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Jaclyn Leeds

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Check out these local groups working to save the planet!

Aurora Chorus was proud to share our post-concert reception with representatives from the following organizations doing important work in our community:

350 PDX

350 PDX

We envision a future where international agreements and public policies, at all levels of government, have kept most of the known fossil fuels reserves in the ground; where, by mid-century, emissions from the burning of fossil fuels have reached zero, allowing natural processes in soils and forests to absorb excess carbon from our atmosphere, bringing it steadily down to levels safe for the our children, grandchildren and all life on earth.

We envision a future with enlightened social, political and economic systems prioritizing renewable energy use and increasing energy efficiency while creating quality family-wage jobs in building a fossil-free economy; where low-income communities are no longer disproportionately suffering the effects of climate change; and where sustaining life and the needs of communities take precedence over corporate profits, leading to a healthy world with thriving and resilient communities.

Learn More: 350pdx.org

BottleDrop

BottleDrop

BottleDrop is a new system for redeeming bottles and cans in Oregon. With their clean and spacious indoor facilities, friendly and helpful staff, and innovative BottleDrop Accounts, BottleDrop makes returning deposit containers and collecting a refund fast, clean and convenient. 

If you already save returnables and collect your deposit back through BottleDrop you can now donate the funds you earn to Aurora. Just go online to your BottleDrop account, choose “give,” select Aurora Chorus from among participating non profits, and donate all or part of your redemption funds to Aurora. Or, pick up a blue BottleDrop bag from the BottleDrop table downstairs and return the bag at your convenience to any BottlleDrop redemption center. The bags are marked with the Aurora barcode and our account will be credited with your funds. There is no cost to you for the bags. Thank you for supporting Aurora and the environment!
Learn More: bottledropcenters.com

Northwest VEG

Northwest VEG

Northwest VEG educates and encourages people to make vegan choices for a healthy, sustainable, and compassionate world. Based in the Greater Portland and southern Washington areas, Northwest VEG is dedicated to bringing awareness to the power of a plant-based, vegan lifestyle and helping support people in their transition toward making healthier, more sustainable, and compassionate food choices. Through courses, social events,

programs, outreach, and larger annual events including Portland VegFest (SAVE THE DATE – Oct. 5 & 6, 2019 at the Oregon Convention Center), Northwest VEG welcomes everyone to learn about the animal, environmental, human rights, and health issues intertwined with our food choices, and fosters a community of people with shared values.

Learn More: nwveg.org

Oregon Environmental Council

Oregon Environmental Council

OEC brings Oregonians together to protect Oregon’s water, air and land with healthy solutions that work for today and for future generations. Founded in 1968 by concerned Oregonians across the state, OEC is a membership-based, nonpartisan nonprofit. OEC is a fiscally sound, highly-regarded organization that is committed to transparency. OEC strives for equitable environmental policies and practices, works with businesses, farmers and health providers so that all may thrive and works with elected officials to create protective public policy. 

Learn More: oeconline.org 

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#BalanceForBetter: 2019 International Women’s Day Honorees

Aurora Chorus is proud to celebrate 2019 International Women’s Day Honorees:

Patricia Cornman-Wilcox

Patricia Cornman-Wilcox

Patricia Cornman-Wilcox has had a lifelong personal and professional interest in social justice. She has been active in many organizations including the Names Project Memorial Quilt where she helped organize Quilt Displays throughout the U.S. and in Washington D.C., Aurora Chorus where she has been both a singer and board member, the Walk of Heroines at PSU and the Clothes Closet for children in foster care. Patricia is a leader in her church, Bridgeport UCC. She worked at PSU in the Adult Education program and in 2003 she completed a two-year Certificate for Instructional Design and was hired as an Instructional Designer for courses at PSU and the OHSU Nursing School. Today Patricia stays involved organizing local protests against ICE’s illegal arrests of immigrants and supporting SOAR immigration legal services.

Marilyn Cover

Marilyn Cover

Throughout her career, Marilyn Cover has been a driving force and fierce advocate for the importance of civics education. She has helped build outstanding civics education in Oregon and throughout the United States. Marilyn developed the innovative Street Law program at NW School of Law at Lewis and Clark College.The program sends law students into high school classrooms to teach practical applications of the law. She was the founding Executive Director of the Classroom Law Project [CLP] that provides classroom instruction, teacher training, mock trials, and courtroom visits for Oregon students of all ages. Marilyn developed this program by engaging stakeholders across disciplines and helping them work together for the common good of building future generations of active community members. The CLP has been instrumental in supporting Oregon high school students’ participation in the annual “We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution” competition. Oregon high schools often receive top honors in this national competition. Governor Kate Brown has said of Marilyn, “… she embodies the spirit of giving to the next generation, making sure that students have all the tools they need for self-determination and principled engagement in their communities”.

