Sheepscot Chorus Presents “Christmas Pops!” on Sunday, December 8 at 3:00 PM
Sheepscot Valley Chorus celebrates its 39th season with a “Christmas Pops!” concert on Sunday, December 8, at 3:00 p.m., at the Boothbay Harbor Congregational Church. Led by artistic director Linda Blanchard and accompanist Sean Fleming, the concert will feature Felix Mendelssohn’s brilliant Magnificat setting, the Magnificat in D. The concert will also include several jazzy arrangements of hit tunes such as “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,” “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and more! The vocal talents of soprano Mary Sullivan, alto Jazmin DeRice, tenors Jesse Wakeman and David Myers, Jr., and bass John David Adams will be featured in solos, duets, and trios, and a jazz combo will accompany the chorus on several numbers.
Written in 1822 when Mendelssohn was only 13, the Magnificat in D is in seven sections, with solo movements interspersed with ones for full chorus. The musicologist and critic Hans Keller used to say that Mendelssohn was even more phenomenal as a boy prodigy than Mozart, writing more impressive masterpieces while still in his teens. In 1822 Mendelssohn was set by his teacher Karl Zelter to write pieces in the style of compositional masters such as Bach, Mozart, and Haydn, and so the Magnificat is similar to Bach’s compositional style. The Bach influence is quite apparent in the exultant opening, in which orchestral passages are alternated with choral passages. For the last movement, an exciting Haydn-like fugue ends the piece on a triumphant note.
The fabulous soprano Mary Sullivan will headline the second half of the concert. Sullivan will lend her inimitable talents to such pieces as “Gesù bambino,” “Maria Wiegenlied,” and the Roland Carter’s gospel hit “Mary Had a Baby.” The finale of the concert will be “Jingle Bells” as sung by Michael Bublé and The Puppini Sisters, accompanied by a combo including Marcus Hutchins, winds, Asher Barreras, bass, and Doug Kennedy, drums.
In the spirit of Christmas giving, Sheepscot Chorus asks concert attendees to bring a canned or boxed food item and/or a monetary donation for the Boothbay Region Food Pantry.
Tickets are $15 for adults and free for students, and may be purchased at Sherman’s Bookstore in Boothbay Harbor and Damariscotta, Treats in Wiscasset, and at the door. For more information, please visit facebook.com/sheepscotchorus and sheepscotvalleychorus.org.
Sheepscot Chorus Presents Christmas Pops! on Sunday, December 8, 2019 at 300 PM
More Details of Past Performances
| Sunday, December 7, 2008 Conductor — Linda Blanchard Accompanist — Sean FlemingFeatured Work: “An Appalachian Nativity” Lewis Henry Horton — 1955 Other Works: “Advent” Supply Belcher (1751-1836) “Sleigh Ride” Leroy Anderson, arr: Hawley Ades Three carols by Alfred Burt (1920-1954) “O Hearken Ye” “The Star Carol” “Caroling, Caroling” “I Wonder As I Wander” John Jacob Niles (1892-1980) arr. John Rutter “Go Tell It on the Mountain” Traditional arr., Howard Helvey “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” Kim Gannon & Walter Kent, arr. G. L. Leaman “Jungle Bells” J. Pierpont (1822-93), arr. David Willcocks |
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| March 24 -25, 2007 Conductor: Linda Blanchard Accompanist: Sean FlemingFeatured Work: World Premiere of “I Am Singing.” on a Text by Bristol Poet George V. Van Deventer by English Composer Terence DeadmanOther Works: Set Me as a Seal, R. Nance Set Me as a Seal, E. Daley Till there was you Nigra Sum, Sed Fomosa, Palestrina Nigra Sum, Sed Fomosa, Casals Clair de Lune Rise Up, My Love, My Fair One, H. Willan Rise Up, My Love, My Fair One, J. Mccray Popular Opera Choruses |
| December 5, 2004 Conductor: Linda Blanchard Accompanist: Sean FlemingFeatured Works: John Rutter’s “Gloria”: and Giovanni Gabrieli’s “Gloria”Other Works: Entrata Festiva, Let All Mortal Flesh, Shepherds’ ‘Farewell to the Holy Family, Carol of the Bells, Deck the Halls, We Wish You a Merry Christmas. |
| December 6, 1998 Conductor: Linda Blanchard, Accompanist: Sean FlemingFeatured work: Rafe Vaughan Williams’ “Hodie”Other Works Performed: A Musicological Journey Through the Twelve Days of Christmas, Sans Day Carol, Myn Lyking, Infant Holy Infant Lowly, Wassail Carol, A Merry Christmas, Count Your Blessings, White Christmas, Happy Holiday. |
| A Short List of Past Performances October 4, 1992 Conductor: Jeanne Daniels Accompanist: Genie O’Connell Featured Work: Johannes Brahms’ “A German Requiem”April 1, 1990 Conductor: Jeanne Daniels Accompanist: Ann Wight Featured Work: Selections from “Messiah”April 12, 1987 Conductor: Albert Packard Accompanist: Paul Havenstein Featured Works: Gabriel Faure’s “Requiem,” and Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria” June 3, 1984 December 11, 1981 May 18, 1980 |