Avalon Singers: A North American Celebration of Christmas

The Avalon Singers, with their director, Pamela Selkirk, will be presenting a North American celebration of Christmas on Saturday, December 23, at the St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Huntingdon. The choir will present a programme of music recounting the Christmas story, a story familiar to all of us: a baby born into the world in harsh conditions, shepherds witnessing an event they hardly understand, angels singing praise, and strange kings coming from the East with precious gifts. You will hear how this same story is interpreted and re-interpreted through the perspectives of the inhabitants of North America: in Wendat, language of the Hurons, in French, among the English Canadians and the Americans and among the descendants of the Spanish in Mexico. The Mystery of Bethlehem, a cantata in six sections by the British/Canadian composer Healey Willan, and the centrepiece of the evening, will be performed in the first half of the concert. With this cantata, Healey Willan, who worked for many years in Toronto as a teacher, organist and choirmaster, evokes beautifully the mystery, solemnity and joy of the Christmas story. To complete the programme, the Avalon Singers will perform carols, hymns and spirituals, some of them favourites and some of them new to the audience, which will range in style and mood from tender and intimate to rousing and jubilant. The choir will be accompanied by Scott Bradford on the organ, Luc Larocque on guitar, Kurt Dobbertin on harmonica and Chris Crilly, who will provide percussion and narration. The concert will be held on Saturday, December 23, at 8:00 pm at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Huntingdon. Tickets are $15 and may be bought at the door or in advance from choir members. (Submitted by Nora Quinn) [caption id="attachment_42638" align="alignnone" width="521"] Choir director, Pamela Selkirk.[/caption]