City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty

City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty

City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty moved to Oregon because it had things she was looking for— the ability to be close to the water and mountains, and a place where she felt like she could really make a difference. Since arriving, Hardesty has definitely made a difference in Oregon. In addition to her work with the Portland NAACP and many other boards and commissions and serving as a state representative, Hardesty was recently sworn in as a city commissioner becoming the first African-American woman to serve on the Portland City Council. With Hardesty, the Council also reached another historic milestone. For the first time, the council is majority women, which Mayor Ted Wheeler called a “historic moment.” In her role as commissioner Hardesty is committed to building a livable and sustainable city with all Portlanders and for all Portlanders, through transparency, accountability, and opportunity. 

Bev Herrin

Bev Herrin

Bev Herrin (d. 2018) was a fierce and dedicated advocate for people with developmental disabilities. She was a champion in many of Oregon’s systems change initiatives that shifted services from institutions to the community. She helped design and manage the residential and employment services and government policies that make Oregon a precedent setting state so that people who experience even the most severe disabilities can live and work in the community. Outside of work Bev led an active life where she engaged in skydiving, climbing Mt Hood, rock climbing at Smith Rocks, Yosemite and Squamish Chief in British Columbia. She was a music fan and traveled from Maine to California, Seattle to Miami plus music based cruises in the Caribbean and the Mexican Riviera. As we remember Bev, we honor a full life of service, fun, and family.

Cheryl Perrin

Cheryl Perrin

Cheryl Perrin has been one of Oregon’s most influential women leaders of the past 40 years, playing a key role in Oregon’s environmental leadership, its progress on human rights, and its economic growth. She has been honored as Oregon’s Woman of the Year, winner of the Lucille Hart Award, and the Basic Rights Oregon Outstanding Citizen, and also received the Multnomah County Human Rights award for her tireless commitment to civil rights. She has served on numerous boards and commissions over the years, including Commissioner for the Port of Portland. Perrin was a senior executive officer with Fred Meyer, Inc. for 23 years, and in that role provided progressive leadership for Oregon’s business community. She is very proud of her 4 daughters and 9 granddaughters. Perhaps, in part, because of this, she is a clear and loud voice for women’s issues, especially for an end to discrimination in the workplace.

Rev. Tara Wilkins

Rev. Tara Wilkins

Completing 16 years of leadership of the Community of Welcoming Congregations (CWC), Rev. Tara Wilkins is a courageous social justice warrior at work in our state and beyond. She brings faith communities together with LGBTQ activists to work for civil rights, marriage equality, and justice issues of many kinds. Tara has grown the CWC from a handful of Portland-area congregations to over 100 throughout Oregon and SW Washington. In early years, she was a solo voice traveling the state; now local congregations and clergy speak out with welcome for the LGBTQ folks in their communities. Tara has been a leading voice at a national level as part of Human Rights Campaign’s Religion & Faith program and the Institute for Welcoming Resources through the National LGBTQ Task Force. Rev. Tara has helped change the political landscape for LBGTQ concerns. During her tenure, CWC also hosted the first national interfaith Trans Conference in the nation. We celebrate her courage, strategic skill, and loving spirit.

Ellen Wolfson

Ellen Wolfson

Among her many accomplishments, Ellen Wolfson founded the eight-member Chicamarimba band, an all-women band that has been entertaining audiences throughout the Pacific Northwest for the past 19 years. An accomplished musician and counselor, Ellen is a model of selfless love, generosity, and energetic compassion. Her friends and family regard her as a living, breathing 911 system, serving as a round-the-clock advocate for those in need of healthcare, education, immigration assistance, housing, or straight talk. As a valued member of the Clackamas Community College faculty, Ellen directed the counseling department and coordinated the international student program. She enriches our lives and inspires us to work for a more compassionate world.

 

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Congratulations to Joan Szymko, chosen for WSCM 2020!

Aurora is proud and excited to share that Joan was chosen from an unprecedented number of applicants from around the globe to present at the 12th World Symposium on Choral Music (WSCM) being held in Auckland, New Zealand in 2020. Held once every three years, WCSM draws choral professionals, singers, composers, and concertgoers from around the world to learn from leading, inspiring musicians. Joan will be presenting “The Greening Power of Song.”

