From young choristers to high school musicians and songwriters visiting from as far away as New Zealand, there are plenty of artists to lend an ear to before and during Memorial Day weekend.

Two annual events taking place include the Fort Worden Children’s Choir Festival, now in its 17th year, May 26, and the annual Uganda Aids Orphans Benefit Concert on May 27 (see story on page B1).

Here’s a preview of upcoming events. Be sure to check out the community calendar for other events taking place this week.

Choir festival

The Fort Worden Children’s Choir Festival has brought together some of the top children’s choirs from throughout the U.S. – including the Port Townsend Youth Chorus under the direction of Leslie Lewis – for a two-day event each Memorial Day weekend since 2000.

This year’s concert is set for 3 p.m. May 26 at the McCurdy Pavilion at Fort Worden.

The seven participating choirs work individually throughout the year on selected festival music, as well as preparing songs the choirs will present separately during the concert.

Friday and Saturday are filled will joint rehearsals and activities. The festival concert takes place Saturday and will feature each choir performing individually before taking the stage together under the baton of internationally acclaimed children’s choir director and composer Rollo Dilworth from Temple University’s Boyer College of Music in Philadelphia for the final six combined songs.

Choirs participating in the 2018 Fort Worden festival, in addition to Port Townsend’s, include the Spectrum Choral Academy, Northwest Girlchoir, Rainier Youth Choirs, Arizona Girlchoir, Bellevue Girlchoir and Olympia Youth Chorus.

For tickets and more information visit fortwordenfestival.com.

Chamber orchestra

The Port Townsend Chamber Orchestra, which comprises the string members of the Port Townsend Community Orchestra, will play a concert May 27 at Finnriver Cidery, 124 Center Road in Chimacum. The concert at 2 p.m. is under the baton of music director Tigran Arakelyan. Admission is free.

The program includes “Libertango” by Astor Piazzolla, “Sarabande” from Benjamin Britten’s Simple Symphony, “Serenade for Strings” by Edward Elgar, “St. Paul’s Suite” by Gustav Holst and Brian Balmages’ “It takes One to Tango” with cello soloist Julia Edwards.

Edwards is a senior at Bainbridge High School and began her cello studies at the age of 4. She is the current student of Rajan Krishnaswami in Seattle and has been a member of the Bainbridge Island Youth Orchestra since the age of 8.

Folk artist O’Conner

Port Townsend welcomes New York and Vermont-based singer-songwriter John O’Conner in concert May 25 at Rosewind Common House, 3131 Haines St. The concert is at 7 p.m., and admission is by a $15 donation; no one is turned away for lack of funds. Reservations are advised; email cbricker1@mac.com.

O'Conner recently released his new album, “Rare Songs.” His songs have been recorded and sung by many well-regarded folk singers, including France’s Renaud, who took an adaptation of O’Conner’s “North by North” to No. 1 on the charts.

Singers in the Rain

Men in the choral group Singers in the Rain have been focusing on voice techniques in preparation for their annual Candlelight Concert at Trinity United Methodist Church.

The concert, focusing on the theme “Music for Peace and Harmony,” marks the group’s eighth appearance at the church's monthly concert series. The concert, under the direction of Sydney Keegan and Hazel Johnson, is set for 7 p.m. May 24 at 609 Taylor St.

The 12-member group, which began as a voice and sight-singing class for men, will sing numbers with the theme of peace, including “A Song of Peace,” based on Jean Sibelius’ Finlandia theme, and “Et in Terra Pax” by the contemporary composer Mary Lynn Lightfoot.

A group of old-time popular favorites and barbershop numbers will then bring close harmony to the foreground, including “Baby Face” and “May You Always.”

Rounding out the evening will be several solos and small ensemble numbers.

The choristers, ranging from experienced musicians to men who admit to singing only in the shower, come together to work, sing, learn, improve, have fun and enjoy connecting with other men in an atmosphere of playful creativity. Each Monday evening meeting includes a minimum of 30 minutes of intensive vocal skills practice. The singers also receive training in sight-singing, and their monthly tuition entitles them to as much one-on-one work each singer feels he needs.

Singers in the Rain is committed to the growth of its membership, both as choristers and individual singers. For more information about membership in the group, call Johnson at 385-6000 or Keegan at 379-4735.

Doors to the concert open at 6:30 p.m. Admission is by a suggested $10 donation to benefit local Port Townsend charitable organizations and Trinity’s music and historic Victorian restoration programs. Children are admitted for free.

New Zealand singer Mel Parsons

New Zealand–based singer, songwriter and guitarist Mel Parsons will be part of Concerts in the Woods on May 27.

“We are very lucky to have Mel Parsons make a stop in Coyle on her very limited North American tour this year,” concert organizer Norman Johnson said.

Parsons sings everything from gutsy and rhythmic hand-clappers to ballads, according to a press release.

Parsons, who is recognized as one of New Zealand’s established songwriting stars, just released her third full-length album, “Drylands,” to critical acclaim. Since its April release, “Drylands” has spent 32 weeks in the IMNZ album charts, peaking at No. 2.

The by-donation concert is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Laurel B. Johnson Community Center, 923 Hazel Point Road, Coyle.