The feeling of Christmas was in the air at a recent choral concert. It wasn’t the scent of evergreen or the sparkle of lights. It was something observable even before the first strains of music began.
It was the human interaction, the joy of gathering. Folks watched for each other to enter the venue, waving wildly and shouting “Frank, over here!” They patted each other on the back, bumped elbows and fists. Folks grouped in sixes and sevens, taking up entire rows (or half of a row with the 50% audience capacity rule in place). The level of chatter was intense. Families and friends were making this choral concert a holiday destination.
Singers want to sing. Audiences want to hear music at Christmas. From September to now there has been an accelerando of offerings and a forte proclamation “we’re back!” For some choirs, the productions have been long in the planning and consistent with their traditional performance seasons. Other groups are popping up, pleased to present an abbreviated version of themselves for their loyal supporters.
Some–like Pride of Portland, PDX’s award winning women’s barbershop chorus–are content to sing for family and friends. They’ve been rehearsing throughout the fall, so on Dec. 8th they are singing at Washington Square Mall (4-5 PM). Then on the 11th at Rise Church in Tigard they offer their Friends and Family Christmas Performance (5-6 PM). It’s free. Vaccination proof and masks required at Rise Church.
A Christmas of Hope is presented by Bravo! Concerts Northwest. The Bravo Chorus, soloists, jazz, blues, rock and classic Christmas highlights (including Messiah ) ”will put you in the Christmas spirit!” (website) Dec. 12th (3 PM). Vaccinations and masking protocols are in place at the venue, St. Mary Magdalene Parish (The Madeleine).
Portland (former Ensign) Choir and Orchestra, directed by David Thomas, is returning to the stage with the proclamation We Need A Little Christmas. On Dec. 11th (7 PM) at Village Baptist Church (330 SW Murray, Beaverton) they will help fulfill that need. Masks are required. Tickets here.
Festival Chorale Oregon Director Solveig Holmquist is joy filled at the return of FCO’s Festival Carolers. These costumed crooners have been a staple of valley events for many years. This year they are pleased to Sing We Now of Christmas at Salem’s Elsinore Theater on Dec. 19 (4 PM). For years a family favorite, the event this year, says Holmquist, will not include children’s participation on stage or goody bags or Father Christmas photo ops. But the theater will ring with holiday song. Masks are required. Seating is general admission. Tickets here.
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The Grotto music line-up for their Festival of Lights annual celebration has been slow in developing, but the evening performance slots for Dec. 7-14 are chock full, with more dates to come. Some of you sang there in your high school days, didn’t you? High Schools still dominate the schedule, but some Portland adult choirs like In Medio and Bridge Town Sound are on the calendar. Scheduled choirs from Salem are Festival Chorale Oregon’s Festival Carolers, SenateAires (men’s barbershop) and Oregon Spirit Women’s Chorus. Yes, the lights are blazing and the sanctuary of The Grotto is still there. Vaccination proof is required at The Grotto events. Tickets and information here.
Raising the roof
On a grander scale, some other good friends are returning to the Portland’5 stages. Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, singing together since 1980, will light up the Newmark Theater with three shows (Dec. 10-12) and across the walkway the at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall the Northwest Community Gospel Chorus reunites with the Oregon Symphony Orchestra for the return of the very popular OSO Gospel Christmas, also Dec. 10-12.
“This is season 23 minus one,” said Jeigh Hopkins, NW Community Gospel Chorus Manager. Hopkins recalls the founding years: working with Susan Nielsen at the OSO; amassing the forces with renowned pianist, conductor and composer Charles Floyd; singer auditions with G. Louis Hemenway; learning to become a blended gospel chorus and family; teaching the OSO a couple things about the gospel genre. Some singers have participated since the beginning.
Funded by the OSO, the choir considers itself a seasonal established chorus and while their usual performing forces are slightly lower this year, they are enthusiastic about gathering in song after a year away from each other. Those singing in this concert are vaccinated; those unable to sing in this concert are still considered members of the family and hope to be united in another year. This is more than a performance to many. “We are singing the Gospel,” remarked Hopkins. “The lyrics of each song speak powerfully to the word of God. Gospel music is about the heart.” The Gospel Christmas performances are Dec. 10th and 11th(each 7:30 PM) and 12th (4 PM). Note the change from the usual OSO Saturday through Monday concerts. Tickets and information here.
Oh, yeah, Arlene Schnitzer Hall will be rocked but Newmark roof will be raised (someone draw that, please) when the spotlight hits the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus. The PGMC’s holiday concerts have been received enthusiastically for many years. A previous year’s promo stated the “production is packed with singing, dancing, lights, costumes, and always a few surprises. It’s an audience favorite worthy of becoming your family tradition.”