The 2020 WSCM theme is to “explore through choral music the relationship humans have with the land that supports them: the sense of identity they derive from it and the tensions that arise out of it. We believe this is a theme that touches all of us in some way, calling to mind such notions as family, nurture, identity, place, community, culture, celebration, nationalism, colonialism, dispossession, alienation, partnership, freedom, development, interconnectedness, environmentalism, urban living, the natural world, the seasons, stress and healing, beauty, nostalgia, utopia… to name but a few!”

Aurora is so very fortunate to experience Joan’s talent, choral leadership, and heart firsthand. Explore more of Joan’s works here.

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Interested in singing in Aurora? Sung to the tune of…..

Following our International Women’s Day concert on March 3rd, we are beginning a new singing term on March 7. Voicing for that term is March 5. Check out more information on joining here. You may ask, why would you join a chorus like Aurora? Here’s your answer, sung along to the tune of “Maria” from Sound of Music, and cleverly crafted by alto Michele Alderson.

(Think – “How do you solve a problem like Maria…..”)

We’re given songs, we scrap along and then there is a change
Soprano ones and alto twos have a different range
We’re under pitch, we want to breathe, the rhythm’s really strange
I’ve even heard a slur across the bar line

Lord knows we try so hard to never get the evil eye
We practice many hours, so it’s obvious we try
Our diction we articulate, no diphthongs need apply
We memorize the songs by a deadline

I’d like to say a word on our behalf
Aurora makes me laugh!

Why would you join a chorus like Aurora?
Why spend so much time practicing?
Why would you join a chorus like Aurora?
To use your brain cells, to make some new friends, to sing!

Many a thing that Joan would like to tell us
Many a thing we ought to understand
But how does she make us sing and listen to everything
How do we keep from raising any hands?

Oh, why would you join a chorus like Aurora?
Sharing hope and love all we can!

At rehearsals I’m confused, out of focus and bemused
And I never know exactly where I am
Timings unpredictable, foreign words inexplicable
I am dizzy, in a tizzy, in a jam

We’d out pester any pest, drive a hornet from its nest
And I think that I am going to lose my mind
Please be gentle, please be kind, help me keep track of the time!
We’re not crazy! We’re not lazy! We’re divine!

Why would you join a chorus like Aurora?
Why spend so much time practicing?
Why would you join a chorus like Aurora?
To use your brain cells, to make some new friends, to sing!

Many a thing that Joan would like to tell us
Many a thing we ought to understand
But how does she make us sing and listen to everything
How do we keep from raising any hands?

Oh, why would you join a chorus like Aurora?
Sharing hope and love all we can!

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Just to Be is a Blessing

From Jaclyn Leeds, Executive Director & S2

Aurora’s Outreach Ensemble had the honor of performing this past weekend at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. In our 45-min performance entitled Never Say, we presented a program reflective of Jewish spiritual heritage and historical perspective. This performance complemented the current exhibition The Last Journey of the Jews of Lodz, in partnership with Portland Art Museum’s Memory Unearthed: The Lodz Ghetto Photographs of Henryk Ross. The exhibition ends Feb. 24.

You can see additional songs on Aurora’s YouTube channel, thanks to the wonderful recording of singer and A1-M Kristin Jacobson. “Blessing” below is Joan Szymko’s setting of a quote by Rabbi A. Heschel.

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A New Adventure with the Aurora Chorus

From Lisa Wood, S1

Early 2018, after a more extended break from singing than I’d hoped or wanted, I searched for an outlet. I came from a family of classically trained musicians but had mostly spent my time in rock bands, band collaborations, and solo projects over the years. I hadn’t sight read music since 8th grade and hoped to find something where I could brush up on that. My mom has sung in choruses since I can remember, I’ve attended her concerts over the years but hadn’t ever considered a chorus for myself. I was always slightly intimidated by the idea, being rusty in my sight reading, not sure if I could sing in that style.

For my mom’s 70th birthday, I learned an aria from a Puccini opera with the help of my voice teacher, and that solidified my want to pursue a classical/choral outlet to push and challenge myself. A Google search of choruses in Portland brought up several, but one stood out. An all-women’s chorus called Aurora, led by Director, Joan Szymko. It intrigued me. I went down the internet rabbit hole, reading about Joan, her accolades, and watching videos of the chorus–they were fantastic. 4-part harmonies, songs with worldly meaning and intention–I could feel that these women were empowered and strengthened by their collective voices and the words they were singing, guided by a fierce and strong woman.

I lived far from Portland at the time, but I reached out anyway. I was curious. I connected with one volunteer who keeps the chorus machine humming, and even in the email, I could hear the enthusiasm and excitement about Aurora, along with the passion of bringing new women into the fold. I wound up not being able to join due to my distance, but as fate would have it, I moved back just a few months later and reconnected with that same volunteer, Kristin. She invited me to a new singer voicing and assured me that this was a non-audition choir where all who can match pitch are welcome. I loved that. And as a part of their mission as a non-profit, they offer a scholarship fund, so it holds no one back from singing based on income. Even better. Not only a chance to sing but a chance to sing in a place where community matters and where women from all backgrounds are welcome.

