Mirinesse Women's Choir

03/30/2026

Exciting future for mirinesse!

Mirinesse Women's Choir is thrilled to announce Heidi Wyllis Blythe as our new Artistic Director starting May 1, 2026! 🎉

Heidi is a conductor and educator whose work is rooted in treble choral music, with a focus on building expressive ensembles and meaningful musical communities. At the University of Washington, she founded the Advanced Treble Ensemble as a graduate student and is now in her third year leading the UW Treble Choir. She has also served as Assistant Conductor of Seattle Pro Musica, working across the organization’s treble, lower voice, and mixed ensembles.

During her tenure as Director of Music at University Congregational UCC, she cultivated a vibrant multi-ensemble program and founded Viriditas, a young adult treble community. In addition to her conducting work, Heidi is active as a soloist and professional chorister, appearing with SoundCity Singers, Radiance, Byrd Ensemble, Epiphany Parish, St. James Cathedral Cantorei, and Women’s Compline at St. Mark’s Cathedral.

She is completing her doctorate in choral conducting at the University of Washington, where her research focuses on the music of Imogen Holst and large-scale works addressing climate change.

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From Mirinesse Board President, Shira Brewer:
Mirinesse Women’s Choir just completed an extraordinary 20th season with Rebecca Rottsolk as our Artistic Director. Rebecca is retiring on a high note, and our choir is eternally grateful for her incredible leadership for so many years.

As Mirinesse moves forward, the board is so excited that Heidi Blythe will be our next artistic director. Heidi brings a vibrant blend of artistry, warmth, and curiosity to her work, along with a deep commitment to expressive, healthy musicianship. Her talent, her experience, and her passion for working with treble singers make her an excellent fit to lead Mirinesse Women's Choir into our next era.

Welcome Heidi!!

03/29/2026

Mirinesse Women's Choir is thrilled to announce Heidi Wyllis Blythe as our new Artistic Director starting May 1, 2026! 🎉

Heidi is a conductor and educator whose work is rooted in treble choral music, with a focus on building expressive ensembles and meaningful musical communities. At the University of Washington, she founded the Advanced Treble Ensemble as a graduate student and is now in her third year leading the UW Treble Choir. She has also served as Assistant Conductor of Seattle Pro Musica, working across the organization’s treble, lower voice, and mixed ensembles.

During her tenure as Director of Music at University Congregational UCC, she cultivated a vibrant multi-ensemble program and founded Viriditas, a young adult treble community. In addition to her conducting work, Heidi is active as a soloist and professional chorister, appearing with SoundCity Singers, Radiance, Byrd Ensemble, Epiphany Parish, St. James Cathedral Cantorei, and Women’s Compline at St. Mark’s Cathedral.

She is completing her doctorate in choral conducting at the University of Washington, where her research focuses on the music of Imogen Holst and large-scale works addressing climate change.

🎶

From Mirinesse Board President, Shira Brewer:
Mirinesse Women’s Choir just completed an extraordinary 20th season with Rebecca Rottsolk as our Artistic Director. Rebecca is retiring on a high note, and our choir is eternally grateful for her incredible leadership for so many years.

As Mirinesse moves forward, the board is so excited that Heidi Blythe will be our next artistic director. Heidi brings a vibrant blend of artistry, warmth, and curiosity to her work, along with a deep commitment to expressive, healthy musicianship. Her talent, her experience, and her passion for working with treble singers make her an excellent fit to lead Mirinesse Women's Choir into our next era.

Welcome Heidi!!

03/20/2026

A Perfect Balance Across Earth 🌍✨

Today, on March 20 at 14:46 UTC, our planet reaches a rare moment of harmony. The Sun aligns directly above Earth’s equator, creating a near-perfect balance between daylight and darkness across the globe.

For this brief moment, Earth isn’t leaning toward or away from the Sun. Instead, its tilt sits sideways—bringing almost equal hours of day and night to every corner of the world. From bustling cities to quiet coastlines, everyone experiences nearly the same share of sunlight and shadow.

