Nothing says Christmas like the sound of a choir singing.
Yes, sleigh bells and snow crunching and the sound of presents being ripped open are all very Christmassy sounds, but choral music still wins as far as I'm concerned.
So, once again, I return to bring you my annual list of the top choral picks for Christmas.
This list has been compiled from information that's been sent my way, or from concerts I've sought out because I know about the choirs involved. It's by no means exhaustive - if you sing with a choral group that you think should be listed here, please feel free to shoot me an email, [email protected]. (You can also find me on Twitter, @juliemaclellan, or on Facebook at facebook.com/JulieLMacLellan.)
In the meantime, I present to you this list of some concerts that are bound to bring you tidings of great joy, in more-or-less order of appearance ...
* Chez Nous: Christmas With Elektra: Elektra kicks it all off with the much-anticipated Chez Nous concert, under the direction of Morna Edmundson. Edmundson promises some favourites and some fresh surprises in the concert, which features harpist Heidi Krutzen in Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols. The choir is also being joined by the Little Flower Academy Chamber Choir, under the direction of Marizza Mislang.
It's on Friday, Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Ryerson United Church, 2195 West 45th Ave. in Vancouver, and then on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. at Queens Avenue United Church, 529 Queens Ave. in New Westminster.
Call 604-739-1255 or email [email protected], or see www.elektra.ca.
* Christmas With The Bach Choir: The various vocal levels of the acclaimed Vancouver Bach Choir join forces to offer a matinee Christmas concert, 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1. It's at the Orpheum Theatre.
The concert will feature everyone from the tiny Piccolo Choir (ages five to seven, and bound to be too cute for words) to its esteemed adult choir.
It features A Touch of Brass and organist Ellen Ay-Laung Wang.
Volunteers from the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society will be on hand to collect donations in the lobby. See www.vancouverbachchoir.com for more. Tickets and info: 604.696.4290
* A Baroque Christmas: The Vancouver Chamber Choir, the Vancouver Chamber Orchestra and the Pacifica Singers, under the direction of John Washburn and Kevin Zakresky, celebrate Christmas in the Orpheum Theatre on Friday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m.
The concert features J.S. Bach's Magnificat, Monteverdi's Glora concertata, Bach's Weihnachtslieder and Handel's Blessed Are They That Consider The Poor.
See www.vancouverchamberchoir.com for details and tickets.
* A New Day: Harmony Women's Vocal Ensemble and Choral Connections join forces for A New Day, 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8.
Astute readers with excellent memories may recall that I am indeed a former member of Harmony, which is a delightful self-directed 12-voice women's ensemble based in Coquitlam. Choral Connections is a new community choir based in Port Coquitlam, directed by Michael Grice.
Their joint holiday concert is at St. Laurence Anglican Church, 528 St. Laurence St. in Coquitlam. Tickets are $20, or free for children under 20. They're available by calling Meredith at 604-469-1641.
* Comfort and Joy: The Coastal Sound Music Academy choirs are offering up family-friendly holiday concerts by their choirs of all levels. At 3 p.m., hear from Con Brio, Con Bella, the Children's Choir and De Coro. At 7 p.m., hear from the Coastal Sound Youth Choir, the Children's Choir and De Coro. The concerts are at the Evergreen Cultural Centre, 1205 Pinetree Way in Coquitlam.
Call 604-927-6555 or see www.coastalsoundmusic.com for tickets.
* Amabilis Singers: New Westminster's own Amabilis Singers offer up A Christmas Wish, a concert featuring familiar holiday favourites alongside lesser-known works, under the direction of Ramona Luengen. It's on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. at New Westminster Christian Reformed Church, 8255 13th Ave. in Burnaby.
"Come, be moved by the luscious writing of Dan Forrest, the majesty of Mendelssohn's Heilig, Heilig, the stirring purity of Caracciola's There is No Rose and the tenderness of Rutter's Christmas Lullaby," says a notice from the choir.
The concert will also include favourite carols and sing-alongs.
Tickets are $20, or free for children under 12. They're available from all choir members, at the door, or by calling 604-433-6538.
(Yes, author's disclaimer here: I do indeed sing with Amabilis. If you come to the concert, find me to say hi - I'm the short alto with glasses and curlyish hair, usually hanging about somewhere near the front of the choir!)
See www.amabilissingers.org for more.
* Handel's Messiah: It's not Christmas without a rousing Hallelujah Chorus, now, is it? The Vancouver Bach Choir is back with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra to present G.F. Handel's famous oratorio, under the direction of Leslie Dala. The concert is at 8 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre.
It features soprano Rachel Fenlon, mezzo-soprano Sylvia Szadovszki, tenor Martin Sadd and baritone Aaron Durand.
Volunteers from the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society will be on hand to collect donations.
Tickets and info: 604.696.4290.
See www.vancouverbachchoir.com for more.
