One of the people in line early to purchase tickets for International Choral Kathaumixw was Deborah McIsaac. Tickets went on sale Tuesday, April 17, at Powell River Academy of Music and online for the event that takes place July from 3 to 7.
McIsaac needed concert tickets for a total of 11 people, including herself and her husband. For the past 10 years, every Kathaumixw year, Nancy Lewis has come to the biennial festival from her home in Oregon.
“She’s my oldest and best friend,” said McIsaac, adding that she was a “foster” kid who met Nancy when she was 14 years old. “She took care of me. She was also our debate and speech coach when I was growing up in Tigard. She was an amazingly good teacher and thanks to her our debate team won lots and lots of trophies.”
The two women see each other once or twice a year, in both Powell River and Oregon, where McIsaac still has family.
During one visit, McIsaac told Lewis she should come to the choral festival.
“‘It’s the most amazing thing,’ I said; ‘you’ll want to see it,’” said McIsaac. “After the first time she came, she was hooked.”
Lewis brought her parents to Kathaumixw once and typically brings several teacher friends.
“This year she is bringing the most ever with eight of them coming with her,” she said.
Lewis loves to travel and always organizes trips for her friends, including McIsaac, who will travel with her to Bali later this year.
Speaking from Oregon, Lewis said she is looking forward to another opportunity to hear “phenomenal choirs and the different cultures they represent.”
It is easy to become wrapped up in the music and forget the people, she added.
“[Kathaumixw] is the synopsis of the places I’ve gone,” said Lewis,” and encourages me to visit places I have not.”
Lewis mentioned the Choir of the World winner from Slovenia that beat out Portland State Chamber Choir in 2014.
“After that I visited Slovenia and now regularly attend the Portland concerts, which I had never done before,” she said.
Lewis always brings interesting people with her to Kathaumixw, said McIsaac, some of whom are coming back for a second time.
With such a large group, McIsaac needed to find accommodations and placed a classified ad in the Peak. Someone she worked with previously offered her house as she and her husband are going to be out of town at the beginning of July.
Having a large house to stay in means the group of friends will be able to have all their meals together, taking turns cooking.
In addition to the formal concerts, the group will attend the folk and solo competitions in the mornings.
While her friend and other guests are here, McIsaac plans on having a picnic with them, driving to Lund with a stop at Tla’amin Nation’s new governance building, going to Inland Lake and taking a Desolation Sound boat cruise.
The mother of McIsaac’s daughter-in-law is also a fan of Kathaumixw. She lives in Italy and plans her visits with her daughter and family to coincide with the choral festival, while a trip to Europe takes place in opposite years.
McIsaac said she believes there is nothing like Kathaumixw anywhere in the world. She has sung with Powell River Chorus and love all types of music.
“Singing with a big choir is just amazing,” she added. “Once I gave up music for Lent and I will never do that again.”
