Tabor Arts Hosts West Coast Mennonite Men’s Chorus

West Coast Mennonite Men's ChorusHILLSBORO, Kan. – The West Coast Mennonite Men’s Chorus will perform at Tabor College at 6 p.m., Sunday, May 6 in the Richert Auditorium of the Shari Flaming Center for the Arts.

Now in its forty-first year, the choir has performed over 120 concerts in over 25 locations throughout California and British Columbia.

Forty-two of the ensemble’s 120 members will make the trip to Hillsboro. This is only the second time in their history that they have traveled outside of California to perform.

“It is exciting to be able to share our unique ministry with people in the Midwest,” said Leon Thiessen, chairman of WCMMC. “Many in our chorus grew up in Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado, and still have family in these locations. For me personally, it is a thrill to be able to come back to sing at my alma mater.”

The choir plans to perform songs including “He is the Amen,” “Jesus Paid it All,” “10,000 Reasons,” “He Made a Change,” and “Holy, Holy, Holy,” arranged by Tabor’s professor of music Bradley Vogel. In total, the concert will include 13 songs, with the addition of two smaller ensemble performances.

During each performance, the group takes a free-will offering for relief work. This year the offerings will go entirely to Mennonite Disaster Service to help with rebuilding homes destroyed by the devastating wildfires across the West Coast.

“It will be a treat to host this choir on our campus and share our auditorium with them,” said Bradley Vogel, performing and visual arts division chair at Tabor. “Having toured in California many times with the Tabor College Concert Choir, I have developed friendships with many of the men in the choir, and look forward to returning the hospitality that they have shown to us. I’ve heard the choir, and they sing with great passion—it will be a rewarding concert!”

For more information, visit website, www.wcmmc.com or the group’s Facebook page.