The Seattle Peace Chorus, directed by Frederick N. West, will perform songs that inspire us. Join us at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church in Seattle.

As each wave of generations comes into its own, we look at what we would like to pass on—what would we like our children to learn. Songs have a special role to move us to be involved in building community and to work for a more peaceful world. Songs can bring hope, reflection, and a sense of well being as well as action. Songs are also closely related to play, a key element of learning for the young—and for all of us.

We will collaborate with the exciting gospel group, the African American Cultural Ensemble, led by Kent Stevenson, and will perform with the dynamic Haida singer Sondra Segundo.

Our repertoire will include:

• Songs of reassurance:
  • South African lullaby “Masambe” by Sophie Mgcina, describing travelling with your baby on the train
  • “O-o-h child” by Stan Vincent, arranged by Kent Stevenson, performed by African American Cultural Ensemble with Kent Stevenson
  • “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” lyrics by Hal David, music by Burt Bacharach, arranged by Kent Stevenson, performed by African American Cultural Ensemble
  • “Know that You Yourself Are Essential to this World” by Frederick West, with soloist Sondra Segundo and the words of Chief Arvol Looking Horse, spiritual leader of the Lakota people (with his special permission)
• Songs that teach your children to seek out beauty:
  • “Beati Quorum Via” by Charles Stanford — “Blessed are those who walk”
  • “Tota pulchra es” by Maurice Duruflé — “You are all beautiful”
• Songs about being on the move in community:
  • “People Get Ready” by Curtis Mayfield, with additional verses including “There is a bright new future and we’re not going back!”
  • “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke, sung by Tommie Burton
  • “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around” — a traditional civil rights song that teaches us to stand up for ourselves
  • “Stand Up,” sung by Haida singer Sondra Segundo, who will talk about teaching the next generation the Haida language and culture

Support for this concert comes from the Abe Keller Peace Education Fund.

Membership in Seattle Peace Chorus

Singing together, in concert halls and during marches and demonstrations, has always been a part of how Seattle Peace Chorus promotes messages of peace and justice, but membership in Seattle Peace Chorus has always meant more than singing together. Help us in these times to continue to reach out to change people’s hearts and minds.

Your regular dues as a member of Seattle Peace Chorus entitle you to participate in all our activities without further fees. If you choose not to become a regular member of Seattle Peace Chorus, however, you may pay a modest fee to offset the cost of hiring technicians and musicians to bring virtual experiences to fruition.

If you have not previously joined as a member of Seattle Peace Chorus, to sign up to participate please fill out an audition request form and tell us how you’d like to participate.

Members past and present may sign up by contacting us at info@seattlepeacechorus.org.

We urge everyone to support organizations that promote peace, protect our planet, and fight for the underprivileged. See this list of organizations that we support.

For both singers and listeners, the Seattle Peace Chorus provides a unique choral experience. Our commitment to peace and social justice creates a special bond among members and with our audience.

Our repertoire, reflecting our multi-cultural, multi-national focus, ranges from spirituals and gospel to Mozart and Beethoven, from South African freedom songs to the original works of our director Fred West.

Performances often include an exciting range of instrumentalists from Cuban drummers to chamber orchestras. This rich variety is sustained by our commitment to using a collaborative process for decision making, enabling members to influence repertoire decisions through a committee that any member can join.

In addition to traveling to countries such as the former Soviet Union, Chile, Cuba, and Venezuela, and performing two major concerts a year, we support peace and community activities by singing at rallies, marches, fundraisers for disaster relief, and similar events.

If our unique approach to choral music appeals to you, consider joining us as a singer, volunteer, or financial supporter—or simply come to our concerts and be inspired.

Because of the developing SARS-CoV2 virus and the COVID-19 illness that it causes, we urge everyone to be especially careful to take care of yourself and those whom you love.

Seattle Peace Chorus Pandemic Protocol

Last updated: 12 September 2023

Goal

Our goal is to continue in-person rehearsals and performances while maintaining safety for all participants from COVID, including the latest variant.

For singers who are not able to or do not feel comfortable attending rehearsals in person, but who would be able to perform in person, we will record and stream our rehearsals on Zoom.

Protocol

Our protocol has these parts:

• Recommendations for concert guests
• Vaccinations
• Monitoring and living safely
• Masking and distancing
• Room management
• Remote participation

Recommendations for concert guests

Vaccinations

All singers must be vaccinated and up to date on boosters. This includes getting the new Moderna or Pfizer vaccination when you can.

Monitoring and living safely

We do not want anyone who might have COVID or is likely to have been exposed to COVID to attend in person, but will provide a Zoom alternative to participate at home.

If you feel the slightest bit under the weather, ask yourself serious questions and do not come to rehearsal if you have a scratchy throat, sniffles, a slight cough, diarrhea or feel “off” in any way. If you don’t feel well, even if you don’t think it’s COVID, or are not planning to attend a rehearsal for any reason, email info@seattlepeacechorus.org.

If you suffer symptoms, however mild, and suspect that you might have COVID, you can get a PCR test immediately. If you do not have symptoms but have been exposed to COVID, wait at least 5 full days after your exposure before taking a test. If you take an antigen test at home, bear in mind that a negative test is not always accurate, so, if your test is negative, take another antigen test 48 hours later or get a PCR test. Of course, if you test positive for COVID, we expect you to stay home until the danger of passing it to others is gone.

Everyone who attends a rehearsal will be tracked on a roster, so that we will have a record of all our own contacts if any of us gets sick.

Masking and distancing

Inside our rehearsal room, wearing masks is optional, but please maintain a respectful distance from others while singing, and wear a mask if you like.

If you have forgotten to bring a mask, we will give you an N95. Otherwise, we recommend the Resonance Singer’s Mask from mymusicfolders.com, or a similar mask from another source, such as the VocalEase mask at vocaleasemask.com.

Room management

We may open all windows in our rehearsal space; even in cold weather, at least one window will be open. We might put fans at the windows. Fresh air is more important than air purifiers in dispersing any potential viral aerosols. We will try to keep it as warm as we can (as few windows open), using the carbon-dioxide monitor to give us a measure of air flow. Therefore, dress warmly.

We will keep windows open throughout the winter, so dress warmly. We will deploy HEPA filters in the room. Bring your own to add to ours if you like.

Remote participation

Tom will broadcast or record all live rehearsals and make these available privately on Zoom, and put recordings on our website. If you need to miss a rehearsal because of a possible exposure to COVID, you will be required to follow or catch up virtually.

Contingency plan

This is a changing landscape, so the board may change our protocol mid-season if conditions worsen.

If any of us gets COVID and others are exposed during an in-person activity, we will skip rehearsal for a week and ask you to quarantine yourself. If you develop symptoms, let us know and get yourself tested, then report your test result.

If our plans go awry, or if we are not able to maintain a quorum of singers, we will announce new plans.

We are not making this up

The WHO, CDC, Washington State, Seattle-King County, and our rehearsal and performance spaces set and periodically modify policies for coping with the pandemic. We will follow the best and most conservative advice to keep everyone as safe as possible. But a great deal of responsibility lies with you. Please be careful and respectful.

Thank you everyone who helps support the Seattle Peace Chorus.