It’s not really Christmas until you’ve heard a choir singing.
Fortunately for New West residents, the choral offerings are rich this holiday season.
Check out what’s coming up:
VANCOUVER WELSH MEN’S CHOIR
The always popular Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir returns to the Massey Theatre stage on Sunday, Dec. 1 for a 2:30 p.m. concert, Christmas Traditions Around the World.
It’s sharing the stage with Winter Harp – an ensemble featuring harps, percussion and rare medieval instruments – for the annual celebration of the season.
Massey Theatre is at 735 Eighth Ave. Tickets are available through www.ticketstonight.ca. For more about the choir or the concert, see www.vancouverchoir.ca.
AMABILIS SINGERS
This 65-voice community choir – celebrating its 40th anniversary season of making music in New Westminster - is offering up its annual Christmas concert on Friday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 14.
Director Ramona Luengen and pianist Ingrid Verseveldt will lead the choir in a program that includes such highlights as Abbie Betinis’ In the Bleak Midwinter, Allan Bullard’s The World Has Waited Long and Benjamin Harlan’s sparkling new arrangement of Angels We Have Heard on High, as well as music by Bob Chilcott, Ian Crawford, Dan Forrest, Will Todd and more.
There will also be sing-alongs and raffle baskets to win. Tickets are $25 for adults (including seniors) and $15 for secondary school students. Children under 12 are free.
The concert is on Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. at New Westminster Christian Reformed Church, 8255 13th Ave., Burnaby. Tickets are available through www.eventbrite.ca or by calling 604-897-7258. See www.amabilissingers.org.
COASTAL SOUND YOUTH CHOIR
The always popular Coastal Sound Youth Choir is returning to New Westminster Christian Reformed Church (8255 13th Ave., Burnaby) with Betting Warmth Against the Cold.
Will de Sousa directs, with Krista Pederson on piano, in a program of uplifting choral music for the holiday season.
The concert is on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets in advance are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors/students and $10 for children 12 and under; at the door, they’re $23, $18 and $15, respectively. See www.coastalsoundmusic.com.
MUSICA INTIMA
The acclaimed a cappella vocal ensemble musica intima returns to New Westminster with this year’s Christmas concert, Sing Lullaby.
The concert, grounded in the British choral traditional, will feature seasonal music from Herbert Howells and Kenneth Leighton, as well as the newer generation of English composers, such as Jonathan Dove and James MacMillan. Also on the program are works by Canadian composers Kristopher Fulton and John Burge.
Tickets are $35 adult, $30 seniors and $15 for students. It’s on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Knox Presbyterian Church, 403 East Columbia St. See www.musicaintima.org.
VANCOUVER CANTATA SINGERS
The Vancouver Cantata Singers are returning to New West for their Christmas Reprise XVII, coming up on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Queens Avenue United Church.
The concert includes traditional carols and contemporary holiday compositions, from Praetorious’s Magnificat quinti toni to Morten L.auridsen’s O nata lux and the choir’s signature rendition of Franz Biebl’s Ave Maria.
Queens Avenue United Church is at 529 Queens Ave.
For information, see www.vancouvercantatasingers.com. Tickets are $35 regular, $15 for students and $10 for youth (under 18), available through reprisenewwest.eventbrite.com.
Do you have any Christmas concert info to share with Record readers? Send details to Julie, jmaclellan@newwestrecord.ca.
