Since their founding in 2006, Mininess Women's Choir has been thrilling audiences in Seattle and around northwest Washington with the soaring, beautiful sound of classically-trained adult women's voices. They are an auditioned group of women, ages 21-70 who joyfully share their love of music, and strive, under the able direction of conductors Rottsolk and Bonnecroy, to attain the highest level of musicianship, artistry and individual vocal ability. There are 17 tunes here, some favorites are Haydn's 'Laudate pueri Dominum,' the traditional spiritual 'Deep River,' Z. Randall Stroope's 'Psalm 23,' Valerie Shields' 3-part 'The Evening Star,' the title tune by Donna Gartman Schultz, Richard Nance's 'Set Me As a Seal,' a pair by John Muelheisen, 'Spring Night' and 'Joy;' the Shaker Song 'Love is Little,' the traditional 'Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal' and Aaron Copland's 'Zion's Walls.' There are several accompanied tunes here, but the focus and emphasis is on the lovely, high voices of Mirinesse. 'Sudden Light' is a wonderful, not-to-be-missed collection from one of our favorite women's ensembles!

Listen to Love Is Little in RealAudio.

Seattle's 50-strong, auditioned, committed Marinese Women's Choir has earned a reputation for excellence spreading far beyond their Puget Sound region. 'Debut' is a live-in-concert recording from 2007 in Seattle. Of the 21 lovely selections, some favorites are Niccola Porpora's 6-part, strings-accompanied 'Magnificat,' Eric Whitacre's 'Five Hebrew Love Songs' (based on poems by Hila Plitmann), Daniel Gwthrop's a cappella 'Sing Me to Heaven,' Bern Herbolsheimer's surprising, dissonant a cappella 'Magpie,' Ysaye M. Barnwell's joyous a cappella 'Breaths,' the Czech folksong 'Ach! Synku Synku,' the Balkan folksong 'Nickolo le, Nikolcho le,' 'Ruggero Leoncavallo's 'Mattinata,' and Thomas Moore's 'Quick! We Have but a Second.' An impressive, finely-crafted debut collection from the Mirinese Women's Choir!

Delighting audiences in Seattle and around northwest Washington since 2006 with the beautiful sound of classically-trained women's voices singing a diverse repertoire of historic and contemporary music, the Mirinese Women's Choir brings us another excellent live recording of 18 songs. Favorites are Gyorgy Orban's 4-part, piano-accompanied 'Mass No. 6,' H. Hollanders' a cappella 'Exultate, justi, in Domino,' Stephen Paulus' 'Sing Creation's Music On,' Claude Debussy's lovely 'Beau Soir,' Bob Chilcott's 'Skye Boat Song' and 'White Waves on the Water' (these last four are piano-accompanied, as are most songs on the album), Sarah Hopkins' 'Honour the Earth as Your Mother,' the spiritual 'Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down' and Rene Clausen's 'Set Me As A Seal.' A powerful collection from this talented, wonderfully-directed ensemble!

Listen to Set Me As A Seal in RealAudio.