Repertory Singers Open their 2026–27 Season with Holding Wonder, an Invitation to See the World Anew

Southern Oregon Repertory Singers launches their 2026–27 concert season with two Ashland performances in November titled Holding Wonder. The concerts include music inspired by nature, beauty, love, loss and the fragility of life. “This program is full of beauty and wonder. All the music is lyrical and beautiful, and the texts
remind us to see the beauty and hope all around us,” said Music Director Paul French.

The concert will open with Johannes Brahms’ lush Nänie, a meditation on grief and the transience of life. Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds’ Northern Lights transforms the mysterious beauty of the aurora borealis into sound, with the choir accompanied by the shimmering resonance of tuned water glasses. Singer and instrumentalist Zachery Marshall will perform on glass harp.

British composer Lucy Walker’s lyrical setting of Sara Teasdale’s anti-war poem, There Will Come Soft Rains will be featured. “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” by Dolly Parton will showcase a powerhouse of the choir’s sopranos: Alexander Carwithen, Ruby Johnson, Jennifer Matsuura, and Muriel Garcia-Hart with full choir backing them up.

Jodi French, Southern Oregon Repertory Singers’ Composer-in-Residence, presents Life Has Loveliness to Sell, her setting of Teasdale’s poem Barter. Rogue Valley cellist, Michal Palzewicz, will perform on several pieces, with the additional instrumentation of piano played by Jodi French, flute with Sherril Wood and Luna Bitzer, and percussion with Theresa McCoy.

Together, the works create a musical landscape that is both intimate and expansive: a reminder that wonder is not necessarily found in extraordinary places, but in the world we navigate daily.

Rep Singers also launched their Community Partnership program last season and are pleased to welcome representatives from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, Habitat for Humanity, Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (SOCAN), and the Grants Pass Gospel Mission as their partners.

“Our partnership program is designed to foster collaboration with local organizations whose missions align with the themes of our concerts to create opportunities to amplify their work, raise awareness, and inspire collective impact. Our goal is to deepen the connection between our music and community, and create opportunities for our audiences to engage beyond the concert hall,” said Executive Director, Kim Andresen.

Last season Rep Singers partnered with Jackson County ACCESS and Harry & David to collect food and donations at their holiday concerts resulting in a donation to ACCESS of more than 2,200 meals for the local community.

Concert sponsors include: Bill & Sarah Epstein, Ellen & Julian Hamer, and Phyllis Douglas. Rep Singers will also launch their store at these concerts with branded apparel available for purchase that includes tee shirts, hoodies, canvas tote bags, CD’s of their music, and more. Merchandise is also available on their website at https://repsingers.org/shop/

The closing piece of the show will feature the young composer dubbed “the Mozart of Gen Z,” Jacob Collier. His piece Little Blue with the inspiring and catchy lyrics will leave audience members with feelings of joy, inspiration, and hope – resonating long after they leave the music hall.

Holding Wonder will be performed Saturday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 8 at 2:00 p.m. at the SOU Music Recital Hall, 450 S. Mountain Avenue, Ashland. Individual and season tickets are available through the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers website repsingers.org, or by calling the box office at 541-552-0900. Student and Oregon Trail $5 tickets are also available, pending availability.