Village Voices Christmas concert to support cascade choir programs

LEAVENWORTH – Leavenworth Village Voices will perform an inspiring Christmas concert to benefit the school district's choir program on Thursday, December 19 at 7 p.m. at the Cascade High School in Leavenworth.

The event will raise funds for the Cascade School District’s choir program through the Crescendo Campaign, a community initiative to preserve the middle and high school choir program.

The Crescendo Campaign began earlier this year after the Cascade School District faced budget challenges that put its choir program at risk. The campaign aims to raise $65,000 per year to maintain the program through the 2025-2026 school year. 

The benefit concert has a chance to help the campaign make the first year fundraising goal a reality.

PTSA president and parent Mercy Rome has spearheaded the Cresendo Campaign and its fundraising efforts. 

“So the most amazing news is that we have had a number of grants come through in the last couple months,” Rome said. “We are set to receive a check on December 12 that will put up just $747 away from completing the first year's raise.”

“There'll be like a quick celebration, and then we'll just start plowing forward into the next year's raise,” she said. “Because the earlier we raise that, the more confident we can be going into next school year.”

LVV President Allison Bergstrom said it is important to LVVmembers to help support the school choir program.

“We're very proud to be able to support the choir program in our community,” she said. “Part of our mission statement is to support the arts and the musical arts in our community. So we want to be able to make sure that the next generation of singers have opportunities and an outlet.”

Mindy Wall is the director of both LVV and the Cascade High School Choir. So the benefit concert is special for her as well.

“I think that music is something that kids need,” Wall said. “I know that all of the research shows that kids who study music do well in all their other classes. I also think that music classes are a place of belonging for kids who maybe don't find their place in athletics, or, you know, other things, a lot of times, kids find their tribe in music. 

“We just can't only concentrate on reading, writing, and arithmetic and expect our kids to to be well rounded students and citizens. They need to have other things. They need to have music and the arts.”

The state of Washington requires all sixth graders to take a music class, and since the band program lacks the capacity to accommodate everyone, the choir is essential to meeting this requirement.

“But then on the more human scale and compassion scale, we just believe that there should be elective options for all the kids,” Rome said. “Not all kids are going to be drawn to art or sports or academics, so having these different electives that can touch a student's heart is a huge part of what we want for our community.”

The concert program will include both sacred and secular Christmas music performed by the Village Voices, now in their 42nd season. 

The CHS Choir will join the performance, along with Bavarian Brass. CHS Alumni Landon Davies and Mary Ising, past LVV Scholarship winners, will also perform.

Attendees can enjoy additional fundraising activities at the concert, including a silent auction, raffle, and bake sale during intermission. Proceeds from these activities will support the Icicle River Middle School Arts program.

For more information about how to join or sponsor LVV, a non-profit organization, visit LeavenworthVillageVoices.org.

Quinn Propst: 509-731-3590 or quinn@ward.media.