Northern Idaho and British Columbia singers present the homecoming concerts for international touring choir Spiritsong’s June 2015 tour to Greece. Performances will be 7:30 p.m. Friday at Sandpoint’s United Methodist Church, 7:30 p.m. July 11 at Bonners Ferry’s Pearl Theater and 3 p.m. July 12 at Creston’s Prince Charles Theatre.
The July 10-12 homecoming performances will include the music Spiritsong performed at various locations in Greece, as well as slides and stories of their adventures presented in a PowerPoint format during and between the songs. The concert is titled “Dare to Dance the Dream” and contains a wide variety of secular and sacred works with dances and movement in the staging of many of the songs.
In Athens, Spiritsong performed with two choirs from Fresno, Calif., and a Greek choir that has sung for the Olympic ceremonies.
“I do not know of any other conductor who has the vision, personality and acumen to create such a compelling concert with identical resources,” said Dr. Anna Hamre, conductor of the Fresno choirs and professor at Fresno State University, about Spiritsong and conductor Vicki Blake Thompson. “It is the kind of performance I tell my students is possible — but I have never actually accomplished myself. Vicki and Spiritsong are a model for us all.”
Accompanist for Spiritsong is Barb Nelson of Bonners Ferry. Singers include Needie Kennedy, Trisha Dickens and Sam Richardson from Sandpoint, Idaho; Connie Walters from Rathdrum, Idaho; Margaret Lavender, Mary Anne Bishop, Shirley Cameron, Rita MacDonnell and Liz Endicott from Creston; and Carole Dinning, Cheyenne White, Karen Pedey, Carol Rutherford, Jan Klopfenstein, Marj Nishek, Dianne Snider, Anna Martin and Si Thompson from Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Dancers include Kelli Smith from Bonners Ferry, and Terra and Boston Bode from Sandpoint, as well as Richardson, Cameron, Blake Thompson and Dickens.
The performance is fast paced, includes several dances and many visuals, and is appropriate for all ages.
Admission is by a suggested donation of $10 US or $12 Cdn at the door.
—SPIRITSONG