Bellevue Chamber Chorus Virtual Choir: 'Wanting Memories' by Ysaÿe Barnwell

Wanting Memories was composed by Ysaÿe Barnwell of Sweet Honey in the Rock, a treble a cappella ensemble of African-American women active since the 1970s.  This arrangement for mixed voices includes vocal percussion for tenor and bass, and the treble tune and harmony is otherwise largely retained from the original.  The text speaks of a desire for memorabilia to hold dear as we remember those that we have lost.  In accord with Black History month, we offer this piece in solidarity with the black community as our organization strives to feature the music of underrepresented groups, and more specifically, we offer this piece to all those who have lost loved ones to police brutality.  Rather than focus on the loss, this work remains positive and constructive, reflecting on times shared and lessons learned.

The broadcast will be available at 8am Pacific.

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Link to donate: https://www.bellevuechamberchorus.org/#Support

About Bellevue Chamber Chorus

Bellevue Chamber Chorus, founded in 1984, performs a minimum of three major concerts each season, encompassing a variety of choral literature from the classical standards and contemporary works to world music, Broadway hits, and vocal jazz. The Chorus often joins other ensembles in performances of major choral/orchestral works, such as Mozart’s Vespers and Requiem, Faure’s Requiem, Verdi’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Brahms’ Requiem, Rutter's Mass of the Children, and Ariel Ramirez' Misa por la Paz y la Justicia. The ensemble has premiered works by regional composers, including commissioned works for the Washington State Centennial Celebration, the grand opening of the Theatre at Meydenbauer Center, a special 20th anniversary season commissioned piece, That Music Always Round Me, by Seattle composer, John Muehleisen, and co-commissions of pieces by Andre Thomas and Eric Whitacre. The Chorus has released three CDs, “Timeframes”, “Retrospective”, and our 2013 holiday CD, “Christmas Visions, Winter Dreams”. Bellevue Chamber Chorus tours often and has performed in Carnegie Hall, various locations in Europe, the International Music Festival (2000) in Sydney, Australia, and twice at the invitational Kathaumixw International Choral Festival in Powell River, British Columbia, where they won first place in 2008 in the adult mixed chorus category. Other performances include the Leavenworth International Choral Festival, the international “Rolling Requiem” in memory of September 11th, as one of the regional choruses in the NEA sponsored American Masterpieces Choral Festival in Seattle, and in Kelowna, B.C. as part of the Okanogan Choral Society Series. The Chorus toured the south of France in the summer of 2017 and participated in the 22nd International Choir Festival in Provence, and the 9th International Choir Festival in Aveyron. The Chorus has been selected as one of only six choirs to perform in a special GSCC event “Welcome Home Morten Lauridsen” in October 2019. Bellevue Chamber Chorus has active memberships in the Bellevue Downtown Association, Greater Seattle Choral Consortium (GSCC) and Chorus America. The Chorus is supported in part by the Bellevue Arts Commission and 4Culture.