About the Olympia Peace Choir
Our Mission
Peace through music. Quality through inclusion.
The Olympia Peace Choir an inclusive community chorus dedicated to using the power of song to create peace, and promote social justice and environmental stewardship. We sing music from diverse cultures and traditions and are dedicated to practicing the principles of equality, peace, respect, and cooperation.
TOPC is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology or religious doctrine and takes no position on outside issues. We are a group of people who come together to participate in using song as a powerful tool to change ourselves and our world.
Our Musical leadership
Kerri Lynn Nichols
Artistic Director & Founder
Kerri Lynn Nichols is the founding Artistic Director of The Olympia Peace Choir, The Olympia Peace Singers, and Treble Voices for Peace. She has been a musical performer and director for over 35 years, studying Vocal Performance and Education at Washington State University and earning her Master Level Orff-Schulwerk certification from Memphis State University and the University of California, Santa Cruz. After receiving a Master’s degree in Creative Arts in Learning from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, she went on to teach graduate courses across the country.
Ms. Nichols attended the prestigious international course at the Mozarteum in Salzburg Austria and is certified in creative dance education from the Creative Dance Institute for Teachers in Seattle, WA. She has taught all ages. preK-college, presenting workshops for state, national and international conferences.
An author of several books and recordings, Ms. Nichols studied with prolific composer and educator, Jos Wuytack of Belgium. Her passion is to encourage others to become aware of their abilities and gifts through the magic of music.
Robert Jorgensen
Accompanist
Robert Jorgensen has enjoyed Olympia and the Northwest for 30 years, contributing as a teacher, soloist, composer, accompanist, and collaborator with many of the area’s brightest talents.
Robert has worked at the University of Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran University for many years, appeared on Classical Sundays at the Antique Sandwich Company in Tacoma for 25 years, and currently, he organizes and performs in the Oh! So Live! concert series at Jorgensen Music Studio. In 2019, he was a featured guest soloist with the Olympia Symphony Orchestra.
He also loves accompanying the Olympia Peace Choir. He lives with his lovely wife, Cheryl Waitkevich, in the Northeast Neighborhood.
Our History
The Olympia Peace Choir began in 2010 when Kerri Lynn Nichols, who had envisioned an inclusive community choir, shared her idea with a few close friends.
Along with artistic director Kerri Lynn Nichols, Becky Liebman and Debbie Koshelnik were among the first to help found the choir and get it up on its feet.
Kerri Lynn asked a dear friend and local attorney, John Parr, if he would help with the legal paperwork so that The Olympia Peace Choir could become a nonprofit organization. John Feek and Scott LaViollette also completed the arduous task of making sure the choir had a firm foundation as an organization. The first board of directors included Scott LaViollette, Tamara Crane, Sophia Rychener, John Feek, and Becky Liebman.
A first orientation/rehearsal for the choir was held in a legal building donated by John Parr. We were hoping for 20 people to show up and sing. Instead, there were 40! We then moved the choir’s rehearsal space to First United Church of Olympia and rehearsed there for several years. Currently, we meet at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Monday nights from September through late May.
In the past few years, TOPC has performed to standing-room-only audiences at the Capitol Rotunda, Arts Walk, the Olympia Farmers Market, and more. We’re grateful for the Olympia community’s love and support for our mission.