I showed up for voicing, sang in a few groups, sang in a duo, and then sang with just Joan and the piano. As I’ve learned over the past term, Joan has an incredible ear. She plays, asks you to mimic a melody, sing a few scales and from there decides where you should sing. I landed in the Soprano 1 section. The women I met that day were incredibly kind and helpful. They gave me a badge with my name on it, a packet of music, some Aurora swag, and homemade cookies to welcome me.

The schedule was a weekly commitment, sometimes more, but I was ready. After all, the catalyst for my search was my need to sing regularly. It is cathartic for me in a way that nothing else is. Nothing makes me feel like singing does. As an aside–did you know it is proven that singing is good for your health? It’s true! It reduces stress and anxiety, fires up the right temporal lobe of your brain, increasing creativity, health, and happiness. And in a group? Heartbeats have been known to sync up – a powerful feeling, more significant than any of us alone. I’ve referenced an article at the end of this blog that explains further.

The thing I didn’t expect from Aurora was the community of phenomenal women. I mean, I knew from the day I went to voicing that they were a good group of people, but it was far beyond anything I could have imagined. This is a group of women that picks each other up when they’re down, that reaches out a hand if someone needs help, that sings to each other when they’re hurting or has someone in their life that is–this a group of women that genuinely cares for one another. Some women have sung with Aurora for decades, but there is no sense of “better than” and I never felt like anyone was anything but happy to have the new singers there.

Aurora runs like a well-oiled machine thanks to its volunteers, and that impressed me. Each section has two leaders for you to lean on if you need help, there’s no shortage of support. The concerts we sang in were a success because of those volunteers throughout the term and during the shows. I’d like to recognize that here. It wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

Throughout the term, they gave us all the tools we would need to succeed. Break-out sectional practices at people’s houses, an intensive one-off to focus in and solidify the parts, and a 2-day retreat in the woods where the sole focus was to work, sing, and complete the concert run through. It felt like an adult Summer camp, and I loved it. We sang all day, yet when we got back to the house, we weren’t sung out. We sat in the living room singing, sharing wine, stories, laughs, and love.

At the end of the retreat there was an opportunity to share feelings and thoughts, and while I’m not typically one to open up in a group like that (it makes my palms sweaty just thinking about it), I felt compelled to. Life had thrown me a few devastating blows recently, and I’d been struggling to find inner peace and happiness. I honestly hadn’t felt this good in quite some time. Aurora did that. Singing did that. The community embracing me did that. And I wanted to thank them for that.

I felt ready for the concerts, minus a few nerves. I had a solo; it thrilled me, but that was another personal hurdle I was working to clear. Squashing the nerves that take over when I’m singing in front of people. As many of you have probably experienced, nerves can do a job on your voice and breath. I am determined to conquer it, and the support from the 100 women standing behind me was something special. Very different from my prior experiences in bands, this wasn’t about me, it was about us. I felt a responsibility not to let them down. I still trembled a bit, but it is now one solo conquered, and I hope to continue down the path of taking over those nerves and singing out, like I know I can.

We had two concerts over the holidays in beautiful venues; they were sold out and the audience, from all accounts, loved it. I loved it. It was marvelous to see all the hard work we’d put in come together. Singing by yourself is one thing, nailing 15 songs with 100 people is no small task.

It is Joan-her leadership, her knowledge, her songs. It is the volunteers who give their time and efforts to make it work behind the scenes. It is all of these women coming together for a common goal, to sing their hearts out.

I’m hooked, I love this community and feel lucky to be a part of it. We’re kicking off rehearsals for our International Women’s Day concert, followed by Spring term. If you’ve never sung in a chorus, aren’t sure if you want to, I highly recommend giving it a shot. You’re welcome here.

The article referenced in the 5th paragraph: https://upliftconnect.com/neuroscience-of-singing/

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A Sunday afternoon of “Shadow and Light”

Sunday November 4th was a chilly Portland day. I spent the morning looking at washers and dryers in a large showroom pondering the variety of options and wishing the salespeople were more knowledgeable. Very dreary.

Luckily, my afternoon was a pure delight! I joined a room full of people at the Clinton Street Theater to watch two films about Alzheimer’s that were both educational and heart-warming. First up was “The Story of Shadow and Light: Giving Voice to an Alzheimer’s Journey”. This documentary followed Joan Szymko (Aurora’s Artistic Director) in her process of learning about Alzheimer’s in order to create a musical piece of work  that would portray the human experience of Alzheimer’s.

