Recommended itinerary for Thurston County (part two)
Originally published on The JOLT News on July 10th, 2025
After enjoying the concerts suggested in “Recommended itinerary for Thurston County (part one)”, I invite you to join me in the audience on Sunday for two free, extraordinary performances being held only a few hours apart.
“Gloria” sing-along
Starting at 3 p.m. on July 13, Dan Colgan and the Capital City Chorus (CCC) will be hosting a free Vivaldi “Gloria” sing-along at the Washington Center sponsored by the City of Lacey and Inspire Olympia.
Along with Gloria, this performance will feature pieces written by composers who live or work in Lacey. The Vivaldi “Gloria” portion of the concert will feature the Olympia Chamber Orchestra and soloists Danielle Tobin and Crystal Zimmerman. With no tickets required and the sing-along portion being optional, this is an event you won’t want to miss.
The story behind this concert is inspirational. As Colgan describes, the cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater each get three days per year that they can use the Washington Center for free.
The City of Lacey had plans for two out of the three of those days, and held a contest in early January where people could submit their ideas of how they would use the third day.
CCC won that competition and is excited to perform pieces that highlight the talented composers of Lacey. Featured composers will include Kerri Lynn Nichols, Austin Schlicting, Isaiah Yuto Gallarno and Terry Shaw (more on him later).
Anyone who has experienced a CCC concert knows just how wonderful their music and community are — what they have is truly special. CCC invites you to join them and audition for their chorus, and if you are unable to attend this concert, attend their concerts in December. Donations are welcomed, but not required.
More information can be found here.
Rock Vespers and Terry Shaw
At 6 p.m. on July 13, head over to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church for Rock Vespers held by Terry Shaw and his six-piece band of musicians featuring the music of artists like Billy Joel, Journey, Elvis Presley and more. All Rock Vespers will be held on the second Sunday of each month and are free to the community.
Terry Shaw
Growing up in the Lacey area, I have always thought of Terry Shaw as the man, the myth, the legend, and while he is all of those things, he is also just a kind and generous person trying to make a positive difference in this world.
Shaw is always keeping busy as a choir teacher at Timberline High School, music director at St. Mark’s Lutheran, and as someone who is always creating, whether that be in the arts, woodworking, or creating adventures as he flies his plane.
Among Shaw’s creations are events like Rock Vespers and Terry & Friends Christmas Radio Show, as well as original musical productions like “The House of Mirth” and “Tents” (both of which were fantastic).
Shaw was the creator and director of the Olympia Choral Society for 20 seasons, which held free concerts and gave away whatever donations they received to people in need (totaling in $200,000 over time).
After that choir ended in 2017, Shaw started his nonprofit, Virtuoso Arts, which allows him to create shows for the community and give away donations to students throughout the county that other teachers identify and are in need. The shows that Virtuoso Arts and Terry & Friends create are for everyone, whether they come and can afford to donate, or if they can only afford to be in the audience.
When reflecting on the importance of the arts today, Shaw stated:
“Art is important every day. We’re in a geopolitical and religious undercurrent that nobody wants to talk about and it's a tense time. When people feel that and other tensions, we turn to art to help us either express ourselves or understand what we are feeling. The irony of that is when everything feels sort of easy and cozy, there is still a need for art and how it functions in our life. When we forget that, those uncozy times come again.”
Art can be treated like a foul-weather friend who we only come to for emotional and spiritual help. When we choose to support and or participate in the arts in every season, it continues to bless our lives and it creates a strong community-based, financial foundation so that when storms do come, the arts don’t suffer the repercussions.