This Sunday, the Evergreen Ensemble brings their vocal artistry back to West Seattle, after sponsoring WSB this week to amplify the invitation to prospective concertgoers. They’re also offering a discount code that’ll get you 30 percent off the ticket price! Here’s the announcement:

Evergreen Ensemble Concert
REQUIEM

March 9 – 3:00 pm, Holy Rosary Catholic Church (4139 42nd Ave SW)
evergreenensemble.com/requiem

For 30% off your ticket order, use the discount code REQUIEM30

Come hear Evergreen Ensemble’s final solo concert series of their 2024-2025 season; a stirring program that looks at the ways we confront death and tragedy through our music, and how despite the experiences of pain and despair, we can move forward with resiliency, grace, and hope.

The concert features two larger works for unaccompanied choir. Dale Trumbore‘s How to Go On was written following the death of a loved one for poet Barbara Crooker and asks, “How can we go on, knowing the end of the story?” The piece answers the question in eight movements that range from questioning and doubt, to introspection, and to an acceptance of mortality. Herbert Howells’ timeless Requiem was famously set aside after the untimely death of his 9-year-old son and was not performed for over 45 years before he was convinced to release it, at which point it quickly was recognized as one of the great choral masterpieces of the 20th century.

The program will close with a West-coast premiere of a beautiful piece titled Dawn by WA composer John Muehleisen, originally commissioned as a companion piece to the Howells. Finally, the concert will end with a beautiful set of African American Spirituals, which of course give us a message of struggle and perseverance from a group of people dealing with unspeakable worldly oppression, and who still call to us all to move forward in hope and love.

They hope the concert offers people some relief from any stress, anxiety, or grief they may be experiencing, and that they can look forward to at least an hour and a half with us where they can be in community and hear music that can soothe the soul and send them back into the world refreshed and hopeful!

For more information or to purchase tickets you can visit evergreenensemble.com/requiem or purchase your tickets at the door. For anyone ordering tickets in advance, you can use the discount code REQUIEM30 for 30% off your order!

You can learn more about the Evergreen Ensemble here.

Summer will be full of creative fun at Mode Music and Performing Arts and sibling Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) in North Delridge! Registration is open for summer camps – here for example is the MMPA schedule:

Graze that and you’ll see camps including Stage Combat, D&D, more. Go here to learn more about the camps.

At Mode Music Studios, rock-band camps are the heart of the summer, with sessions for ages 6-12 and for ages 13+ – learn about those, and register, by going here!

Story and photos by Aspen Anderson
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Wander into Caffe Ladro in south Morgan Junction one of these chilly mornings, and you’ll find Eleanor Doughty‘s West Seattle in watercolor.

Lincoln Park at sunset. The Fauntleroy ferry terminal, boats coming and going. The neon glow of Luna Park Café. These familiar West Seattle landmarks, captured in rich, atmospheric layers of watercolor and ink, currently line the walls at 7011 California SW.

“My goal is helping people appreciate the places around where they are, even if they’re not a fantastic postcard view,” Doughty said.

Doughty is a Seattle-based illustrator whose work has a distinct, almost-retro quality — perhaps because she sketches on-site, absorbing the essence of a place rather than simply replicating it.

“All of these are drawn on location,” she said. “You are capturing a series of moments and trying to consolidate all of that into one picture… it’s a journal, it’s capturing a moment in time.”

Her favorite pieces on display include paintings of Lincoln Park, where she sketched along the water, and a standout of the Fauntleroy ferry terminal — layered with different boats as they arrived and departed.

“Seeing the place that you love captured in a painting — it makes people emotional,” she said.

Doughty has painted cities around the world, but West Seattle is a recent addition to her collection. Whether sketching ferry docks or neighborhood cafés, she says painting in real time offers a depth that photography cannot.

