Lahontan Valley Concert Choirs puts on spring concert

The Lahontan Valley Concert Choir will perform its annual spring concert, “Garden of Favorites,” tomorrow night at the Churchill County Museum at 7 p.m.

Choir member of 18 years, Mary Thomas, said the concert is free and open to the public; however, attendees are asked, but not required, to bring a non-perishable food item that will be donated to a local food bank.

“Attendees can expect to hear classical and popular music sung in a four part harmony,” she said. “One song will feature the men choir members and the other will feature the women. It truly is a wonderful program to come and hear.”

There will be a 50/50 drawing at the end of the night. A teacher from Churchill County High School, who is also a chocolatier, will be at the event selling candy. Cookies and punch will also be offered after the concert.

Thomas said there are 140 seats for the concert. Typically, she said the spring concert is 80-90 percent filled, and the holiday concert is usually overflowing with attendees.

The Lahontan Valley Concert Choir began in the fall of 1982 when a small group of local singers assembled as a Western Nevada Community College class to prepare a sing-along presentation of “Handel’s Messiah” at Christmas time. The group continued to meet in the spring of 1983 and began preparing material for a spring concert entitled, “The Seven Last Words of Christ.”

The following 30 years has seen the choir grow in size from 27 to almost 40 members performing to near capacity audiences for at least two concerts each year. These concerts have included joint efforts with St. John’s Community Orchestra of Reno and the Reno Concert Band and Christmas performances in neighboring Yerington and Lovelock. The choir has also sung carols for the city’s Christmas tree-lighting events and at the assisted-living facilities.

The choir has participated in numerous community functions such as the city’s Labor Day parade, change of command ceremonies at Naval Air Station Fallon, POW-MIA Recognition Day and receptions at the Churchill County Museum. In recent years the choir has sung at the Farmers Market and at the opening of the renovated Oats Park School. Margo Mills and Jan Bice are the current directors.

Thomas said the choir is always accepting new members. She said there is no age limit; however, individuals who are interested should be able to sing a three or four part harmony.

Interested individuals may call 775-428-2322.