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MONDAY December 22, 2003 - Subscribe - Contact Us Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels December 11, 2003 Talent runs in the family By Susan DeRosia Ashland Daily Tidings Originally trained as a dancer, Suzanne Barnes also went to school to be a marriage and family therapist and was licensed as a counselor in the state of California. Currently she's channeling her artistic talents into music. "Singing is important for me because the music is something I can feel passionately about" Barnes said. "It's the thing that I've chosen to develop as a personal challenge. I take it seriously for my own quest." After her parents moved to the Rogue Valley 11 years ago, she and her husband, Ken, decided to follow behind them. They were attracted to Ashland because of the slower pace than the Bay Area and the many opportunities to do winter and summer backpacking. Barnes is a full-time home-schooler for her three children. "My main focus right now is raising my children. That's a huge committment," she said. All three children: Natasha, Kyle and Alexander share their mother's love of performing. Natasha, 14, is playing the part of Bet, in "Oliver!" at Camelot Theatre. Kyle, 11, is sharing the role of the young Sean in Oregon Cabaret Theatre's "Parcel from America." He just finished a role in "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail," not to mention his third season at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Alexander, 8, has high hopes: He's been auditioning for roles. In addition to having talented children, Barnes has a talented mother, Carol Hwoschinsky. Like her daughter, Hwoschinsky, is a therapist, currently working as a lead trainer with the Compassionate Listening Project. The project fosters dialogue and reconciliation between parties in conflict in the Middle East, Europe and the United States. Last year Hwoschinsky, Susan Barnes and her daughter, Natasha Barnes, all sang in one of the Siskiyou Singers' concerts, representing three generations of singers. Although she has sung in choirs since childhood, Barnes recently developed a new passion for choral singing. In California, she studied voice and sang with the Petaluma Women's choir. Since moving to Ashland, she has studied voice with Dave Marston and has been singing for three years with the large 100-voice choir and the smaller, Siskiyou Singers Chamber Chorus. Last week the chamber chorus sang at the Ashland Garden Club. This weekend, they'll perform several works as part of the upcoming Siskiyou Singers concert at the SOU Music Recital Hall. As part of the upcoming concert, Barnes will be singing two solos. One of the works is 20th Century German composer Hugo Distler's "Wachet Auf"(he/she awakens). The work had been new to Barnes, "I was so delighted to find this piece. I'd never know Distler's work before." "There is a women's duet in the second movement which beautifully weaves the soloists in with the chorus... It's very skillful writing, even though my voice is one of many, you can still find it." she said. While Barnes will enjoy the performances this weekend, that's not the high point for her. "The real joy in singing with the Siskiyou Singers is in the rehearsals. It's a group of kind, kind people. This group of people is really in it to share music together." Suzanne Barnes will perform "To Drive the Cold Winter Away" with the Siskiyou Singers on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. at the SOU Music Recital Hall. For ticket information, call 482-5290, or purchase tickets at Paddington Station and Treehouse Books in Ashland or the Grocery Outlet in Medford. in the family DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - ODOT Road Cams