About us
"Soldiers Song",
from The Lark
"McKay"
from An American Thanksgiving
“Benediction”
from Shaker Songs
The angelic sounds of the FCO Women.
Not one Sparrow is forgotten
You can contact the FCO by U.S.P.S. at:
Festival Chorale Oregon
PO Box 12602
Salem OR 97309
Or for Membership information please contact Bonnie Abbott at:
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Fix Me
Steal Away
Dr. Solveig Holmquist is the director and founder of Festival Chorale Oregon. Under her leadership, the Chorale has developed a reputation for musical excellence throughout Western Oregon and in the international community. Dr. Holmquist majored in voice and organ at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, singing with the renowned
St. Olaf Choir. She holds a Master's degree in Music Education from Western Oregon University, and a DMA in Music Education and Choral Conducting from the University of Oregon, and has studied and taught in England.
Since 1985, she has been a member of the Professional Choir of the Oregon Bach Festival, which in February 2001 received a Grammy for Best Choral Performance for the world premiere CD of Krzyzstof Penderecki's "Credo." She has conducted in New York City's Carnegie Hall with Festival Chorale Oregon in 1999 and 2002. In May 2004 she returned to Carnegie Hall with FCO to conduct a performance of the Bach Magnificat.
Dr. Holmquist is Director of Choral Activities at Western Oregon University in Monmouth and conducts the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers. As a certified adjudicator, she is in demand as a clinician at numerous clinics, choral festivals and contests. Her professional affiliations include the American Choral Directors Association, where she is President-elect; Music Educators National Conference; Oregon Music Educators Association; and the American Guild of Organists.
Artistic and Executive Director
Dr. Holmquist
President of
the Board of Directors
Donna Reid
Vice President of
the Board of Directors
Brian McKinley
FCO Treasurer
Carl Bewley
FCO Membership Director
Bonnie Abbott
Logistics and Equipment Coordinator
Dan Bailly
Carol Chancellor
Volunteers and Special Projects Director
Deanna Iltis
Marketing Director
Director of Finance
Janet Rafalovich
Director of Information
Secretary of the Board
Emily Flanagan
Festival Chorale Oregon is a chorus of professional and amateur singers presenting a wide variety of classical and popular music. The original eight members formed under the umbrella of the Stayton Fine Arts Festival in 1979. Now, this energetic group has grown to a well-balanced ensemble of 100 singers from the mid-Willamette Valley, and has performed in Western Oregon, Europe, Scandinavia, and Carnegie Hall in New York City.
The Chorale has presented choral masterworks by Vivaldi, Bach, Bernstein, Schubert, Handel, Haydn, Distler, Schutz, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Puccini, Poulenc, Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Brahms. These classical offerings are accompanied by musicians from Oregon's symphonic community.
Although the emphasis is on sacred choral music, Festival Chorale Oregon has on occasion investigated show music, performing Gershwin, Porter, Lennon/McCartney, popular music of the 20's, music of the World War II era, music of the era of the Lewis & Clark expedition, and staging three Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. The Chorale was invited to perform in Carnegie Hall in New York in 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2006. The Chorale has also sung in Europe four times, most recently in the summer of 2008. Singers will have the opportunity to sing the Haydn Lord Nelson Mass at Lincoln Center in New York in May of 2009.
Administered by a 13-member Board of Directors from within its membership, Festival Chorale Oregon members purchase their own music and pay regular dues so that ticket revenues, as well as grants and contributions by patrons, may be used to provide the instrumental accompaniment foundational to the literature performed by this group.
Membership in Festival Chorale Oregon is open to all good singers with previous singing experience. No auditions are required.
Concert program ads:
Special thanks to
Scott Webb
Photography
for many of the pictures provided for this web site.
How to Join:
Membership in Festival Chorale Oregon is open to all good singers with prior singing experience. No auditions are required. Interested singers should arrive at the first rehearsal of a term about 45 minutes early in order to register, pay dues, and purchase music. If you have any questions about becoming a new member, please call 503-930-5088.
Rehearsals:
Rehearsals are each Tuesday from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. The season runs from September through May each year, with no rehearsals in the summer. Weekly rehearsals are at McKay High School, Room 102—2440 Lancaster Dr. NE, Salem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Registration.
You may register at the first two rehearsals (come early): registration is closed after that.
When does the next term begin?
September 8, 2009.
What time is rehearsal?
7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays.
How much are dues?
$30.00 per term, to be paid at the first rehearsal.
How much does the music cost?
Music is made available at standard published prices for the work being performed. Whenever possible, we arrange to borrow music and this music may be loaned to you at no cost.
Do I need to audition?
No. Festival Chorale Oregon is open to all good singers with some previous experience. It is self-auditioning in that you will be able to tell if you are not up to the music.
What do I wear for concerts?
Men wear tuxedo with white shirt and black bow tie, black shoes and black socks. Women purchase a standard concert dress.
You must provide your own black folder for the music. Please do your part to help us maintain a professional stage presence. Neither men nor women may wear scent of any kind.
What do I wear for dress rehearsal?
Anything you want to. It is called dress rehearsal because it is our chance to rehearse with the orchestra. It does not, however, require concert dress.
Ann Snelling has been sitting behind a piano playing and accompanying since she was five years old. The first opportunity to accompany occurred during her jr. high school years when she played for her mother’s high school church choir. There followed many opportunities to accompany choirs and soloists while going through her high school years. Her love of the piano led her to major in piano performance while attending college at Cincinnati Bible College. She graduated with a double major in piano performance and in English Bible.
Following college graduation and a move to Southern California, Ann had opportunity to use her music skills in a variety of venues. For several years she had a large private studio teaching piano students of all ages and abilities. She worked in the private vocal studios of two different teachers accompanying lessons and recitals. Ann was a faculty member of Palomar Junior College in San Marcos, CA, accompanying the student voice classes as well as the community choir. One of her most interesting jobs was working as a carillonneur for Maas-Rowe Carillons in Escondido, CA. In that job Ann performed custom recordings for clients who purchased carillons. She also performed live carillon concerts at Balboa Park in San Diego and at the dedication of the Frank Sinatra hospital wing in Palm Springs.
Ann moved to Oregon in 1992 and began accompanying in the Willamette Valley, collaborating with local teachers. For seven years she was part of the music faculty at Willamette University in Salem, OR, as a staff accompanist. In that capacity she worked with vocal and instrumental students in their lessons, rehearsals and accompanying their required performances and degree recitals.
Ann has been the rehearsal accompanist for Festival Chorale Oregon since January 1993. The collaboration with Dr. Solveig Holmquist and Festival Chorale has been very rewarding. With the choir Ann has toured Europe twice and performed in New York City at Carnegie Hall. The ongoing friendships in the choir and with Solveig keep her coming back.
Ann’s home is in Silverton with her husband, Le who is a general contractor. They have been married for 37 years and have two grown boys.
Rehearsal Accompanist
Ann Snelling