* musica intima: The acclaimed self-directed ensemble - noted for good reason as one of Canada's most exciting vocal ensembles - returns with light for the Child, a concert that includes both holiday classics and contemporary works by such composers as Kristopher Fulton, Michael Conway Baker and John Burge.
It's on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Knox Presbyterian Church, 403 East Columbia St., New Westminster.
It then runs Monday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at West Vancouver United Church, 2062 Esquimalt Ave., West Vancouver; Friday, Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral, 690 Burrard St.; and Saturday, Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Ryerson United Church, 2195 West 45th Ave., Vancouver.
Tickets at 604-731-6618 or online at www.musicaintima.org.
Adults are $35, seniors $30 and students $10, with group rates available.
* Universal Gospel Choir: The Universal Gospel Choir presents Share The Light: Celebrating Yule 2013. The choir, under new music director Lonnie Delisle, offers up music to "warm our souls in the chill of winter."
It runs twice: Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Mount Seymour United Church, 1200 Parkgate Ave., North Vancouver; and Sunday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m. at St. Mary's Anglican Church, Kerrisdal;e, 2490 West 37th Ave.
Tickets are $25 adults, $22 seniors and students, $10 for kids eight and under. Buy online from Tickets Tonight. See www.universalgospelchoir.ca for details.
* Brilliant Baroque: The Laudate Singers, under the direction of Lars Kaario, present Brilliant Baroque, with the music of Bach, Vivaldi and Monteverdi. Countertenor Mark Donnelly appears as guest soloists, and the singers will be joined by a 13-piece baroque orchestra.
It's on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. at St. Andrew's United Church, 1044 St. Georges Ave., North Vancouver.
Tickets are $35 regular, $30 for seniors, $15 with a student card, or free for kids 12 and under. To buy, call 604-729-6814 or see www.laudatesingers.com.
* Christmas With Coastal Sound Youth Choir: The award-winning Coastal Sound Youth Choir brings its holiday concert to Christ Church Cathedral for a 7:30 p.m. concert on Sunday, Dec. 15. The concert has become a holiday tradition for many families, with carols old and new. Christ Church is at 690 Burrard St. in downtown Vancouver. The Coastal Sound Children's Choir will appear as special guests.
See www.coastalsoundmusic.com.
* Chor Leoni: Chor Leoni presents Star of Wonder, which promises a concert "encapsulating all of the beauty, joy and magic of the season." It features an ancient Wassail from the steppes of Georgia, a Renaissance motet for double choir and an Argentinian folk-inspired Christmas tune, among others - as well as the perennial favourite, Franz Biebl's Ave Maria.
The men's choir will be joined by organ, violin, percussion and guitar, and the audience will have a chance to sing along to a few favourite carols as well.
It's on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 19 and 20, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church, 1022 Nelson St. in Vancouver. It then runs on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. at West Vancouver United Church, 2062 Esquimault Ave.
Tickets are $30 regular, $25 for seniors, $15 for students with ID.
Buy through Tickets Tonight: bit.ly/StarOfWonderTix or call 604-684-2787.
For more, see www.chorleoni.org
* A Christmas Reprise XI: The Vancouver Cantata Singers' ever-popular Christmas Reprise returns to the beautiful surroundings of Holy Trinity Cathedral on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. Holy Trinity is at 646 Richards St. in downtown Vancouver. Tickets are $18, and the choir recommends purchasing ahead because this show normally sells out.
Check out www.vancouvercantatasingers.com.
* Chantez Noel: The Ryerson United Church Choir, under the direction of Bryn Nixon, offers up a concert of festive carols and seasonal works at 2:30 p.m. They'll be joined by organist Edward Norman and guest instrumentalists.
The concert feature's J.S. Bach's joyous cantata for the First Day of Christmas, Christen, ätzet diesen Tag, as well as works by Whitacre, Sweelinck, Biebl and more, along with carol singing with the audience.
Ryerson is at 2195 West 45th Ave. in Vancouver. See www.ryersonunited.ca.
And last but never least, my friends at Phoenix Chamber Choir have their Christmas offering. (Yes, I am a former Phoenician, and although I no longer sing with the choir due to a new personal existence as mama to a toddler, I still have a soft spot for this fantastic choir and its wonderful people.)
* NOEL: Join the award-winning Phoenix Chamber Choir, under the direction of Graeme Langager, for its 30th anniversary season. Its ever-popular Christmas concert is on Dec. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Ryerson United Church, 2195 West 45th Ave. in Vancouver.
The choir will be joined by Burnaby's Sound Wave Handbell Choir for the occasion.
Tickets are $25 regular, $20 for seniors or $10 for post-secondary students. Free tickets for kindergarten-to-grade-12 students can also be reserved.
You can buy online, email [email protected] or call 604-757-0389.
See www.phoenixchoir.ca/NoelConcert for more details.
