Lakes Choir Hosting Fundraiser Tonight to Raise Money for Competition In B.C.

In a rough economy, Lakes High School’s choir is turning to the community to keep the music going.

Tonight, the school will hold a benefit concert featuring its concert and chamber choirs, solos and ensembles. Tickets to the 7 p.m. show are still available and can be purchased for $10 from any choir student or at the door.

“It should be a really wonderful night of music,” said Dr. Ben Keller, Lakes’ longtime choir director. “It’s all going to be very high quality.”

The money raised will go toward the costs of an accompanist, travel to music competitions and other non-curricular expenses. Pending School Board approval, Keller hopes to take about 70 students to a competition in Vancouver, B.C., over Memorial Day weekend.

Keller said that it is “much more challenging” these days to raise the money needed to compete at the national level. In the past, Lakes’ nationally recognized choirs attended events in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Salt Lake City and as recently as 2007, San Francisco.

“Then the economy crashed in 2008, and ever since then, it’s been very difficult to raise money,” he said.

In 2010, the choir attended a regional competition in Seattle – and won every event for which it was eligible.

“We kind of dominated it,” Keller said. “We’re kind of on a level where we need to compete at a national level. It’s really good for them to interact with groups that are on their level, and in order to do that, we have to leave the local level, and it’s difficult.”

Ten years ago, he added, students would have had no problem coming up with money for a trip.

“The kids wouldn’t think of not going,” he said. “They always found away to do it, but it was easier to do then.”

As for Vancouver, Keller said that they have managed finances enough this year so that the students will receive 100 percent of the proceeds from the tickets they sell for tonight’s concert. If 250 tickets are purchased, that will bring in $2,500 for the choir program.

“It can be really good if they get out there and sell,” he said.

Even so, he acknowledged that it may be a challenge to raise enough to offset the $385-per-student cost of going to the competition.

“They don’t have deep pockets in Lakewood.”

With 73 students in the choir, Keller said that they should not be impacted too negatively if seven or eight are unable to make it to Canada – as long as there is a good balance.

“As long as they aren’t all basses or sopranos, then we’re OK to go.”

The concert isn’t their only fundraising event, though. Keller said the choir will be selling Pippin Pies around Easter and holding its annual spaghetti dinner, catered by Casa Mia, in April.

“We really appreciate all of the community support,” he said.