MUSIC MINISTRY
The Music Ministry at Queen Anne Lutheran Church provides opportunity for children, youth, and adults to share their vocal or instrumental musical gifts in the worship life of the congregation. All the music is prepared to offer praise to God and to proclaim the Word, as well as support and strengthen the congregational song. All choirs welcome new members with joy and thanksgiving, and if you have other musical gifts to share, we look forward to hearing from you as well.
Cantor’s Message
It’s a delight that Queen Anne Fine Arts is back on the scene in a big way! If I could sum up my article for this newsletter in three words, it would be: “Mark your calendars!”
When looking ahead to 2024-2025 during our usual planning meetings last summer, a few events were slated: an organ concert for early 2024 (later pinpointed to January, featuring Dr. Wyatt Smith and soprano Cassandra Willock), a recital featuring your own QALC Cantor in March, and then an event for Pentecost, May 19. Since the first of the year, we’ve been blessed to have the strong interest and support of new attendees at our 10:30 services, Andrew and Nonie Conru and Valerie Illman, who are well-connected in the Seattle art music scene and eager to see QALC offer more concerts and recitals. Especially since I’ve been distracted by some personal and/or family health matters for the past six months, their timely help (and enthusiasm) for arts programming and events has been such a blessing!
As previewed in last month’s Quill, here’s more information about our upcoming QALC Fine Arts events:
Millar and Molloy on Mother’s Day
Sunday, May 12 (Mother’s Day) at 4 p.m.
Emerson Millar, violin, and Paige Roberts Molloy, piano, present works by Mozart, Dvorak,
Prokofiev, Debussy, Brahms, and more. Emerson joined the Seattle Symphony in 2022 as the second assistant concertmaster; Paige has given solo recitals around the world and is a frequent guest of leading chamber music festivals across the United States.
Pentecost Choral Vespers
Pentecost Sunday, May 19 at 4 p.m.
Based on the service of Evening Prayer in ELW, Cantor Kyle leads a guest choir of Seattle freelance singers and the QALC. The guest choir will present Pentecost choral masterworks by Anglican Thomas Tallis and Lutheran Hans-Leo Hassler, bringing the glory of Renaissance-era choral music to QALC! Cantor Kyle will also play a Pentecost-themed organ solo by Lutheran composer Matthias Weckmann.
“May It Be Beautiful”
Sunday, June 2 at 4 p.m.
Crescendo North America is a network of Christian artists in classical music, jazz, and other art fields. Seattle Crescendo hub leaders Anthony Spain and Julia Bezems are organizing instrumental and choral music for this QALC event. Anthony has been Music Director of the Northwest Symphony Orchestra since 1987, and Julia is a recent graduate in vocal performance and choral conducting.
The events above are open to all, with a suggested donation of $20 to support the Queen Anne Fine Arts Fund and to offset the costs of fair compensation for our featured artist-musicians, who make their fulltime living or supplement their income as professional classical musicians.
There’s another music ministry event that I want to be sure you know about for Pentecost Sunday, May 19: At our 10:30 service, about 1/3 of my community choir, Northwest Repertory Singers, will join us at QALC to present two sacred pieces from our May concert program. “Set Me As a Seal,” by retired Concordia College, Moorhead choral legend René Clausen, is a lush setting of poetry from the Song of Songs; “This Little Light of Mine” is a joyous original composition in the African American spiritual tradition by the late Moses Hogan, one of the foremost 20th century composers in this genre who passed away suddenly in 2003. These contrasting pieces will be meaningful for our worship service that day.
I’m excited about the music events and offerings described above, as well as the potential for a robust series of programs in the future. Keep watching The Quill, your Friday emails, and the Sunday bulletins for news and announcements about music ministry and QALC Fine Arts!
Kyle Haugen, Cantor
cantor@queenannelutheran.org
