Last weekend’s pair of Christmas concerts by the Sooke Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and Chorus once again warmed the hearts of audiences with soothing melodies of Christmas and indeed the holiday season.
As usual, the first concert was performed at the Sooke Baptist Church and the second — by special invitation — at Royal Roads University as part of the university’s 75th anniversary celebrations.
To be a regular member of an orchestra audience is to realize a thing or two.
The first is that young people are all important to adding another perspective to the enjoyment of music, and the second is that Christmas concerts would certainly not be the same without Sooke’s own talented vocalista, Nancy Washeim. Both factors came into play this time around.
The two violin soloists playing J.S. Bach’s Concerto in D minor were young sisters, Robin and Marijn Butterfield, ages 11 and 13, and Nancy sang a number of favourite soprano solos from Handel’s Messiah.
On top of this, the philharmonic welcomed its new choral director, Nicholas Fairbank, who has been working with the chorus since September. This was his first concert with the chorus and orchestra.
In January, the chorus will begin preparing for Mozart’s Vespers Solennes de Confessore for the philharmonic’s upcoming concerts on March 19 and 20, so if you feel you’ll run a bit dry on orchestral performances this winter, you’re in for a treat.
The choir welcomes any new singers out there to join in, so if interested, please contact Lynda Rose, 250-642-3536.
For more information about the Sooke Philharmonic, please visit www.sookephil.ca or call 250-419-3569.
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