April 21, 2014

Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) welcomes Island Consort as part of its Chamber Music Series on the Michael Nutt Main stage at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 27.

Under the vocal direction of Dr. Dianne Vars, 13 Island Consort singers will present a concert of madigrals, motets and Baroque songs, accompanied by eight members of Island Consort’s instrumental division, directed by Chris Harshman. Guest keyboardist will be Eileen Soskin.

Island Consort was founded to bring together the considerable talents of local vocalists and musicians to explore and perform the music of the Renaissance, Baroque and early Classical eras. In this concert, a cappella madrigals will be sung along with sacred pieces from Schutz, Monteverdi and Handel involving both the instrumentalists and singers.

“We exist to bring to audiences our delight of Early Music—delight in the inner dance, in the melodic motifs, the rhythmic rigor, the sometimes unexpected harmonic twists, the ancient sacred texts, the less ancient humorous texts, the frivolous, the transcendent, the poignant and the sublime,” said Island Consort Artistic Director Sheila Weidendorf.

Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for students. They are available at wicaonline.org, at the WICA box office (Wednesdays through Saturdays, 1-6 p.m. and two hours before show time) or by phone 800-638-7631 or 360-221-8268.

WICA is located at 565 Camano Avenue in Langley on Whidbey Island.