I’m pleased to say that our December concert is shaping up to be very special.
Percussionist Chris Santos joined us at our most recent rehearsal. His contributions are really adding to the arrangements.
He is giving us beautiful Djembe grooves on our Zambian song and on our gospel tune, Wade in the Water. And he adds a lovely touch of latin rhythm on Cajon to the women’s ensemble piece, the Cuban song Sigue.
And he is not our only musical guest. Violinist Teagan Seymour will be joining us to play Vivaldi’s Gloria.
From Vivaldi, to Sting, to Cuba, Zambia, a Renaissance carol in Latin, a Ladino lullaby and a Christmas(?) jazz tune – it’s going to be a great musical trip.
We are also going to be featuring some songs by smaller ensembles. The men of the choir will perform a Stan Rogers song and a small group from the alto section (they need a name!), will be performing two beautiful a cappella pieces.
Three weeks out, the choir is sounding good and nearly ready for the stage.
Now, all we need is an audience. So, please join us on Sunday December 11 at 2 pm at the Calgary Unitarians Church, 1703 1st St. NW.
Admission is $20, or pay what you can. 12 and under free.
A carol in latin – Gaudete
Second of the “What are we going to sing?” series:
Gaudete is a sacred Christmas carol, thought to have been composed in the 16th century. It’s a staple for choirs of course. But it was also an unlikely hit for an English folk band. Steeleye Span (with the great voice of Maddy Prior) recorded it and went to Number 14 on the pop charts with their version in 1973.
Here’s what that sounded like.
The King’s Singers recorded a more traditional version.
I suspect our version will fall somewhere between the two. Even though it’s a sacred song, it’s sung with gusto, a bit like a tavern song. It’s great fun to sing and will be part of our seasonal concert in December.
What will we sing? – Durme Durme
“What songs are we going to sing this season? ” is a question I get a lot. Choristers and audiences alike love the wonderful variety and quality of our repertoire.
Well, here’s a first preview (more to come in the next few weeks). Thanks to the artistic advisory committee for working on this.
Durme Durme is not the first song in Ladino (the Sephardic Jewish tongue) that we have sung. It’s also not the first song by Flory Jagoda. Jagoda, who died in 2021, was a Bosnian Jewish musician who escaped the Nazis and lived in the United States. She was a key figure in the revival of Sephardic music. Her Chanukah song, Ocho Kandelikas, is already in our repertoire. Now are are adding a beautiful lullaby, Durme Durme. Have a listen to this version.
Frank Rackow
Artistic Director