Avonelle Brown Remboldt

1929 - 

Avonelle Brown Remboldt, a soprano, is now retired and living in the Northwest. She is well-known throughout the Northwest, Midwest, and West for her singing and conducting of choirs and as a soloist in major choral concert works.

Avonelle was born in California, the older of two children and the only daughter of Otto M. and Ardeth C. Rebensdorff Brown. She received a B.Mus. from Walla Walla College, now University, in 1953 and in August of that year married Adam Laverne Remboldt, a graduate of the architectural engineering program at the college.

While at WWC, she studied voice under Clarence W. Dortch and was a member of both the WWC A Cappella Choir and select choir, the Choraliers. She was a frequent soloist in major choral works presented at the college and in her senior year was the soprano soloist in the Messiah. She also was active in campus leadership, serving as an officer in two campus clubs and the Associated Student Body.

Following a move to New Mexico in the late 1950's, she studied with John Balcheller at the University of New Mexico and was a soloist with the Albuquerque Symphony Chorus, Bel Canto Singers, Roswell Symphony, and at the First Presbyterian Church of Albuquerque.

Later, while residing in California, she made a record, Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion,” under the Chapel Record label; soloed with Bay Area Symphony Choirs; and sang in the Livermore Madrigal Society. She was featured as a soloist in a Centennial Chamber Series program during WWC Alumni Weekend in 1992.

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Sources: 1930 and 1940 U.S. Census Records; California Birth Index; The North Pacific Union Gleaner, 4 February 1952, 10; 28 April 1952, 2; 24 August 1953, 3; The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, 5 April 1953; Dan Shultz, A Great Tradition, music at WWC, 1892-1992, 251.