Jo-Ann Lange, soprano, will present a concert of “Mostly Broadway Classics” plus Spanish folk songs, and more at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013, at the Lopez Community Center for the Arts. She will be assisted by Ginni Keith, a well-known musician in the San Juans and beyond, who will play her flute and sing. Patty Johnson, a sought-after pianist who has performed with the Orcas Chamber Society is currently the Lutheran pianist on both Lopez and Orcas Islands; she will accompany Jo-Ann.
Jo-Ann began her musical career on her grandmother Rose’s knee and started singing at family parties. Rose taught her piano and purchased Jo-Ann’s first clarinet. Her grandmother-a church organist and Jo-Ann’s mentor-saw to it that Jo-Ann sang solos at church as a child to build up her confidence. Later, Jo-Ann studied music in college, sang in classical music chorales, and performed in musical theater productions-as well as serious dramas.
Since then, she has had leading roles in plays such as “Charlie’s Aunt,” “Bye, Bye, Birdie,” “The Lottery,” and many Gilbert and Sullivan operettas in the states of California, Montana, and New Hampshire. Jo-Ann performed with the Western Montana Opera workshop and with the Collegium Musicum at Dartmouth College.
After a career in teaching, Jo-Ann now enjoys spending time in both Montana and Washington where she studies vocal music, performs with several choirs, gives benefit concerts, and sings for weddings and other special occasions.Besides music, her passions include travel, reading and writing poetry, and studying the Mexican culture.
Audiences have remarked that Jo-Ann sings expressively in varied genres of music such as folk tunes, opera, art songs, and Broadway classics. Her August concert will showcase Broadway favorites with a sprinkling of Celtic and Spanish folk melodies.
Come and listen to these artists make beautiful music together for the Community Center Youth Ticket Fund, which will help young children develop an interest in music by offering them free or discounted tickets.