This concert also marks two important transition points for PGMC. Because of the pandemic shutdown mere weeks before the debut of new Artistic Director John Atorino, this is the first live PGMC performance for Atorino. But it is also his final concert with the choir. Atorino will be returning to the East Coast to be near family. In an October 20 news release the choir praised Atorino for managing “an historic recalibration with the successful launch of the organization’s first virtual season.” Indeed, those recorded concerts were well sung and produced. For the remainder of the season PGMC Associate Conductor Mary McCarty will take over as interim conductor, a role with which she is familiar and for which she is quite capable. Tickets for the Dec. 10th, 11th (each 8 PM) and 12th (3 PM) concerts here. All concerts at Portland’5 require proof of vaccination or negative testing and masks.
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Eugene Gay Men’s Chorus also returns to the stage in Eugene Dec. 11th, 7:30 PM (First United Methodist Church, Eugene) and in Corvallis, Dec. 12, 3 PM (First United Methodist Church, Corvallis). Directed by Evan Miles, who has performed with the PGMC, their program, Joy for the Holidays, promises “some camp, some Santa time, and other surprises as well!” Proof of vaccination with ID is required as are masks. Tickets here.
Demands of the season
Live performance is returning but there are those who may not wish to engage in person. OAW writer Matthew Neil Andrews shared some very personal thoughts about this in “In praise of isolation: Enjoying Oregon music from home”–an introvert’s personal Bill of Rights, so to speak. The reasons are myriad, some related to the pandemic, some to the holidays; some for no good reason, every good reason or none of your business reason. Isn’t it wonderful to have participation choices?
Some arts organizations are able to bring their music, theater, exhibits and holiday sentiment to you through live stream and/or on demand. You can view these performances with those with whom you are comfortable; for best company perhaps you could consider your cat Jeoffry.* Here are some of those virtual or video offerings from area concerts of the season:
Cappella Romana, Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, performed Dec. 3-5. Video on Demand begins Friday Dec. 10. $15.00. Tickets here.
In Mulieribus, Love’s Pure Light, live Dec. 19-20, offers Holiday Highlights On-line Premiere, Dec. 23. Free registration here.
Oregon Repertory Singers, Glory of Christmas, live performance from Dec. 5 will be retooled for Video on Demand, Dec. 19-31. Attendees of the Dec. 5, 11 or 12 concerts have free access. $25/human viewer. Tickets here.
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Portland Symphonic Choir, Wintersong, Dec. 12, will be live streamed free.
The Willamette Master Chorus, who have only been virtual since 2020, present their Annual Holiday Concert virtual performance Dec. 19.
This Willamette Master Chorus performance is another opportunity for the Salem-based singers to show their appreciation to those in the community who keep us safe and healthy. WMC and Artistic Director Paul Klemme have chosen to honor medical front-line workers. Among guest speakers are Anesthesiologist Dr. Angela Douglas and Marion County Health Director Katrina Rothenberger.
WMC again showcases the compositions of singers Ryan Amend and Chris Jones, and Texas-based composer Evan Ramos’ O Magnum Mysterium is a precious small bite of the great mystery.
The Concert Choir of Salem Academy under the direction of Kent Wilson will appear on the program. Wilson is a member of WMC and solos in The Dream Isaiah Saw by Glenn Rudolph. Brass quartet, percussion and organ will accompany some pieces. This free virtual concert is available Dec. 19, 3 PM. Subscribe here to receive your video link.
There are still a few weeks to go until the flurry of seasonal concerts comes to a close. Even some who in September reluctantly posted their intention to remain silent until 2022 have been convinced to return. Why?
Because the model used by choirs and venues in the past four months is working.
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Singers/conductors are vaccinated. Rehearsals are shorter and with proper distancing is accommodated. Vaccinations or negative test results are required for audience admission. Mandated masking is enforced. Audience size is limited to 50% venue capacity.
One choir sets up nine HEPA filters at every rehearsal and will have those in place for their upcoming concerts. Some choirs are checking temperatures prior to rehearsal. Choirs have found a way to gather and perform safely.
Not only are the precautions working but, if audience numbers are an indication, putting health precautions in place is helping to bring people to performances. Of course, today’s audience numbers are below those of pre-2020. But getting the numbers right isn’t the reason most choirs are singing this season. It’s about the heart.
We will continue to keep you informed of health precautions taken on behalf of performers, venue staff and you. Let’s continue what is working and be able to tell more stories of safe and successful singing in our communities.
Connections
Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols is a holiday favorite. But his Rejoice in the Lamb fits the season just fine as well, even with the mind boggling poetry of Christopher Smart. But one thing Smart knew for sure – the cat. In addition to the * slightly altered above line “For I will consider my cat Jeoffry” he wrote :
For I am possessed of a cat,
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Surpassing in beauty,
For whom I take occasion
To bless Almighty God.
Food
Swedish Lussekatter (or lussebullar). Lucia’s cats. That’s Saint Lucia, Christian martyr whose feast day is December 13. The sweet, breakfast buns are tinted yellow with saffron threads to depict shining light. If curled correctly the shape resembles the curled tail of a cat, which can mean contentment or potential terrorizing coming up, perhaps depending on how well the Lussekatter turn out. It’s a fairly easy dough and fun to make the scroll (although any shape will do). There’s a raisin in the middle of the scroll on either end.
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