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Once again, King Edward Choir artistic director Le-Anne Edwards chose an exceptional program for the ensemble’s Christmas concert, Winter Light, which delighted large audiences at both concerts Nov. 25.
Eclecticism was the order of the day. We experienced everything from traditional Christmas music by John Rutter to selections from Irving Berlin’s Christmas songbook.
These were interspersed with Healey Willan’s Hodie and the traditional audience carol sing-a-long. We also took a ride on Ballard and Silvestri’s Polar Express, not to mention sitting by the fire and sharing the screen on a cellphone, courtesy of Nathan Howe.
All of that and more, well, That’s Christmas to Me, according to the soloists who gave us the Hoying and Olusola’s song.
While diversity may have been the order, it was the proficiency that provided the delivery. As always, the members of the King Edward Choir rose to the occasion.
These choristers are truly happy to sing for us, and their smiles and relaxed demeanour continually shone through. The selections ranged from, dare I say, "basic" to very difficult as demonstrated in the Kaplan-Olusola-Bram arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, adapted from the a capella performance by Pentatonix. It was all handled with aplomb, despite Ms. Edwards’s purported ‘apprehension’.
But there is more to a choir than voices. I would be remiss — and subsequently drawn and quartered — if I failed to recognize the proficiency of Katie Pergau, the group’s outstanding accompanist. Although the diversity and challenge of such a program may have caused concern for other pianists, her ease and mastery at the keyboard augmented the overall performance.
And, of course, we were sent home with wishes from the choir to Martin and Blane's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
Congratulations to all and thank you for a wonderful start to the holiday season. We await in eager anticipation the performance of Sir Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man on May 4, 2024.
Alastair MacLeod
Barrie