Joan collaborated with Diane Retallack, conductor of the Eugene Concert Choir, on the piece which later became “Shadow and Light”. Together they met with a variety of people impacted by the disease. In the documentary we saw Joan and Diane talking with individuals experiencing Alzheimer and their care partners as well as Alzheimer’s professionals to understand  the emotional and practical realities of the way the disease affects a variety of people. What a treat to see these two creative women learning and working together (sometimes in Joan’s Portland garden) to produce this work.

Following the documentary and a short popcorn break we watched  a screening of the film that was made when “Shadow and Light” premiered in Eugene’s Beall Concert Hall in April of 2016. The music, both for choir and orchestra told the story about people going through the process of first being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, then living with it and finally dying. The music and lyrics set the tone for each phase and the production was professional and inspiring.

The afternoon closed with a short question and answer session featuring both Joan and Diane as well as Stephanie Foster from the local Alzheimer’s Association. CDs of the documentary and the premiere were on sale with profits going to the Eugene Concert Choir. Aurora Chorus singer, Lani Jo Leigh, owner and operator of the Clinton Street Theater donated the use of the space for the event.

When I left the theater I felt a sense of community with other theater goers, Aurora singers and all people who know that storytelling through music has the power to make the world a better place. The documentary can be viewed on youtube at aofilms.com/films/shadow-and-light. Copies of the DVD and CDs of the performance are available for purchase through eugeneconcertchoir.org.

~Aurora Board Chair Lynn Greenwood

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Bring on autumn! From Lynn Greenwood

For me, the return of cooler weather coupled with shorter days, a bit of rain and school starting again is a sure sign that it’s fall and time to get started on new activities after a summer of travel, gardening and enjoying family and friends. One of my favorite fall activities is singing with Aurora Chorus. I love returning to our rehearsal space at PSU and seeing my sister singers, getting my music packet with songs for our upcoming concert and hearing a first run through of each song. There is energy and excitement in the room as over 100 women study their music and anticipate the shared experience of performing the pieces for our audiences at our concert “Secret Gardens of the Heart” on December 15th and 16th.

In addition to singing, this year I have a new role in the community of Aurora singers. I’m serving as the chair for the Aurora Chorus Board of Directors. In this capacity I’ll be working with our new Executive Director, Jaclyn Leeds, and other board members along with our conductor, Joan Szymko, to strengthen our organization, reach out to an expanded audience and recruit new singers. For over 20 years the Aurora Board has been tasked with the responsibility of keeping the organization vital, financially sound and relevant to our community. It’s a big job but I take to heart the message from one of our upcoming concert pieces that suggests, “…reach out a hand, no need to fear cause all we need is right here” [Sam Turton].

Whether you are a current or former singer, an Aurora fan or someone who recently found us on the internet, I extend a warm welcome to our current concert season. I look forward to hearing your ideas and suggestions for our organization and appreciate your support. I’ll see you at rehearsal or in the audience!

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Joan’s Introduction to Secret Gardens of the Heart

This holiday season, amid the ice and cold of winter, Aurora Chorus will warm hearts and lift spirits with “Secret Gardens of the Heart”. Aurora will journey back to fond memories of childhood, embrace the present and look forward toward the future, with renewed hope for light, understanding and joy. Artistic Director Joan Szymko creates holiday programs that draw from an eclectic palette of composers and songwriters; this season, we sing Vivaldi, Szymko, Ola Gjeillo, Judy Collins, Leonard Cohen and much more! We hope you will join us in singing this term (rehearsals start on September 6th with voicing for new singers on September 4th) or for our concerts on December 15th and 16th. Get in touch with us if you have any questions. We look forward to sharing music with you soon!

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Welcome to the Aurora Chorus Blog!

Welcome to the Aurora Chorus Blog…. My name is Marie, and I am the administrative assistant here at Aurora! A little about me: I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, attended college at USF and then moved up to Oregon last year to be closer to family. I’ve been working with small nonprofits most of my career, beginning in volunteer coordination and working my way up to executive and administration roles. In San Francisco, I worked with an organization called Galería de la Raza, which mostly features works by Latinx and Chicanx artists, and helped me fall in love with the arts. Here in Oregon, I’ve been working at OMSI since my move! Most recently, I completed a Master’s Certificate program called Arts & Culture Strategy through the University of Pennsylvania. It taught me a lot about how to successfully run a non-profit/arts organization, which I can’t wait to apply to helping Aurora succeed! Stay tuned to Aurora’s blog for updates throughout the season.