The Okanagan Celtic Choir has been hard at work preparing for their year-end show, which takes place May 25 at Trinity United Church in Vernon.
This year’s annual spring concert will feature Celtic ballads with a mix of Canadiana along the way.
The Okanagan Celtic Choir has been growing in both size and sound over that past number of years and choir director Andrew Mercer said this year’s show is their most ambitious to date, with haunting SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) arrangements of well know Celtic ballads such as Danny Boy, Fields of Athenry, The Irish Blessing and Dublin in the Rare Old Times.
The choir will also be performing some classic Canadian pieces such as Ian Tyson’s Four Strong Winds and an eight-part version of folk song Land of the Silver Birch, which also features a quartet of members from the choir.
Mercer, also of Cod Gone Wild whose Celtic roots lie in Newfoundland, grew up singing Celtic ballads and has a true love for them.
“It’s all about the story and the melody with ballads. Not only the lyrics but also how those lyrics are delivered. It is about passion and connecting with the song. Add to that beautiful harmonies and you can’t help being captivated by the music and the lyrics,” he said.
Mercer along with bandmate and violinist Susan Aylard will be joining the choir for a special performance of some of their favourite Celtic ballads as well as some original music. The choir will also be backing them up on a couple of selections throughout the evening.
The Okanagan Celtic Choir will take the stage May 25 at Trinity United Church, 3300 Alexis Park Drive, at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 each and are available at the Ticket Seller, www.ticketseller.ca, 250-549-7469. Tickets will also be available at the door on the night of the performance.
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