About Northwest Repertory Singers
To lift voices in song: creating art and fostering community through choral music.
Established in Fall 2001 by Dr. Paul Schultz, Northwest Repertory Singers (NWRS) is a premier volunteer choral ensemble based in Tacoma, Washington. In 2018 Kyle Haugen was named the second Artistic Director of the ensemble upon Dr. Schultz’s retirement after a career spanning more than six decades.
“… a jewel among chamber choruses…”
—morten lauridsen
A year after its founding, NWRS sponsored Tacoma’s participation in the worldwide “Rolling Requiem” in 2002—a commemoration of the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks with performances of Mozart’s Requiem across each time zone of the globe. This milestone performance with an orchestra of the area’s finest players (all volunteering their participation) firmly established the ensemble’s reputation for artistry, community, and collaboration.
Acclaim from the press—and from some of the most respected choral musicians in America—would soon follow.
After a stunning performance at the American Masterpieces Choral Festival in June 2007, composer Morten Lauridsen praised the group: “This ensemble is among the finest I have ever heard, displaying choral art at its finest; a jewel among chamber choruses in America.” Conductor Dale Warland declared, “I never expect to hear a better performance of the Argento and the Lauridsen pieces than you gave at Town Hall. Superb!” April 2008 featured NWRS in two performances of Beethoven’s monumental Symphony No. 9 with Northwest Sinfonietta. The News Tribune concluded: “What a joy to have an orchestra and singers of this caliber performing works like this—it’s something Tacoma should be proud of.”
More Milestones
To celebrate a decade of choral artistry, NWRS commissioned new works by local composers for two concerts in June 2011, illustrating the ensemble’s commitment to new music; commissions and world premieres have followed nearly every season since. In 2014 NWRS presented two critically acclaimed performances of Johannes Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem with Rainier Symphony, achieving the goal of founding NWRS board members to produce and present a major choral-orchestral work.
In September 2014 NWRS was invited to perform at a screening of the feature-length documentary film Shining Night: A Portrait of Composer Morten Lauridsen with the composer in attendance. The special bond between Lauridsen and NWRS was further underscored when he attended Dr. Schultz’s final concert with the ensemble in 2018, which featured stunning performances of several of his works, including “Sure on this Shining Night” with the composer himself providing the piano accompaniment.
Creative Collaborations
NWRS has invited singing groups and instrumental ensembles spanning multiple genres to share the concert stage. Past collaborations include The Coats, Total Experience Gospel Choir, Kareem Kandi and his jazz orchestra, Tacoma Youth Chorus, Cora Voce, Lake Union Civic Orchestra, Rainier Symphony, and members of Tacoma Symphony and Northwest Sinfionetta.
Recognition and Awards
In November 2007 Northwest Repertory Singers received the Jim Smith Award from Pierce County Arts Commission. This recognition for contribution to the healthy development of the arts and the preservation of cultural traditions is one of the prestigious Margaret K. Williams Awards. To commemorate the enemble’s tenth anniversary, Tacoma mayor Marilyn Strickland issued a proclamation declaring June 4, 2011 “Northwest Repertory Singers Day.”
Membership
The members of Northwest Repertory Singers are selected through a rigorous audition process, and each comes from a rich musical tradition. The collective effect of this experience is an ensemble with an unparalleled commitment to the musical, emotional, and technical performance of a broad range of musical styles and genres.