“Everyone has a camera in their pocket, but sitting on location for an hour or more gives the painting significance,” she said. “I found that the more you tap into what makes you feel something, rather than what you’re literally seeing, the more interesting the painting looks.”

Doughty’s West Seattle paintings are on display and available for purchase at Caffe Ladro, which is open daily from 6:30 am to 6 pm.

Local writer Julia Douthwaite Viglione sent the invitation to the next free “Write YOUR Story“ for 7- to 11-year-olds:

Write YOUR Story Spring 2025
Enrolling now
Theme: Defiance and Protest!

Who is invited? People age 7-11 who like stories

When? Every Wednesday, March 5—May 7, 2025, 4:30—5:30 pm

Where? Upstairs activity room, Curious Kidstuff toy store, 4740 California Ave SW

Write YOUR Story, est. 2012, is a free workshop led by local writers for local kids
“We read, we write, and we have a lot of fun.”

For info or to enroll, contact: juliawsea@gmail.com

We will read The Queen Always Wanted to Dance and Papagayo, The Mischief Maker: two tales that show how to defy oppression in joyous community!

That’s the trailer for the current season of the Byrd Ensemble, which is bringing its vocal artistry back to West Seattle this Saturday, and sponsoring WSB for the week to amplify the announcement. In addition, they’re offering a ticket deal again – a special code to get 30 percent off. But first, let’s talk about the concert. This time, the vocal group directed by Markdavin Obenza is presenting Renaissance music from Scotland and England, at 7:30 pm Saturday (February 1) at Holy Rosary Catholic Church (4139 42nd SW). Here’s how the program is described:

The program showcases English and Scottish Renaissance music from the Carver Choirbook, a unique 16th-century collection that is one of Scotland’s only surviving sources of Renaissance polyphony. In addition to the Renaissance works are three contemporary pieces by Scottish composer James MacMillan and English composer Alexander Campkin.

You’ll find more details here. For tickets, go here, and be sure to enter the code WSBLOG30 at checkout to get the discount.

(WSB photo)

By Aspen Anderson
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

An often-tagged wall on the West Seattle waterfront may be painted with a nearly 200-foot-long mural.

West Seattle resident David Stockert is leading an effort to transform the wall along the north shore of Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook Park on Beach Drive into a community mural, working with local artist Nalisha Estrellas.

Stockert believes a mural could deter vandalism, reducing the need for repeated cleanups by Seattle Parks and Recreation. “I walk my dog along there every day,” Stockert said. “It’s such a beautiful little pocket park, and then I look at that wall that gets tagged — it’s pretty ugly … But murals seem to get left alone.”

(Rough concept by artist Nalisha Estrellas)

Estrellas, known for her murals across the city, plans to involve the community in the project through a paint-by-numbers approach. She has already created a rough concept (image above) for the mural, featuring a nautical theme with orcas and Puget Sound, as showcased on project flyers. Estrellas also plans to incorporate additional wildlife into the final design.

“Let’s get the whole neighborhood involved – everyone can have some ownership over it,” Estrellas said. “They can feel more connected to it, and that way we are actually elevating the community.”

Estrellas works with Urban Artworks, a nonprofit that engages youth, artists and communities in creating public art.

“A lot of those individuals who do graffiti just don’t have an outlet,” Estrellas said. “If they have any interest in working with Urban Artworks … it’s the perfect thing because obviously they are creative, obviously they have something to say … Urban Artworks brings people who are interested in painting and in art to an organization that can give them that outlet.”

The proposed mural would span 189 feet along the concrete wall overlooking Puget Sound. Stockert has submitted the proposal to Seattle Parks and Recreation and expects a decision later this month. If approved, painting is slated to begin in early May.

To fund the project, Stockert launched a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $10,000 to cover materials and Estrellas’ fees, and is about a quarter of the way there.

“It’s been fun to get to know neighbors and work on a project people are excited about,” Stockert said. “It makes me feel really good.”

