle in County Clare after the ensemble performs there.
Other performances include a combined program with the Young Dublin Voices, an international award-winning Irish chamber choir, a performance at Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, at the University of Limerick and in Tralee.
The Touring Ensemble has prepared 20 mostly a cappella sacred and secular selections, primarily by living American and Canadian composers, plus some traditional Irish songs, including a Gaelic piece, “Mo Ghille Mear,” featuring tenor soloist Jesse Sigrist of Renton.
Leora Schwitters and Brian Hoskins will conduct and accompany the group.
Auditions for fall enrollment may be scheduled for boys and girls entering grades 2-12. Prospective singers are asked to apply online at rainieryouthchoirs.org.