Camas High singers to perform at Portland’s Grotto

Camas High School’s choir singers are teaming up with members of the school’s newly formed chamber orchestra to showcase their talents at Portland’s famous Grotto this holiday season.

The Grotto concert will take place from 8 to 9:50 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 12, inside the Grotto’s cathedral, at 8840 N.E. Skidmore Street, in Northeast Portland.

The high school’s annual winter choir concert, featuring five choirs and 160 Camas students, will take place from 7 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 18, at Camas High School.

Members of Camas High’s Select Vocal Ensemble have been preparing since late October to perform Antonio Vivaldi’s 30-minute masterpiece, “Gloria,” during the two winter choir concerts.

“I’m impressed with how eager my students are to take on this project,” Camas High choir director Ethan Chessin said. “They’ve been working so hard, and this group is just so talented. I can’t wait for audiences to see how much they are capable of.”

Samantha Holm, a Camas High junior, who handles communications for the Select Vocal Ensemble, said Camas choir students love the annual Grotto concert “because of the lovely display of Christmas lights and the magical experience of singing in the sanctuary’s cathedral — the type of space in which a baroque-age piece such as ‘Gloria’ was designed to be performed.”

The Camas High concert on Dec. 18, is free of charge. The Grotto charges admission to its Festival of Lights event. Those tickets cost $12 for general admission, $11 for seniors and military members, $6 for children ages 3 to 12, and are free for children ages 2 and younger. The concert at the Grotto has no additional charge.

For more information, visit thegrotto.org, facebook.com/camashschoir, twitter.com/camashschoir, or instagram.com/camashschoir.