From the Executive Director:

I’m writing to let you know some important changes for the chorus and news on our future plans.

First, I wanted to share with you the news that Eric has decided to step down as the Artistic Director of Puget Soundworks. The Hope Springs semester that we completed at the end of June was our last operating cycle under Eric’s artistic leadership. While Eric continues to believe in the mission and vision of Puget Soundworks, and wants the chorus to be successful, he needs to make space in his life for his well-being and to have time for other creative pursuits. While I cannot argue with any of Eric’s reasons for leaving, I am sad to see him go. I will always be grateful to Eric for helping get Puget Soundworks off the ground and will miss his heart and creative brilliance. I am happy for Eric to be making the space he needs for other artistic pursuits that feed his soul — in composing, arranging, theater, and more.

We are currently forming a Search Committee to support the hiring process for a new Artistic Director, and are looking for committee volunteers who can assist with networking, recruiting, and vetting candidates. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out this Artistic Director Search Committee Application.

You all in our Puget Soundworks family understand better than anyone our commitment to musical excellence and inclusive programming and community. Do you know someone that should be on our radar when we officially launch our Artistic Director search next month? Or maybe that someone is you! Let us know by filling out this quick referral form. We will contact all referred candidates with more information when the search begins in August.

Related to the above, our second piece of news to share is that Puget Soundworks will be taking the fall / holiday semester off from singer-facing activities and artistic operations. Unfortunately, this means that we will not be producing any new holiday music for you this year. Our tiny core team of volunteer leaders will, instead, be focusing on the critical tasks of hiring a new Artistic Director and refining our business processes so that we have a full staff in place, ready to begin creating new music in early 2022.

This has not been an easy decision, and I can only imagine that it will be met with some disappointment, frustration, and sadness. Like many of you, my soul has been eager to gather again and experience live choral music together in person. I have harbored hope that it might be possible to reasonably and safely do so in the near term — but unfortunately, that is not what our immediate future will be. Even so, I look forward in joy and eager anticipation to see what the next chapter in our Puget Soundworks journey will bring.

I am regularly humbled by, and grateful for, the incredible love and support we receive from our extended Puget Soundworks family. While I know that this news will be a disappointment to many, I continue to look forward to the day when we will be back together, lifting our voices in harmony, as we work to make the world a kinder, more inclusive place, one song at a time.

Take care,
Vanessa Grose
Founder and Executive Director, Puget Soundworks