Woodland’s Community Chorus is entering another season of choral music rehearsals and performances.
The chorus is directed by Woodland High School music teacher Brent LiaBraaten and began meeting for rehearsals in the spring of this year.
“We had one season as a trial, and now hopefully, this will become an annual thing,” LiaBraaten said.
He has been a musician all his life, participating in several vocal ensembles himself while also teaching at the school and directing the chorus.
Back in the fall of 2025, local Woodland resident Diane Buttrell had been looking around Woodland, trying to find a way to start a choir.
“Diane had been making inquiries all around Woodland and that led her to our superintendent of Woodland Public Schools Asha Riley,” LiaBraaten said.
Riley pointed Buttrell in the direction of a man who had recently returned to the Woodland community. That was how Buttrell met LiaBraaten.
“I started my music career here at Woodland High School,” LiaBraaten said. “As the high school choral director and Woodland Middle School choir director for 14 years.”
Buttrell and LiaBraaten began planning right away with an emphasis on bringing people together.
“This was the brainchild of Diane Buttrell,” LiaBraaten said. “She came to me with this idea of wanting to create community in Woodland, and now we’re in our second season.”
Since forming, the chorus has been invited to sing at several community events in Woodland.
“We got invited to sing at an event celebrating America’s 250 years, so we chose music specifically to support that event,” LiaBraaten said.
On July 3, the chorus had its first performance, singing patriotic songs such as “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Woodland Public Library.
Right now, the chorus is focusing on winter and Christmas related songs and will be returning to perform at the library.
“December 18, at 4 p.m. we’re going to support their open house,” LiaBraaten said. “They want to host community events, get community members into their library and so we also want to support those.”
While singing at the library draws focus to the building’s emphasis on community, the chorus’ presence allows it to showcase its own emphasis on community.
“It’s amazing to see people from all walks of life who want to continue to experience music, to share music,” LiaBraaten said. “We have three generations represented in our choir, so it’s really for all ages. Woodland is a very special community and I absolutely love being a part of it.”
Although the chorus is still less than a year old, LiaBraaten has considered what its trajectory will be as it grows.
“We’re hoping that at some point we get a place where we can perform with and support community music in other venues,” LiaBraaten said. “We really just want to get the word out that we’re here, we’re available and we want you to come sing. We want you to come be a part of this.”
Woodland Community Chorus meets on Monday evenings from 5 to 7 p.m. at Woodland High School.
They can be found on social media facebook.com/groups/971540128590455.
