GUELPH – The Guelph Chamber Choir’s Christmas Lessons and Carols Concert, conducted by Charlene Pauls, will take place on Dec. 1 at 3pm at St. George’s Anglican Church in downtown Guelph.
Joining in the merriment is a festive brass quintet with regional musicians Kevin Swinden and Julia Vaughan on trumpets, Tony Snyder on horn, John Monkhouse on trombone and Eric Probst on tuba.
Gerry Manning will helm St. George’s 1926 Casavant pipe organ, featuring over 3,000 pipes, and Alison MacNeill will join in on piano.
An interesting feature of the afternoon will be an Arabic Christmas song, Laylat al Meelad, featuring mezzo-soprano Natalie Fasheh, a Palestinian-Jordanian community-engaged artist, singer, choral conductor, arranger and poet.
“She is on a mission to harness music’s power in building social and cultural bridges by facilitating empowering community music experiences,” officials state.
“Doesn’t everyone love Christmas music?” Pauls said in a press release.
“We have a brilliant brass quintet joining us and will include many moments for audience members to sing along with beloved carols.
“We will intersperse seasonal readings as we celebrate the music of Christmas both new and familiar.”
Some of the carols will include: Joy to the World, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and O Come, All Ye Faithful.
“We will explore some of the great wealth of Canadian Christmas music with pieces by Healey Willan, Eleanor Daley, Stephen Chatman, Patrick Murray, and Kathleen Allan,” Pauls said. “Rounding out the afternoon are Benjamin Britten’s haunting A Boy Was Born, Michael Praetorius’ bubbly In Dulci Jubilo, and Leroy Anderson’s witty and nostalgic Sleigh Ride.”
Single tickets for Christmas Lessons and Carols on Dec. 1 at 3pm at St. George’s Anglican Church are $25 each or four for $80.
Student and under 30 tickets are $10 and youth 14 and under tickets are $5.
For more information and to buy tickets visit guelphchamberchoir.ca or calling the River Run box office at order at 519-763-3000.
