Nelson Choral Society’s popular annual Christmas concert returns to the Capitol Theatre December 10 and 11.
The 70-member choir will be performing Songs of the Nativity, an imaginative arrangement of traditional carols by Vancouver composer Stephen Chatman, along with selections from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and more. Christoph Martens is at the piano and Josette LaForge plays violin obligato.
Musical director Kathleen Neudorf says that in choosing the selections for the concert, she liked the contrast of old versus new. The concert has become a miniature survey of carols through time.
“I liked Stephan Chatman’s reworking of Christmas carols, some well known, some not. I liked the contrast with the older pieces by Vulpius and Bach which date back to just over 400 years,” she said.
For a total change of pace, the concert’s special guests will be the local Balkan brass band Oxygen Orkestar playing their funky Roma rhythms. Oxygen Orkestar includes two trumpets (Jonnine Mahonen and Brahm Taylor), two trombones (Anneke Rosch and Mary Defeo), an accordion (Bessie Wapp), a snare/percussion (Katherine McGrath and Bessie Wapp) and a tuba (Connor Defeo). They’ll perform a rendition of the classic Brothers Grimm folktale The Musicians of Breman that they are calling The Musicians of Bratislava.
The show begins at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $15 for seniors and $10 for students, available at the Capitol.