The Upper Canada Choristers and their Latin ensemble Cantemos celebrate the holiday season in their concert Noche de Paz: an Old World and New World Christmas. Founder Laurie Evan Fraser conducts the 40+ mixed-voice choir of men and women, Friday, December 2, 8 pm at Grace Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Road.
Music will include such European and North American carols as Il est né, le divin enfant from France; Infant holy, infant lowly, from Poland; and Jesus Christ, the Apple Tree from the US. There will be sing along carols: The Huron Carol from Canada and God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen from the British Isles. The choir will perform Silent Night, with verses in German, English, French, Japanese, Tagalog, Chinese and Spanish. Although written originally in German, Silent Night is the only carol that is recognized and sung around the world.
Centerpiece for Noche de Paz (Night of Peace) will be Argentinian composer Ariel Ramirez’s Navidad Nuestra, a work in six movements that tells the Christmas story from a Latin American perspective. The music draws from diverse folkloric dance and vocal traditions reflecting the vibrant rhythms and harmonies of Latin America. Various forms of percussion, along with charango, guitar and piano, add to the flavor.
Cantemos, the accomplished a capella Latin ensemble of UCC, performs in Navidad Nuestra, and will also sing carols from Colombia (the processional Christmas song Velo que bonito by Luis Antonio Escobar), and Peru (Desvelado dueño mio, a Baroque carol in seven parts by Tomas de Torrejon y Velasco).
Cantemos is an auditioned, chamber ensemble that specializes in music from Latin America, singing repertoire primarily in Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin. This group was officially formed in 2008 and performs at all public concerts of the Upper Canada Choristers.
In their 22nd year of operation, the Upper Canada Choristers promote and celebrate musical excellence and diversity, sharing the love of singing through education and community service. The choir performs widely throughout the GTA; as well as, at such events as a concert of the Hong Kong Children’s Symphony Orchestra at Koerner Hall, Nuit Blanche, and Kensington Market Pedestrian Sundays.
Tickets to this are $25 for adults; children and high school students free. To order, please call (416) 256-0510. More details are available at uppercanadachoristers.org.
*Photo by Hye Won Lee.
