From: Fred Coleman, Conductor & Artistic Director, Seattle Choral Company

September 18, 2006

Skip Rowley
Chairman of the Board
Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE)
PO Box 828
Bellevue, WA 98004

Dear Skip:

Please accept my avid support for Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE). As Artistic Director of the Seattle Choral Company I understand particularly well the need for this kind of large-capacity facility, which will make world-class arts and entertainment more easily available to Eastside audiences. I am excited that PACE offers a new home for professional performing arts on the Eastside, broadening both audiences and repertoire, expanding education programs, and creating there a greater cultural presence.

The Seattle Choral Company anticipates these benefits from PACE:

Increased ability to achieve our mission of presenting diverse and engaging choral experiences for our audiences and performers with exceptional quality and musicality;
New, larger Eastside venue for performances, including such concerts as Sing Tango, Handel's Messiah, Carmina Burana on New Year's Eve, and many major choral/orchestral masterworks that involve major regional performing artists;
Access to new single ticket buyers, who currently may not attend performances because of the distance to downtown Seattle and perceived traffic-related discomforts
Positive effect on contributed income, through engaging Eastside donors in new ways in a new location
Ability to add a major performance aspect to our annual dinner show and auction at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue, connected to PACE through the Wintergarden and parking garages.

I view Performing Arts Center Eastside as an outstanding opportunity for the Seattle Choral Company, which will complement our activities. I see a mutually beneficial relationship developing between the two organizations, both of which will prosper, to the great benefit of audiences in the region and beyond. Please accept this letter of support with my enthusiastic endorsement.

Sincerely,

Fred Coleman
Conductor & Artistic Director