The Dalles Cascade Singers have received $5,500 in grants from the Wasco County Cultural Trust Coalition and the Emeline Fund of Oregon Community Foundation to support its project to reinstate Handel’s Christmas Messiah (Part 1) performances at Zion Lutheran Church and St. Peter’s Landmark in mid-December this year.
The Messiah had been a long-standing Christmas event for years under the direction of the late Lloyd Walworth. Since his demise and the recent pandemic, the performances ceased.
The Cascade Singers comprise the core choral group of the Messiah Project under the direction of Music Director Garry Estep. In the fall, they will welcome volunteer singers from other organizations such as church and high school choirs to join them. New York opera mezzo-soprano Anna Viemeister and baritone Jeremy Griffin have volunteered to do the solo work. Central Oregon Orchestra Association members have also ex-pressed interest in volunteering their time to support the project.
The Cascade Singers is an all-volunteer non-profit organization. This summer they meet on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church. Starting in September, they will also meet on Thursdays.
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The Cascade Singers welcome anyone who enjoys singing a wide variety of music to join its ranks.
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