Spokane Symphony Chorale to perform benefit concert along Peaceful Valley riverside

The Spokane Symphony Chorale will be hosting an intimate benefit performance along the edge of the Spokane River.

Prior to the pandemic, the Spokane Symphony Chorale would perform an annual concert organized by Spokane Symphony Associates, the volunteer fundraising organization tasked with acquiring additional funds for the Spokane Symphony and its multiple educational programs.

Sara Duggin, who is a member of the chorale as well as Spokane Symphony Associates, recalled these concerts and realized the Symphony Chorale no longer had an end of the year finale, of sorts. She looked around the chorale and felt the group was simply too talented to move forward without this opportunity to showcase their vocal abilities.

“They don’t have that end-of-the-year concert that we used to do as a performing outlet,” Duggin said. “So I just thought, ‘Well, let’s just see if there’s an interest in them doing a fundraiser for the symphony doing solos,’ and the response was extremely positive.”

Keith Slater, a Spokane Symphony Associates board member, donated his riverside home-office property in Peaceful Valley as a venue, and thus Songs by the River was born.

“It’s a lovely venue just yards from the river, it’s beautiful,” Duggin said. “Which is how we came up with that title.”

A duet and quartet will perform along with 15 chorale vocalist solos. The repertoire will be quite diverse as Duggin told the performers to bring the most beautiful song they have in their own repertoire, ranging from older classics that have withstood the test of time to more recent songs they may be somewhat unfamiliar with but seek the challenge of.

Most vocalists have years of experience under their belt and have been highly professionally trained.

“The performances are going to be exquisite, they’re going to be beautiful,” Duggin said. “I was at the preview rehearsal so they could try out the venue, and I was just stunned by how justified my faith in these performers is because it was just stunning.”

All proceeds from the Saturday performance will benefit the Spokane Symphony’s educational, community-based projects. These projects include their youth programs, the Lullaby Project for new parents, and the Dementia Project, benefiting those living with dementia and other age-related conditions.

“The Spokane Symphony is an organization that is very embedded in the community and that is very invested in the community,” Duggin said.