Started in 1983, the Lahontan Valley Concert Choir is a teaching choir open to anyone who has some ability to sing. Currently comprised of 25 members ranging in age from teens to 80-somethings, this non-denominational choir holds community concerts twice a year and sings at the Pennington Life Center, Homestead Assisted Living, and Highland Village.
June Bice is the director with Mike Irby as their piano accompanist. Mary Thomas, a choir member since 1997, said the group traditionally performs in the spring and in December as well as participating in the Christmas Tree Lighting festivities.
Two spring concerts are scheduled for next month. On May 12 at 6 p.m., the choir will perform at the Fallon Theatre before the showing of “Paint Your Wagon” at about 6:40. Thomas said, “We will be singing seven songs from our spring concert as an introduction to showing the movie. This one is really for publicity, to get our name out there.” The choir is then planning to perform on May 18 at 7 p.m., in the CCHS Auditorium where the price of admission will be one non-perishable food item to benefit a local food bank.
While last year's spring concert theme was A Salute to Disney, cowboy music will be the focus of this year's spring concert series, featuring songs such as “Tumbling Tumbleweeds,” “Cool Water,” and “El Paso.” “Some of it is older, the kind of thing that people have heard. We have nice arrangements of these pieces, they are fun to sing, and hopefully, it will be fun to be part of the audience.”
Thomas said when they perform for the seniors, they sing songs of their era. “It's music that appeals to the slightly older crowd, and they enjoy a live performance. So, it's good for them and it's good for us.”
Thomas moved to Fallon in July 1997 from central California and joined LVCC just one month later. She had visited here in 1984 and was charmed by the town, “When my husband said he was being re-stationed from San Diego to Fallon, I was thrilled.” She said singing with the choir is fun and was a really nice way to get to know people. “If music wasn't fun, we wouldn't do it.” The choir sings in three-and four-part harmonies, and Thomas said laughingly, “I always tell people, ‘You don't always get to sing the melody, sorry.’”
She said some of the members just enjoy singing for Christmas while others prefer the spring songs, and that's all just fine. “We can invite a large variety of people to sing with us for varying amounts of time.” She said they do not have any original members left, but they do have one lady who started about a year after the choir's inception, and there are a few other senior members. “It's nice to have them to sing with.”
LVCC is a non-profit group financed through member dues and raffles. Two items are being raffled off during the spring concert on May 18. One is a large quilt made by some of the members who have been making them as raffle prizes for the last few years. The quilt for this year is also cowboy themed. The other raffle item being offered is a leather saddle donated by another choir member.
The group practices on Tuesdays at Epworth Methodist Church, 280 East. Stillwater Avenue at 7 p.m. Practice will start in August for the Christmas shows. Contact the choir for further information by visiting their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/LahontanValleyCC
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