Seasonal sing-along
Santa Fe Symphony Chorus leads Christmas carol concert
Polish up those Christmas carols and join the Santa Fe Symphony Chorus for some holiday music tonight.
The Symphony Brass and the Santa Fe Women’s Ensemble will join the music at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi.
“It’s a collaboration of the chorus, the brass ensemble and sing-along carols,” choral director Linda Raney said.
The singers will open with “O Nata Lux” by Morten Lauridsen , a composition instructor at the University of Southern California.
“It’s a very graceful, joyous piece,” Raney said. “The text is very good for Christmas.”
The Norwegian-born Ola Gjeilo’s “Ubi Caritas” will follow.
“It was originally an a cappella piece,” Raney said. “He was asked to do an improvisation on the piano while the people were singing it. It was so popular it was written down. It’s a beautiful, atmospheric piece.”
The Symphony Brass will play a variety of pieces, including works by Bach, Gustav Holst and a canzone by Gabrieli.
The Santa Fe Women’s Ensemble will perform traditional carols, such as “Ding Dong Merrily on High” and “There Is No Rose” by American composer Z. Randall Stroope. Bill Epstein will accompany the singers on piano, with Dave Anderson on the soprano sax. Then the audience joins in.
“We sing all the favorite carols: ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ and ‘Hark the Herald’,” Raney said. “We do the songs of Las Posadas; northern New Mexico Christmas carols. We end up with ‘Angels We Have Heard on High,’ ‘Joy to the World’ and ‘The Hallelujah Chorus.’”