SilverSounds Northwest FAQs

Interested in finding out if SilverSounds Northwest is right for you? Here are the answers to some common questions.

Who Are We?
SilverSounds Northwest (SSN) is a Burien-based mixed chorus that, under the baton of Paula Hawkins, Artistic Director, offers the fun of singing choral music arrangements with a Rock n’ Roll flavor. SSN is a group of mostly retired folks from around South King County who believe that “You are never too old to rock and roll!”

We welcome new members in the fall at the start of each new season. The group performs regularly around the community and will present their own annual Main Stage concert at the Highline Performing Arts Center on April 13 & 14, 2024. Both shows are a 2 PM matinee performance. The show features solos, dancing, narration, special lighting and light costuming.

Northwest Associated Arts (NWAA) Christmas Concert
Our NWAA Christmas Concert entitled ChristmasSounds in Burien will be on December 9th & 10th, 2023 both at 2 PM and a Christmas Retreat with all of NWAA choirs held at Trueliving Church on Saturday, November 18th from 10 am – 12 pm. SilverSounds will have a Christmas retreat at Southminster on October 14th from 10 am to 3 PM with a bring your own lunch. The NWAA 13th Annual Cabaret & Silent Auction is on February 10, 2024. The Cabaret is an evening event with a sit-down dinner, fun auction, and live entertainment.

Rehearsals
Rehearsals for the choir are held Tuesdays from 1-3 PM at Southminster Presbyterian Church, 19834 8th Ave. S., Des Moines. Rehearsals start with a retreat on September 26th from 10 AM to 3 PM with a sack lunch at 12 PM. On October 3rd, regular rehearsals will begin from 1- 3. There is a brief moment for announcements during rehearsal each week and in the first hour we divide into sectional rehearsals (Tenor/Bass) and (Soprano/Alto) and after the short break we will sing together songs rehearsed in the sectionals.

Dues
Dues are $90 per concert season. There are scholarships available for those who are not able to handle the financial obligation. If you are interested in a scholarship, inquire with Paula.

Tickets
Our MainStage concert tickets in April are $20 for general seating and kids 17 and under get in FREE with paid adult. NWAA Christmas tickets are $20 for Festival Seating, FREE to kids 17 & under. Starting approximately six weeks before the concert date, tickets will become available for sale and distribution. Please be ready to talk up the concerts with your family, friends and colleagues. Every choir member who sells 15 tickets in advance for the April Main Stage concert will be a member of the “SilverCircle.” Ticket sales for the Christmas concert are not counted as qualification for the SilverCircle. As a member of the SilverCircle you will receive a $30 discount on next season’s tuition. Ticket sales are available before rehearsals for you to purchase and then distribute.

Getting Involved
In addition to the concert repertoire, there is a lot that goes into every concert production! At the beginning of the season retreat, choir members will be given opportunities to sign up to volunteer their time towards a standing committee that best fits your special gifts or interest.

Standing Committees
Costumes & Props, Set Design, Stage Decorating, Load-in to Highline Performing Arts Center (HPAC), Strike the Set & return to Storage, Narration, Photographers, Ticket Marketing/Distribution, Bookkeeper/Treasurer, Outreach for Community Performances, Advertising (hanging posters in community), Coffee Maker before the show, Refreshments (cookies for show intermission), Sound System Set Up Crew for Community Performances, Uniform Coordinator, Facebook Editor, Zoom Tech for rehearsals, ushering and refreshment helpers for ChoralSounds concert in May and Ushering for NWAA ChristmasSounds concert.

ChristmasSounds Performance Week
Sunday, 12/3/23 is load-in from 12-3 PM. Rehearsals for SilverSounds will be Tuesday, 12/05/2023 from 3:00 – 4:15 for our music and 4:15 – 5:00 with North Hill Elementary Christmas Choir on our combined numbers. The FINAL Dress with all the choirs is only one time: Thursday 12/07/2023 from 6:00 – 9:30 PM (could be finished earlier). Carpools for those driving at night will be available. Call time for the performance on Saturday and Sunday is 1:00 PM.

MainStage Performance Week
The week prior to performance is intensive with stage set-up and rehearsals. Load-in and set-up for the stage happens the Monday prior to the performance (4/8/2024). Rehearsals for the week run Tuesday (4/9/2024), Wednesday (4/10/2024), and Thursday (4/11/2024) from 12:00 to 2:30 PM at the performance venue, which is the Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien, 401 S 152nd, Burien, WA 98148.

Performance Attire
Performance attire is black slacks/pants, black shoes, men – black long sleeved shirt and a silver vest and tie or for women – long sleeved black tee shirts and silver scarves and also colored polo shirts (new members will need to purchase, details will be given at the first rehearsal). Other light costuming will also be used during selected numbers.

Northwest Associated Arts (NWAA) SilverSounds NW is one of the choirs under the umbrella of Northwest Associated Arts. NWAA is an IRS-registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, and is governed by an elected Board of Directors, made up of 12 to 16 members. The Board meets monthly. Donations to NWAA are tax-deductible. Our Website address is nwassociatedarts.org. SilverSounds’ NWAA Board representatives are Diane Dobrowolski and Shirley Miller. If you have any questions for the Board you can contact them. NWAA employs a part-time Administrative Director, Virginia Wright, who handles most of the day-to-day clerical activities of the organization, including ticketing, website updates, printing, and program layout. Please contact her for any questions about NWAA, and if she cannot answer, she will direct your inquiry to the appropriate person. Virginia may be contacted at any time at virginiaw@nwassociatedarts.org.

Additional questions may be directed to the director, Paula Hawkins at prhawkeye@yahoo.com.

NWAA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nwassociatedarts

SilverSounds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silversoundsnorthwest