Eighty-five voices strong, The Trilogy Singers invite the community to their spring concert series, including performances at 7 p.m. Friday, April 30; at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, May 1; and at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 2.
Tickets are $7 for general admission and performances take place at Trilogy at Redmond Ridge, 23410 NE Novelty Hill Rd.
This year’s spring concert “will be nothing but show tunes, from the 1920s’ ‘Anything Goes,’ to ‘Another Op’nin, Another Show’ to ‘Lullaby of Broadway,’ to a hilarious tune from ‘Spamalot’ called ‘The Song That Goes Like This,'” said Trilogy Singers director Tobi Ellis.
“And true to our Seattle ties, a wonderful song sung by Mandy Patinkin in a little-known musical called ’70 Girls 70′ called ‘Coffee’ that gets a little bit faster — it’s the caffeine, I think — with each new chorus,” Ellis added. “Our spring performances always include a little tribute to America at the end, something very dear to the heart of the Trilogy community.”
Trilogy at Redmond Ridge is a community of residents ages 55 and up. The Trilogy Singers include music lovers ages 55 to 85-plus, who are living life to the fullest. The singing group was founded in 2004 by former director Don Freeman.
“Groups like Trilogy Singers are important at any age,” Ellis commented. “It’s a great way to meet people and do something meaningful together. If you really love music, it’s one more outlet for that joy. Because these folks also live in the same active senior community, they get to know each other better and get to know folks they might not have otherwise met. We also do our best to support each other when there are the inevitable life traumas of surgeries, deaths, births of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”
Ellis isn’t doesn’t live at Trilogy but became aware of the Trilogy Singers through her mom AnnJean Duke, who moved to the community four years ago.
According to Ellis, about 90 percent of the Trilogy Singers have had some singing experience before, in school or through church groups. Many have made it a serious hobby, such as singing with competitive men’s barbershop groups or the women’s equivalent, “Sweet Adelines.”
Although auditions are not required, “further music education is promoted through Tobi’s music enrichment programs, which improve singing and performing skills,” said Trilogy Singers president Phyllis Sandel.
“In the months leading up to a performance,” Sandel noted, “members are provided with a learning CD, recorded by professional vocalists. Section leaders, who are selected by the director for each vocal part — soprano, alto, tenor, both men and women, and bass — assist the singers in learning music and developing a unified sound.”
The full group rehearses on Tuesday evenings and smaller, sectional rehearsals improve accuracy and build confidence, Sandel explained.
Even Trilogy residents who aren’t members of the choral group pitch in to make the Trilogy Singers’ experience more fun.
Instruments such as clarinet, saxophone, flute, trombone, tuba, cello and percussion have been added to program selections. Other people from the community volunteer to help with ushering, making cookies for the concert reception or setting up risers.
And many Trilogy Singers, as well as other Trilogy residents, are regular volunteers at Camp Korey in Carnation, which provides summer camp experiences for medically fragile children and teens.
To see and hear samples of The Trilogy Singers in action, visit http://www.mytrilogylife.com/?section=sec-connection&aid=38377&pagenum=2 and clink on links to performance clips.
