This joyous holiday program features Vivaldi’s Magnificat, Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, and Saint‐Saëns’ exquisitely orchestrated Oratorio de Noël. The program will be adorned with holiday arrangements by Robert De Cormier and seasonal carols for the audience.
West Village Chorale
Orchestra of the West Village Chorale
Sarah Brailey, soprano http://sarahbrailey.com/calendar/
Kirsten Sollek, contralto
Malcolm J. Merriweather, conductor
The annual Christmas Concert at St. John the Divine features J.S. Bach’s beloved Magnificat. Exuberant trumpets and timpani introduce this setting of the song of Mary, which was intended for use at major feast days, including Christmas. The triumphant brass, festive choruses, and dancing rhythms herald the arrival of the Christmas season. The angelic voices of the Cathedral Choristers will adorn the program with seasonal selections and the audience joins to sing in favorite Christmas Carols!
The Cathedral Choir, Chorale, and Choristers
Amy Justman, Jamet Pittman, and Michele Kennedy, sopranos
Katie Geissinger and Kirsten Sollek, mezzo-sopranos
Marc Day, tenor
Hans Tashjian, bass
Malcolm J. Merriweather, conductor
Kent Tritle, conductor