Arizona Women’s Chorus Presents “Unforgotten Festival”

Arizona Women’s Chorus Presents “Unforgotten Festival” April 22 at 7 p.m.

There’s a new/old chorus in town. Founded in 1981, the Southern Arizona Women’s Chorus is now rebranded as Arizona Women’s Chorus, according to longtime artistic director Terrie Ashbaugh.

The nonprofit chorus will present a program on April 22 at 7 p.m. entitled “Unforgotten Festival” at Catalina Foothills Church at 2150 E. Orange Grove Rd. The repertoire was originally prepared by the chorus for a festival in Spain that ended up being cancelled because of COVID 19.

The program features a new song commissioned by the chorus – “As We Sing We Live.” The lyrics were written by Tucson poet Lollie Butler with music composed by Mark Hayes.

“Music has always been a powerful tool for hope and inspiration,” Ashbaugh said. “We’re proud to honor the new Arizona Women’s Chorus by bringing to life a new piece that speaks to the importance of singing and finding rest, peace and inspiration in the midst of challenge, and inspire hope for better days to come.

Butler holds a fellowship in literature from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and has received a literary award from The Presidential Library at Texas A & M University, where her poem, “The One Free Woman in America”, dedicated to civil rights activist Rosa Parks, remains on display. She has taught poetry and memoir writing to women inmates of the Arizona State Prison. Since two of her books for children were published, she presents prose and poetry programs in schools and libraries throughout the Southwest. Butler attended Alverno College in Milwaukee and the University of Iowa. She completed a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Arizona. She lives in Tucson and Bisbee, Arizona.

Hayes is a 1975 graduate of Baylor University. He then served three years as the music editor for Tempo Music Publications. When Tempo closed in 1980, Hayes became a freelance arranger and composer, which was the start of Mark Hayes Productions. He has traveled throughout Europe, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and South Africa to concertize, conduct and lead workshops. He is a frequent guest conductor at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. He lives in Kansas City, Mo.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door or online at www.AZWomenschorus.org. Call (520) 404-3148 for more information.

Before the COVID hiatus, the 70-plus member chorus presented two major concert programs a year, plus numerous community outreach activities throughout the season.,

Ashbaugh has led SAWC since 1998. She conducted the chorus in its 2006 Carnegie Hall debut. The chorus also performed by invitation at the 75th annual WWII Wreath Laying Ceremony in Normandy, France.

The chorus’ roots date to 1981.The repertoire spans from classical music to Broadway, folk, jazz, spiritual, seasonal and other popular songs. Ashbaugh is the former director of worship and business manager at Ascension Lutheran Church and School In Tucson.