December 1 – 2, 2018
December 1st – 7:30pm December 2nd – 2:30pm December 16th – 2:30pm
Saturday December 1st – Royal Bay Secondary School, Sunday December 2nd – Sooke Community Hall, St., Sunday December 16th St. Elizabeth Church
Phone: 250-419-3569
E-Mail: sookephilharmonic@gmail.com
Website: www.sookephil.ca
The Sooke Philharmonic Society announces three performances of George Frederic Handel’s glorious and sacred Messiah oratorio for the December holiday season. What could be more festive than this amazing music, including the uplifting Hallelujah Chorus, performed by orchestra, chorus and soloists?
Nicholas Fairbank, Conductor, has brought the Sooke Philharmonic Chamber Players and Chorus together with Via Choralis, a Saanich-based community choir, especially for the Messiah concerts. Fairbank is Music Director for both choral groups. He notes, “This collaboration of mixed choirs will provide audiences with a powerful musical experience as some 75 voices soar upward, accompanied by an orchestra of 30 musicians.”
Soloists soprano Anna Shill, mezzo Alana Hayes, tenor Adam Dyjach and bass Nathan McDonald are all rising professional music stars in the area. Anna possesses artistry in spades and a delightful stage presence. Alana’s repertoire ranges from baroque to the avant garde and she has performed with the Victoria Baroque Ensemble. Adam completed his Masters in Voice Performance at the University of Victoria and has performed both operatic and oratorio tenor roles. Nathan is praised for his rich baritone and regularly appears in numerous western Canadian ensembles.
Messiah is one of the most beloved classical music pieces in the world. Handel composed this intricate choral work in an astonishing three to four weeks in 1741. All three parts of the Messiah will be performed, including 20 solo and 19 choral sections, ending with the beautiful Amen chorus.
For many, attendance at Messiah concerts has become a family holiday tradition. Messiah also provides new and younger audiences with a great introduction to classical music. Hearing such exceptional music from the past, played and sung with skill and obvious joy, encourages young people to expand their musical interests and tastes and to begin a life-long appreciation of the classics.
Children and youth 18 and under are welcome and their attendance is free. The convenience of afternoon and evening concerts as well as West Shore and Saanich locations adds to the ease of planning this family holiday outing.
Concert schedule:
Colwood
Saturday December 1, 7:30 pm, Royal Bay Secondary School, 3500 Ryder Hesjedal Way, Colwood
Sooke
Sunday December 2, 2:30 pm, Sooke Community Hall, 2037 Shields Road. Sooke
Sidney
Sunday December 16, 2:30 pm, St. Elizabeth’s Church, 10030 3rd Avenue, Sidney
Ticket information at www.sookephil.ca and www.viachoralis.ca
