Patrice LeBlanc, Central City. Peak to Peak Chorale presented their spring concert, Law and Order vs. Sinners and Scalawags, Justice in Mining Country at the Central City Elks Lodge on Friday, May 3. The dinner was catered by JKQ BBQ with cake for dessert. The evening performance, under the direction of Jane Wyss, was a combination of musical choral arrangements of traditional songs and historical skits related to Gilpin County. The content centered around stories and songs of mountain justice as applied to rugged individualists. 

The evening performance began with the song Ain’t Judgin’ No Man and was followed by The Ballad of Pikes Peak, Voice in the Wind, Feel it Still, The Rose, Sally Goddin’, Hushabye Mountain, The Moonshiner, Songs of the Temperance Union, Fugue for Tinhorns, Superstition, Luck Be a Lady, Won’t Let Anybody Turn Me Around, Hallelujah, America the Beautiful. Historical scenes were interspersed throughout the evening with actors from the chorus and a few outside actors. Song lyrics were printed in the program for the audience to follow along. Wendy Wheaton accompanied on keyboard and Marith Reheis played banjo on a few songs. 

The 26 member chorale rehearsed from mid-January to May on Wednesday nights at the Gilpin County Library. Once the theme was decided, Ann Wyss and the committee found stories with assistance from the Gilpin County Historical Society or from previous choral programs. Songs were selected that supported the stories until a complete work was created. A few of the songs were found first and then a story was located to support the song. The chorale began as a non-profit in 1990 and had grown since its inception. Other original programs have been on Emily Griffith, Doc Suzie and Lincoln Hills. Some of the current members moved away from the mountain area, but continue to be involved with the chorale. Two of the members are over 90 years old. 

The chorale presented a performance of their current work on Sunday, May 5, at the Coal Creek Canyon Improv. Association Hall and will perform their final performance on Sunday, May 11, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. at the Golden Gate Grange Hall. They will resume rehearsal from September to November and are always looking for people to re-awaken their vocal chords. 

Visit them on Facebook at Peak-to-Peak-Chorale for more information.

(Originally published in the May 9, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)