“A Night Before Christmas”

San Juan Singers directed by Angel Michaels
Saturday, December 14 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 15 2:00 p.m.
Singers present old and new holiday favorites and are joined by neighbors playing harp, fiddle, flute, penny whistle—plus special guest appearances from other Island carolers.
Tickets: $17 adults; $8 student reserved; $5 Student RUSH at door.
The Box Office is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or tickets may be purchased on-line at www.sjctheatre.org

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More than the Singing…

When San Juan Singers presents its holiday concert at San Juan Community Theatre on December 14 and 15, there will be many stories behind the voices.

“In my younger days, singing in a choir kept me off the streets and out of the gutters,” said longtime islander David Bentley. “Now that I think of it, I guess it still does. You can’t beat that healthy high you feel after every rehearsal.”

Then from Steffi Wehner: “After years of being a caregiver, suddenly it was over. I found myself in deep grief, with a lot of time on my hands. I haven’t read music in twenty years, my voice is rusty, English is not my mother tongue. I was intimidated at the first rehearsal to say the least. Then we sang, all sections harmonizing and it brought tears to my eyes. I chimed in heartily and felt at home.”

For 33 years now, once or twice a week, somewhere on the Island, dozens of folks begin drifting into a room by twos and threes, chairs come off a rack or off a stack, conversations drift back and forth across the room, and the SJ Singers choir rehearsal begins. Director Angel Michaels notes, it’s all done “voluntarily, cheerfully and often joyfully.” She says “while each singer reaps personal fulfillment from this weekly practice, at the heart of the matter, it’s about the community.”

“Beyond providing an opportunity to exercise my love of singing, being a member of San Juan Singers provides a rare experience of true group collaboration,” said member Sally Todd. “Each singer’s goal is to work for the good of the whole; and the whole truly is better than the sum of the parts. Rarely in life do you find a conflict-free group where everyone is not only on the same page, but more importantly, is on the same measure.”

And while much of the community chorus’s music-making takes place in rehearsals, they do have several opportunities to share what they’ve built with others. In addition to their December concerts (see adjacent box), the Singers also perform at SJCT each Spring, have shared the stage with groups such as the Friday Harbor High School Band, and recently joined composer Morten Lauridsen during the Friday Harbor Film Festival.

Michaels says there is always room for more in their singing family. For more information, contact Michaels at 298-1829.

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