Island Consort, "And the Light Sings"

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Saturday, April 16th, 2016
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Have you ever heard a choir sing and play tuned wine glasses at the same time – along with handbells accompaniment? Here is a rare opportunity to experience such an ethereal sound. Night and Light and Blessings are major themes in the upcoming Island Consort choral program. Nanaimo’s chamber choir, directed by Bruce Farquharson, presents “And the Light Sings”, a program of choral music from Renaissance to Recent.

In typical Island Consort fashion, the program begins with two Renaissance pieces; Passereau’s saucy “Il Et Bel Et Bon” and Gibbon’s joyous “O, Clap Your Hands” – for double choir. The “Magnificat” from Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de Confessore will feature soprano Skye Donald, and the choir will sing the cerebral “Selig Sind, Die Da Lied Tragen” from Brahms’ German Requiem.

John and Margaret Nelson will accompany the choir on organ and piano, respectively. Much of the remaining program features contemporary music, including Whitacre’s “Sainte-Chapelle”, Hawley’s “Io Son La Primavera” and Ellingboe’s “ “Be Music, Night”. Piano accompanied “Evening Prayer”, by Norwegian composer, Ola Gjeilo, features an extended tenor sax improv. solo by Nicola Crowhurst .

The choir is excited to have discovered Latvian, Eriks Esenvalds music, programming two pieces; “O Salutaris Hostia”, featuring a soprano duet, and “Northern Lights”, featuring the tuned wine glasses, and handbells played by members of Jubellation Handbell group. Rounding out the program are 3 folk songs; “Viel Freuden Mit Sich Bringet”, “It Was a Lover and His Lass” and “Shenandoah”.