Siskiyou Singers and Music Director Mark Reppert present “Something to Think About, Something to Laugh About,” a concert with music ranging from the profound to the hilarious, by composers as varied as Johannes Brahms and PDQ Bach.
Performances will be at SOU’s Music Recital Hall in Ashland at 7:30 pm Saturday, April 22, and 3 pm Sunday, April 23rd. General admission is $20 ($5 for students and Oregon Trail Card holders). Online sales have ended; tickets will be available at the door.
The first half of the concert will give listeners something to think about, with contemplative compositions including Brahms’ “Nänie,” a choral arrangement of Pete Seeger’s “The Bells of Rhymney,” and the world live-performance premiere of “Hope Is the Thing With Feathers” by Rogue Valley composer I’lana S. Cotton, a piece commissioned by the choir in 2019 to honor Reppert’s 10th anniversary as Siskiyou Singers music director.
The second half of the concert will provide audiences with something to laugh about, including selections from PDQ Bach’s “The Seasonings,” a choral setting of “Lobster Quadrille” from Alice in Wonderland,” and a reunion performance by Livia Genise and Don Matthews of “Priest” from Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd.”
The concert will be narrated by Geoffrey Riley, host of “The Jefferson Exchange” on Jefferson Public Radio. Musicologist Ed Wight will present a free pre-concert lecture about the music one hour before each concert.
COVID protocols, if any, will be posted on the choir’s website the week prior to the concerts.
DIRECTIONS TO THE VENUE
The SOU Music Recital Hall is located in the Music Building on the SOU Campus, 450 South Mountain Avenue in Ashland. Free parking for the concerts is available on South Mountain Avenue across from the west entrance to the Music Building.
Directions From I-5 North: Take Exit 19 and go west on Valley View Road. Turn left at the light onto Highway 99, heading to downtown Ashland. Highway 99 will become North Main Street. Continue on Main Street through downtown Ashland. Main Street will become Siskiyou Boulevard at the end of downtown. Continue south on Siskiyou Boulevard. Turn right on South Mountain Avenue. The SOU Music Building is the third building on the left. Parking is to the right.
Directions from I-5 South: Take Exit 11 and merge onto Highway 99. Continue on Highway 99 until it meets Siskiyou Boulevard. Bear right onto Siskiyou Boulevard. Continue on Siskiyou Boulevard and turn left on South Mountain Avenue. The SOU Music Building is the third building on the left. Parking is on the right.