The Hamilton Spectator

Sounds of season

LEONARD TURNEVICIUS

Where to find Christmas and winter concerts certain to warm your heart

Jack Frost nipping at your nose? Here are some winter and Christmas concerts to warm your heart.

First up, the Hamilton Children’s Choir whose annual winter concert on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Faith United Church, 842 Main St. E., is entitled “Constantly Becoming.”

If that title puzzles you, HCC artistic director Melanie Tellez can clarify.

“‘Constantly Becoming ’ examines the role of the mirrors in two different well-known fables, ‘The Snow Queen’ and ‘Snow White,’” explained Tellez.

“During our August intensive camp, our senior choir, Ilumini, engaged in a writing activity, responding to prompts on self-worth, and how they and others in their lives mirror the best or the worst qualities of themselves. Their content drives the story that I wrote, which gives a narrative context for all of the pieces being performed by the choirs.”

The program includes Dion Flores’s 35-voice Komenci in Mark Hayes’s “Cold Snap,” Caitlyn Breukelman’s 45-voice Esplori with Frode Fjellheim’s “Vinternatt” (Winter’s Night), Kate Boose’s 45voice Esprimas singing Stephen Hatfield’s “Apple Tree Wassail,” and Tellez’s 35-voice Ilumini performing Tellu Virkkala’s “Tuulet” (The Winds), among others. The four choirs will team up for the grand finale, Pinkzebra’s “Winter Lullaby.”

Tickets at eventbrite.ca: $22.23, senior $16.93, student/alumni/ child 12+ $11.62, child 11 and under free.

On Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in St. Paul’s United Church, 29 Park St. W., Dundas, David Holler’s 50-voice Chorus Hamilton presents “A Chorus Hamilton Christmas” featuring Mozart’s “Missa brevis in G Major,” Buxtehude’s “Das neugeborne Kindelein”

(The newly born child) and shorter Christmas selections such as John Joubert’s carol “There is no rose of such virtue” and Jeff Smallman’s “The Song of the Shepherds.”

Guest soloists are Julia Surrette, Celine Cascanette, Ariel Sacke, and Michael Robert-Broder.

“We are happy to be performing in person again and will resume our tradition of a reception where the audience can enjoy some refreshments and meet the soloists and choristers after the concert,” said Holler.

Tickets at chorushamilton.ca: $30, 18 and under free.

at the Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts, 126 James St. S., presents the Park/St. John/Mercer Trio consisting of pianist Angela Park, violinist Scott St. John, and cellist Rachel Mercer, in Haydn’s effervescent “Piano Trio No. 38 in D Major,” Kevin Lau’s “If life were a mirror …” which Park and St. John performed in April at Mercer’s 5 at the First Chamber Music Series, and Mendelssohn’s “Piano Trio No. 2 in C Minor.”

“Mendelssohn wrote two piano trios, and while this one is slightly less often programmed than the D minor trio, it still fully covers the

richness and possibility of the trio in his signature musical language,” said Mercer. “The key of C minor has often been used to convey storms and agitation-think Beethoven’s fifth symphony-and here is no exception.

“With constant running notes in the piano creating waves of energy and movement under the strings, the music is propelled along relentlessly. While the last movement begins with a sudden theme in the cello, the movement offers us a gorgeous chorale moment, and then one of the most glorious moments in music when Mendelssohn triumphantly moves us to C major for the coda. Prepare to be transported.”

Tickets: $30, student/senior/artist

$25. Call 905-528-4020.

After recently holding their 50th anniversary gala concert, Denis Mastromonaco and his 55-piece Burlington Symphony Orchestra are now pumped for “A Christmas Spectacular” on Sunda at 3 p.m. in the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, 440 Locust St.

“The concert is a wonderful blend of music for all ages from classical repertoire and traditional Christmas music to some popular children’s holiday favourites,” said Mastromonaco of the nearly soldout event.

Among the seasonal selections are Leroy Anderson’s “A Christmas Festival” and “Sleigh Ride,” Johnny Marks’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed

Reindeer,” Bill Holcombe’s “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” with narrator Rainer Noack, and singalongs to “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” Guest soloists are Marina Salis and Kai Lecomte.

Tickets at burlingtonpac.ca or call 905-681-6000: $46, senior $39, ages 16 to 24 $25, under 16 $12.

‘‘ The concert is a wonderful blend of music for all ages.

DENIS MASTROMONACO CONDUCTOR

Sunda at 7 p.m., the choir of Central Presbyterian Church, 165 Charlton Ave. W., presents a Candlelight Carol Service with organ, strings, brass and flute. Free-will offering.

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