Christmas Concert Sooke Philarmonic Chorus & Orchestra

WHAT: Concert of choral-orchestral music by G.F. Handel for a December afternoon:
Dixit Dominus and Messiah, Part 1

WHO: Sooke Philharmonic Chorus & Orchestra and soloists, with the Sooke Community Choir, conducted by Nicholas Fairbank

WHEN & WHERE: Sunday December 8th, 2:30 PM, Sooke Community Hall,
2037 Shields Road, Sooke

Conductor Nicholas Fairbank will direct the Sooke Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra. Soloists in these two Handel masterpieces are Hannah Nickel, Margo Brody, Rebekah Janzen, Felix Butterfield and KyronBasu. The Sooke Community Choir will be joining us for the Messiah sing-along.

Handel’s sparkling setting of Psalm 109, Dixit Dominus, opens the program. Set for five-part chorus, fivesoloists and string orchestra, this work was written in 1707 when Handel was only 22 years old. He was already a skilled composer who knew how to “paint” the texts in music. Handel continued to develop thistechnique, which we see skillfully used in Messiah, written 35 years later.

December is a time for vocal music, and there is no better way to sing in the holiday season than with Handel’s favourite oratorio Messiah! Our audience is encouraged to join in for a sing-along to the well-known choruses from the Christmas section of Messiah. This year’s sing–along is a first for Sooke. Scores will be provided at the door, or bring your own.

The soloists for this concert are all well known to Victoria and Sooke audiences. Hannah Nickel, soprano, has sung with the SPO on several occasions; she works as a teacher and music director in Sooke. Margo Brody, soprano, is a member of the Pacific Opera Chorus and teaches voice and piano from her home studio. Rebekah Janzen, mezzo-soprano, has performed with the Pacific Opera as well as the Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Felix Butterfield, tenor, recently joined the Vox Humana chamber choir and also sings inOctet Victoria. Kyron Basu, bass, is a faculty member at the Victoria Conservatory of Music and UVic and has given numerous performances in the Victoria area.

The concert takes place on Sunday December 8th, at 2:30 PM, at the Sooke Community Hall. Tickets areavailable at the door, Pharmasave Sooke, or sookephil.ca.