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.<\/p>\n
The concert is free.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Leora Schwitters and Brian Hoskins will conduct and accompany the group.<\/p>\n