🌅 The Sun rises almost exactly in the east and sets almost perfectly in the west, no matter where you are. It’s a reminder that despite our differences, we all share the same sky and the same rhythm of nature.

🌍 Seen from space, the line dividing day and night stretches nearly straight from pole to pole—something that only happens at this time of year. It’s also a turning point: the Northern Hemisphere begins its journey toward longer, warmer days, while the Southern Hemisphere slowly moves toward shorter ones.

This is the equinox—a quiet but powerful reminder of balance, change, and the beauty of Earth’s motion through space.

03/18/2026

03/17/2026

Don't miss the final chance to experience our 20th Anniversary Season performance, Keep Marching! ✨ 🎶

This deeply special Mirinesse season will showcase the impactful Suffrage Cantata, written by Andrea Ramsey, featuring women’s chorus, soloists, string quartet, percussion, piano, narrators, and is accompanied by a rich multi-media production.

The five movements of the piece tell the story of the U.S. Suffrage movement while examining diverse perspectives, which have notoriously been minimized in history. This piece is educational and impactful—both musically and historically.

Mirinesse Women’s Choir will also take a moment to honor Rebecca Rottsolk, co-founder and current artistic director of Mirinesse, who will be retiring at the end of this concert season. Her impact on women’s choral music—locally and nationally—cannot be overstated. Rebecca has taught generations of girls that women are strong, that our voices matter, and that music can communicate that strength with breathtaking clarity. That kind of lifelong influence is rare, and it speaks to the depth of her artistry, her leadership, and her belief in the power of women’s voices.

A Performance Not To Miss!

Tickets available at https://tickets.chorusconnection.com/mirinesse/events/1694

03/06/2026

Keep Marching concerts start this weekend, get your tickets now!
https://tickets.chorusconnection.com/mirinesse/events/1694 🎟️ 🎶

02/25/2026

https://youtu.be/8D-u3ejskCc?si=H5Kpk0YgbHo286FD

In which I try to answer your questions about modern politics....From Politics Chat, February 24, 2026We’re live here on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday a...

02/04/2026

Our 2026 Season is HERE! 🎶

For our 20th anniversary season and our director's retirement year, we open our concert with four songs we believe are representative of Mirinesse. Bringing in Mirinesse “hallmark” pieces, an adventuresome favorite using drones and overtone singing, as well as songs representing our passion for singing together.

We are also revisiting a longer work which we helped commission, Suffrage Cantata, by Andrea Ramsey. Written for women’s chorus, soloists, string quartet, percussion, piano, narrators, and accompanied by a rich multi-media production, the five movements of the piece tell the story of the U.S. Suffrage movement while examining diverse perspectives, which have notoriously been minimized in history. This piece is educational and impactful—both musically and historically. The messages conveyed through this piece of history are as relevant as ever today.

Our concert, Keep Marching, brings in our wish for our 20th year; to have Mirinesse keep marching as a leader in women’s choirs and that our country will march towards a better future for everyone.

02/13/2025

Announcing our 2025 Concert Season!
MARCH 7-9 ---

For our 2025 concert season, we open with a period performance of Vivaldi’s Gloria – written for the women of the Venetian Ospedali where Vivaldi served as music director. We are excited to be joined by concertmaster Tekla Cunningham, founder of the Whidbey Island Music Festival and the new Seattle Bach Festival. Tekla has secured an all-female ensemble of Baroque style experts to perform with Mirinesse. We are thrilled to perform this work in its original setting.

The second half of our show includes more modern repertoire for treble voices, strings and piano. The title piece, “Holdfast,” is the name of a sea plant that attaches itself underwater to a rock, then “hunkers down” and holds fast through storms, currents, tide and wind. We are reminded also to hold fast to what sustains us – singing together, our friends, the simple pleasures of life.

In “Song of the Universal," the text by Walt Whitman focuses on the universal values of hope and peace and celebrates the dream of what America could be despite its faults perceived and yet to be revealed.

With this program that is rich in color and variety, Mirinesse Women’s Choir looks forward to sharing music that will uplift and sustain you.

Tickets available online --- https://tickets.chorusconnection.com/mirinesse/events/1362 --- and also available at the door!
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