Although you might shiver at the thought of cold days and dark nights, there’s much to enjoy about winter.
The Sooke Community Choir is bringing a little warmth to the hibernal time of year, with This Shining Night, featuring a variety of music about Christmas and winter.
“The concert is a stunning collection of beautiful and inspirational music that spans the ages from Mozart to the Pentatonix,” Bruce Ruddell, the choir’s artistic director, said.
The concert is based on James Agee’s poem Sure On This Shining Night.
“I just love that image of a shining night. The real focus of the evening is to celebrate winter and what that means,” Ruddell said.
“There is a real calm to the whole concert, and some very beautiful music.”
Ruddell said has chosen music that evokes feelings of love and peace, as well as just plain fun.
Musical styles will vary – from Barbra Streisand’s rendition of Jingle Bells, to Mozart’s requiem Lacrimosa, to the Pentatonix’s a cappella of the Coldest Winter.
And given the concert title, of course there will be a rendition of Sure On This Shining Night with arrangements by Morten Lauridsen.
The 60-singers in the Sooke Community Choir will be accompanied by pianist Kathy Russell.
Russell will also join up with guest saxophonist Jeff Poynter and cellist Silvina Samuel for a tango piece.
“This concert does have an arc to it from kind of fun stuffing moving into far more reflective stuff. There’s some really fun pieces in it,” Ruddell said.
This Shining Night is presented at Sooke Community Hall on Dec. 6, 7 and 8, and Oak Bay United Church on Dec. 14. Showtime is 7:30 p.m., except for Dec. 8 when the curtain rises at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $20 and available at Sooke Brewing Company, South Shore Gallery, Ivy’s Books, at the door, or online at eventbrite.com.
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
