The eighty talented young singers of Guelph Youth Singers, aged six through seventeen, will again delight music lovers of Guelph in their annual seasonal concert. This year it will take place on December 5 at 7:30 pm. in the beautiful acoustic and magical ambience of St. George’s Anglican Church. The four award-winning choirs will be joined by soprano soloist, Sarah Kramer; harpist, Lori Gemmell; organist Barrie Cabena; pianist Ken Gee; and a guest string quartet from the Suzuki String School of Guelph, “The Unaccompanied Minors.” Also appearing, for the first year, will be a specially-formed Alumni Choir, who join current choristers in the concert.
An eclectic mix of songs of the season will feature a world premiere of the title song for the concert, “Follow the Star,” specially written by Barrie Cabena, an internationally recognized composer. Barrie has also written a special solo, “Snowy Sonnet,” with text by Glenn Peirson, to be premiered by Sarah Kramer. Ms. Kramer, now a full-time soprano soloist, has been most recently performing and touring in Europe. She is a native of Guelph and an original member of Guelph Youth Singers. Lori Gemmell, a Toronto musician, will be featured in Britten’s magical “Ceremony of Carols,” a setting of songs to medieval texts, to be performed by the senior choristers of the organization.
Highlights will include the beautiful Hanukkah song, “Candlelight Song,” by John Leavitt, which will feature a solo violinist and a solo cellist. Traditional and new carols from Canada, the US, England and Germany, will include a wonderful setting of “Silent Night” for strings, harp and all choirs, including the Alumni Choir. The very popular “Carol of the Drum” (better known as “The Little Drummer Boy”) and a lively setting of “I Saw Three Ships” by well-known choral composer, John Rutter, will also be performed by all the combined choirs.
Guelph Youth Singers includes singers selected from throughout the city of Guelph and surrounding areas. The choirs are regular recipients of top honours from the Guelph Kiwanis Festival, and have gone on to win awards at both the provincial and national levels of the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals. Most recently, the two senior choirs of the organization, Cantabile and Chamber Choir, received two first awards in the 2009 FCMF.
For tickets, phone River Run Centre box office at 763-3000. Adults $25 / Students & Seniors $19/eyeGO.org
