Taking the stage for the first time since 2019, the Redmond Community Choir will perform “Sounds of The Season” on Sunday. The concert, which is free to the public, will take place at 4 p.m. at Redmond High School, 675 SW Rimrock Way.

The Redmond Community Choir was founded in 2019 by Ken Piarulli, a recent transplant from New York who at that time had a desire to start a community choir.

“I got the itch to do something in music, and I’d always been a musician and choir director,” Piarulli said. “So I approached COCC, their continuing education department and music department, and they were receptive.”

With the support of the COCC Community Education Program, Piarulli was able to organize a very successful choir season at the end of 2019.

“It has been a great collaboration and partnership and very well received by Redmond,” Piarulli said.

After a great turnout at the first

performance and with a large number of community members interested in joining, Piarulli planned to continue the choir in the spring of 2020. But like most other aspects of life at that time, COVID-19 halted those plans.

Fast-forward to two months ago, when the choir gathered for the first time in two years.

“There were so many smiles when we walked in the room the first night for rehearsal back in late September,” Piarulli said. “It was kind of like a reunion of people that had been there before and actually about a third of the group is new as well. It’s absolutely wonderful, just a really positive environment.”

For the last two months, the group of about 50 members has been rehearsing for the Sounds of the Season” concert.

The first half of the concert will include traditional and contemporary pieces ranging from musical settings of works by Shakespeare and Robert Frost to genres including spirituals, madrigals, and a gospel-tinged arrangement of a classic pop ballad.

The second half will feature Christmas and holiday themed music from around the world, including the rhythmic African Noel, a Spanish carol, a work by Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo, and fresh arrangements of some traditional carols.

The Redmond Community Choir is a COCC Community Education Program and provides an opportunity for singers of all levels to participate in a musically enriching choral experience.

I think it is kind of important to note that this is a non-auditioned choir,” Piarulli said. “I didn’t want it to be an intimidating thing for people to have to come and think that they had auditioned to sing it. So I basically took the stance that if you enjoy singing, then come join us.”