This concert is to benefit long time and much-loved Vancouver USA Singers members Bart and Valerie Moore who lost their home to fire caused by fireworks on July 4. We will be performing many of our favorite pieces from over the years as well as welcoming several guest performers.
Darcy Schmitt will be performing some vocal jazz. Laurie Chinn will perform on piano with her daughters Brita Horlings on cello and Annika Horlings on clarinet. We are also excited to welcome Misty Mamas bluegrass band to the stage.
September 20, 2015 at 3:00 PM
First Presbyterian Church
4300 Main Street Vancouver WA
No tickets required, but free-will contributions gladly accepted at the door. This should be a wonderful concert with all proceeds benefiting the VUSAS Bart and Valerie Moore Fire Relief Fund.
The GoFundMe donations, concert collections, and personal contributions will make a great deal of difference to this deserving couple. Please help us help them!
About Misty Mamas
Misty Mamas bring a lively show mixed with new and straight up bluegrass, folk, country and gospel favorites. Their original songs express real-life experiences that will warm your heart. Misty Mamas’ music and personalities delightfully combine in a savory recipe for Home-Style Bluegrass and Americana. The Misty Mamas are Katherine Nitsch (vocals & guitar), April Parker (vocals, mandolin, accordion) and Eileen Rocci (vocals and upright bass). Carol Harley is currently on leave due to health issues.
Special guest Tony Rocci, from GTM Stringband and Water Tower Boys, adds tasteful, award-winning flatpicking and powerful rhythms on guitar and mandolin. Special guest Joe Lapidus, principal at Chinook Elementary School, plays with Fadin’ by 9 and the Josh Cole Band. Joe’s hard drivin’ banjo completes the mix with the Mamas and Tony for this special fundraiser.
About Darcy Schmitt
Darcy Schmitt, well-known local jazz vocalist, founded and performed with the vocal quartet, Pure Imagination. The group was featured at the Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz, and performed in night clubs, various N.W. festivals, and commercials for ten years.
Ms. Schmitt continues to perform as a soloist – often with her pianist, Brent Gjevre, though sometimes working with various artists including, Jim Fischer, Vancouver USA Singers, Diane Schuur, the Woody Hite Big Band, the Portland Symphonic Choir, the Art Abram’s Swing Machine, and currently as a member of “3 Grands”. She’s toured in Canada, Hawaii, Japan and Korea as the featured vocalist with the Clark College Jazz Band. Ms. Schmitt has recorded with the Art Abrams Swing Machine, and The Clark College Jazz Ensemble.
Ms. Schmitt graduated from the University of Portland with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. She has been teaching for 35 years, including fifteen years at Clark College, four years at Portland State University, and three years at Portland Community College. Currently, Ms. Schmitt is the vocal music director and head of the Performing Arts Department at Battle Ground High School in Battle Ground, Washington, as well as the vocal director for the Prairie/Ground Musical Productions. She is also a voice teacher and vocal coach at Opus School of Music, and Dance Works, and a frequently requested clinician and guest artist at many festivals and high schools.
A special thank you to First Presbyterian Church of Vancouver for donating the venue, Darcy Schmitt for donating her time as sound technician and musical talent as performer, Laurie Chinn, and Annika and Brita Horlings for donating their time and talent and performing, and Misty Mamas for donating their time and talent to perform.