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A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT THE CHOIR 
There was a much loved and respected choir director in the Battle Ground
school district from the late 1940's through the mid 1960's. His name was
Orrell Peru. He knew his music and he taught it well. Many of his students went
on to teach and conduct music on their own after graduation. Many of Orrell's
former students missed his music and personality, so Orrell was asked
if he would lead and teach an alumni choir. He said yes, and the rest is
musical history.
The choir numbered around 90 to 100 of Orrell's past students, and in honor of
their director they chose to call themselves The Peruvian Singers. The
choir performed around Christmas time and in the spring, much as the choir does
today. Orrell retired from teaching, but continued on directing the
choir. Around 1978 the choir chose to change the name to Touch of Class.
When Orrell's health started to decline in the late 1980's,
his equally talented daughter Shelly Peru took over, but the workload was
conflicting with her own teaching career. Most of the choir wanted to continue
singing despite going on without their much loved director, Orrell Peru.
The decision was made to look for a new director, and a committee was formed
to conduct the search.
The committee found the very talented Bob Conrad in 1991. Under Bob's leadership,
the choir numbered around 50 to 60 voices. Members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
joined the choir and accompanied performances. The range and type of music
dramatically changed the performances and places where the choir performed.
During the 1990's the choir began performing at The Grotto in Portland on a
regular basis at Christmas time and sometimes in the spring. The choir performs
in the Vancouver and Portland areas and occasionally out of town, including
a private performance for
The Reflector newspaper in Ridgefield,
Skamania Lodge in the Columbia River Gorge, and the Thunderbird Inn in Seattle.
The choir has also performed with a local hand bell choir. In 1994 the choir
joined with another local choir and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for
a patriotic musical program at
Fort Vancouver prior to the Fourth of July
fireworks display. This was to be the first of many joint concerts for the three groups.
During the same period a few members from the choir went to work with extra rehearsals
and began performing variety shows in the Battle Ground and Vancouver area.
This grew into an annual fall variety show which ran for two weekends in September for eight years.
This also produced some small music groups such as, "Harlan & Company" and "The McChoir Sisters"
and they still continue to perform to this day.
When Bob decided to load up his motor home and retire in 1999, it was
time again to look for another director. The choir didn't have to look far.
We found a director from within the choir and a graduate student of Orrell
Peru, Katie Hebner. Katie used her own talent for the group by adding her
singing voice to some of the programs. The choir's enjoyment continued with 40 to 45 members.
In the spring of 2002 the choir, along with members from another local choir
and again with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, performed the Mozart "Requiem".
In July of the same year, Katie directed the choir in its first performance
at the
Relay For Life, a 24 hour event that raises money for cancer research
for the
American Cancer Society. The choir has also been guest
singers for the holiday benefit concerts for Friends Of The Carpenter and with Jim Fischer since Christmas 2003.
When Katie finally decided to leave after the Christmas session of 2003 to get her masters degree,
it was again time to look for a new director.
After having a temporary director for the spring session of 2004, the choir hired Sandra Klemm to start the fall session of 2004.
In the spring of 2005, the choir, along with another local choir, and again with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra,
performed "Carmina Burana".
After Sandra left in January 2008, the board of directors hired Kristin Chaudhary to start the fall session of 2008.
Kristin brought a breath of fresh air, energy, voice, talent, other instruments, and a bunch of new ideas to the Touch of Class.
The choir's success continued with around 45 to 50 members.
Kristin has moved on now to get her Doctorate of Music Degree in Vocal Performance.
She was offered a full scholarship from the University of Southern California.
We wish her the best.
The
Touch of Class, and the woman's ensemble,
Classic Touch still continues to perform here throughout the Vancouver,
and Portland metropolitan areas.
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