(WSB photo)

If you are interested in participating in the painting process, you can reach out to Stockert via email at dstockert@theideamachine.biz for more information.

That’s our video from a decade ago, when legendary Northwest band The Sonics rocked Easy Street Records in a Record Store Day 2015 show benefiting KEXP. Later that night, Northwest rock royalty joined them, musicians representing bands from Pearl Jam to Tacocat, so it was another luminous night in The Sonics’ half-century-plus history. You can watch some of that history tomorrow night, when Easy Street hosts a screening of the award-winning rockumentary “Boom: A Film About The Sonics,” with director Jordan Albertsen scheduled to be there for Q&A after the movie. Here’s the trailer:

Easy Street promises, “There will be exclusive movie merch, drinks, and killer tunes afterward.” Admission is free but space is limited, so don’t be late – 7 pm Tuesday (January 21).

Performances by gospel choir Greater Works were a spirited highlight of today’s MLK Community Celebration hosted by Seattle Colleges at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) in West Seattle. We’re working on a full report about the event but first, we’re spotlighting our video of two of the songs the choir performed.

Greater Works is led by director DaNell Daymon.

By Aspen Anderson
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Director Andy Yardy, a West Seattle resident, shares the inspiring journey of world-class runner, coach, and former longtime West Seattleite Doris Brown Heritage in his documentary “Last Lap,” having its first local public screening this Thursday.

The film chronicles Heritage’s rise from running on the beach as a child to becoming one of the world’s fastest women –and includes scenes from Alki Beach, not far from her former home in the Fairmount Ravine area.

“People need to hear her story so they can pursue their passion, whether it’s running or something else,” Yardy told WSB in a phone conversation.

After two years of work, “Last Lap” premiered at several film festivals this summer, winning the “Best Washington-Made Film” award at the Gig Harbor Film Festival — Heritage’s hometown. The documentary also won the 2024 “Best Audience Choice Documentary Feature Film” at the Seattle Film Festival.

This Thursday, January 9, at 7 pm, the Seattle premiere will take place on a double bill at SIFF Cinema Uptown in Queen Anne, followed by a Q&A with Heritage and Yardy. Additional screenings will be held on Saturday, January 11, at 1 pm, 4 pm, and 7 pm at the SIFF Film Center downtown. The 46-minute documentary features footage of Seattle, including Alki Beach and Discovery Park, where more than 50 of Heritage’s fans and former athletes she coached joined her for a memorable run.

“That’s the point that pulls everything together,” Yardy said, reflecting on the rainy scene at Discovery Park. “She [Heritage] talks about that day as one of her favorite days of her life.”

Despite being a champion runner — she made history by winning the International Cross Country Championships five consecutive years from 1967 to 1971 and was the first woman to run an indoor mile in under five minutes — Heritage never earned an Olympic medal, a point Yardy found compelling.

“She was kind of the B-list Olympian,” Yardy said. “She was the best runner in the world, but she never got a medal at the Olympics.”

Heritage competed in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, where she placed fifth in the 800 meters, and the 1972 Munich Olympics. Her coaching career at Seattle Pacific University spanned more than three decades; at SPU, she helped shape the careers of numerous athletes and assisted the U.S. women’s team at the 1984 Summer Olympics and the 1987 World Championships. In 1976, Heritage was named “Washington’s Woman of the Year” by the Washington State Legislature. She lived in West Seattle 1977-2017 with husband Ralph Heritage (a West Seattle High School graduate) and now lives in Stanwood. (Read more of her life’s story here.)

(Photo courtesy Andy Yardy, who’s at left with producer Andrea Groenink, Ralph Heritage, Doris Brown Heritage)

Yardy hopes his documentary will inspire cross-country teams and coaches. While the film currently has no public wide-release date, it is expected to be available on Amazon Prime in the future.

Tickets to the upcoming Seattle screenings are free and can be obtained here.

(Thanks to Frank for the tip on this!)