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Steven Noble
Editor, Internal Publications
p. 403.440.5692
e-mail: snoble@mtroyal.ca

Fred Cheney
Media Relations Officer
p. 403.440.5195
e-mail: fcheney@mtroyal.ca

 

“Silent Night, Holy Night …”

Just about everyone who reads those four words can complete the stanza.

Maybe you prefer a different Christmas carol. Take a second to think it.

Maybe those words bring to life a rich tapestry of holiday memories: the sights and smells of your mother’s kitchen, the crisp snap of a gingerbread man under your teeth or the joyful sound of hearty laughter with friends and family.

Mount Royal's family of choirs will take you back to your own childhood memories of Christmas when you hear your favourite carols for the first time all over again.

Needless to say, the simple beauty of a Christmas carol can be a powerful sense experience. An experience made even better when shared with those you love.

The Mount Royal family of choirs – Arietta, Arioso, Youth Choir and Kantorei – as well as the Calgary Youth Orchestra, are delighted to welcome you and your family to their annual holiday concert, Christmas in Song.

This year, Calgary’s wise-cracking a cappella stars, the Heebee Jeebees, will return as special guest hosts. Their mixture of holiday parodies and off-the-cuff spirit has been a popular part of the concert for the past three years.

The concert returns to the Jack Singer Concert Hall on Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.

For two decades, Christmas in Song has showcased the Conservatory’s family of choirs, as well as its flagship orchestral ensemble, in an evening of traditional carols, family holiday favourites and classical masterpieces.

“Seeing the littlest kids take to such a big stage is always a treat,” says David Ferguson, artistic director of Mount Royal’s choral program, “It’s exciting for them to perform in a great concert hall for an appreciative audience.”

In fact, for many Arietta choristers, who are between the ages of five and ten, the Christmas in Song concert is their first large public performance.

“You’ll often see the youngest choir members leaning over the choir loft, watching the orchestra and older choirs performing below,” says Ferguson.

“It’s a great experience for the kids,” agrees Angie McGillivray, director of the Mount Royal Arioso choir and interim director of Arietta.

“In the Jack Singer Concert Hall, the same stage that the choirs perform on has featured performers like Luciano Pavarotti. They’re very lucky to have such an experience at a young age, and in a way, they’re becoming part of the choral tradition in the Hall.”

McGillivray, who progressed through each of the Mount Royal choirs before becoming a director, is uniquely in tune with the challenges posed by the sheer size of the Epcor Centre’s main performance hall.

“The Jack Singer stage is so massive it can be tough for the youngest performers to keep their eyes on their director,” McGillivray laughs, “In rehearsals, I’ve used stickers on my eyelids to keep their attention.

We’re not there yet, but if Santa Claus himself walked through the door at one of our rehearsals I’d still want all of the children’s eyes on me conducting.”

A family of choirs in the truest sense, Mount Royal’s choral program spans performers of nearly all ages.

From the young members of Arietta and Arioso to the adult (and in some cases, retirement-aged) members of the Kantorei choir, the program is comprised over one hundred voices.

And with the accompaniment of the Youth Orchestra’s nearly eighty musicians, the Christmas in Song concert admirably fills the Jack Singer’s stage.

“As a conductor,” says McGillivray, “It’s an indescribable feeling looking out at the sea of faces in front of you, feeling the power behind a performing group of that size.”

Come and celebrate a Conservatory holiday tradition with your family. Join our choirs in ringing in the festive season with a wonderful selection of carols - you just may come away humming a new favourite.

Tickets are only available through the Mount Royal ticket line, 403.440.7770. Christmas in Song on the web.

—James Bailey, Dec. 3, 2009