PORT ANGELES — A choir of some 200 voices is poised to celebrate two occasions today: local musician Anna Nichols’ 76th birthday and the city of Port Angeles’ 150th anniversary.
For months now, Nichols and her husband, Jerry, along with a large flock of friends have been preparing for what they call a “mass choir” sing on City Pier as a gift to the community.
Now it’s all ready to go: the “Celebrate PA” concert at 6 p.m. tonight, with Mayor Cherie Kidd as mistress of ceremonies and a U.S. Coast Guard color display and helicopter fly-over to start things off.
The national anthem will be song No. 1, as two venerable choirs step onto the risers: the Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers with director Lee Moseley and the Peninsula Singers with maestro Dewey Ehling.
After three or four songs each, those two groups will join the giant choir, which has been rehearsing with Jerry and Anna Nichols for this occasion.
The singers will go straight into “When the Saints Go Marching In,” replete with brass quartet: trumpeters Bob Hagan and Doug Brundage, baritone horn player Brittany Brabant and trombonist Tony Bush.
The concert also will feature “Amazing Grace,” a bluesy “This Little Light of Mine” and “How Great Thou Art,” with Anna Nichols on grand piano. “America the Beautiful” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” are also on the agenda, while and Gary McRoberts will accompany the choir on keyboard.
This evening’s event is also a benefit for two local nonprofits.
During “How Great Thou Art,” Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors will circulate and gather donations for The Answer For Youth, a Port Angeles charity serving homeless and at-risk youngsters.
Concert-goers also are asked to bring nonperishable food items to contribute to the Salvation Army’s food pantry.
Port Angeles is celebrating this year the 150th anniversary of the signing of an order by President Abraham Lincoln that established the town as a military and naval reservation June 19, 1862.
Anna Nichols, for her part, is looking forward to the 90 minutes of music and sharing.
“We’ll have a wonderful sound system,” she said.
“It should really be a joyful occasion.”
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.