Hark! Hear the valley sing, of Christmas and joyous things
There’s no force on earth quite like a chorus. Blending a medley of voices, each unique, and a range of tones, from bassy and deep to the light and airy tenors, a disparate collection of individuals becomes a singular sound that resounds like no other.
That’s the sort of energy you can expect from a performance of the Valley Troubadours, who are launching their concert season with a performance at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisbon this Sunday.
“Christmas music, my favorite kind of music, the most beautiful music I think there is,” John Monilaws, the Maestro for the Troubadours, told the Times-Record. “Every piece tells a story – why not come out?”
It’s an impressive set list that spans genre and time period, with somber tunes like Holy Night to bombastic sendoffs like Come Travel With Me, Monilaws is confident there’s something that everyone can enjoy.
“When I’m choosing music, I like to choose selections that I think everyone in the audience will enjoy at
least one piece,” Monilaws said. “I think there’s enough variety there, whether it’s sacred, secular, country, everyone should have a pretty good flavor of Christmas when they leave our programs.”
His own favorite of the setlist is All is Peace, a timely ode to the sanctity of the season. The Troubadours are an all-male chorus who gather weekly to rehearse and have been preparing for these concerts since autumn.
“We started rehearsing in the fall, right away. The tunes are pretty much picked when we come, we rehearse every Monday night and a lot of work goes into it, a lot of dedication, a lot of people rearranging their schedules … (the hard work) is greatly appreciated by the Maestro.”
This concert season is just getting started and will span a good chunk of December. Performances are set for around the region, kicking off with November 27th’s concert in Lisbon at Trinity Lutheran Church at 4 p.m., then on Sunday Dec. 4 at the Valley City State University Center for the Arts Building, also at 4 p.m. On Monday, Dec. 5 a special performance at the St. Raphael’s (formerly Sheyenne Care Center) will be held at 6:30 p.m. and on Monday, Dec. 12 a grand performance will cap off the Christmas season at 7 p.m. at the Barnes County Courthouse.
We hope you’ll come and support your Valley Troubadours!