One of the wonderful pleasures I have as a choral conductor is planning Christmas music in July. I’ll be honest, it did feel horrendously weird for the first couple of years to have carols zinging through my head as I rode my bike on a flaming hot sunny day. However, what wonderful music it is! There is a beautiful coziness embedded in the music of Christmas. Somehow the music has taken on an inherent feel of optimism and has a harmonic language that immediately speaks “Christmas” to me. If this is the one hardship I must endure as a conductor, I will accept my sentence. Who wouldn’t love to have “Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day” from John Rutter’s Dancing Day or the gorgeous, classic French carol “Les anges dans nos campagnes (Angels we have heard on high)” stuck in your head? Come and hear us sing these memorable melodies this December as well as a world premiere by Toronto composer, Bev Lewis. It will be sure to be a wonderful way to start this season of dancing days and cozy nights.

The full program includes:

Dancing Day -John Rutter

Dancing Day is a cycle of 6 Christmas pieces scored for treble voices and harp. John Rutter has a knack for creating gorgeous arrangements of classic carols, and this cycle is no different. This cycle also allows us to show off the gorgeous solo voices that sing in Cantala.

Angels Carol-John Rutter

A piece that has simple vocal lines that can sing their way into your mind for days. Scored for treble duet and harp.

Hodie Christie Natus Es-Kelly-Marie Murphy

Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy has created a very rhythmic, scintillating piece that keeps Cantala and conductor on their toes. Scored for treble voices and harp.

Les anges des nos campagne-Trad. harm. Bernat Vivancos

Vivancos has taken a traditional French carol and added modern harmonies and vocal lines. A fresh take on a classic tune. Scored for unaccompanied four part treble chorus.

Alleluia-David L McIntyre

A sister piece to his well known “Ave Maria”, Canadian composer McIntyre has written a choral piece in his signature minimalist style on the word “Alleluia”.

Ave Verum Corpus-Francis Poulenc

Originally meant to be performed in a dark gothic cathedral, the Ave Verum Corpus has a haunting-like shadow in its harmony and vocal writing. Difficult, dissonant, yet tonal, Poulenc has challenged us to sing and listen carefully to his chromatic details.

Coventry Carol-Bev Lewis.

An world premiere by Toronto composer Bev Lewis. Traditional text set to a new melody and accompanied by oboe. It is an eerie lullaby that sends us off into the dark, cold night….

Tickets are available from our website. Reception to follow.