The Reedville Festival Chorale will present “Christmas Across the Ages” at 2:30 p.m. December 18 at Festival Halle, 177 Main Street, Reedville.
A sampling includes the beautiful classical 10th-century Italian, “O Magnum Mysterium;” the 16th-century English, “Rosa Mystica;” and the 13th-century French, “Behold, Emmanuel,” reported Jeanne Hickey.
The chorale will lead listeners through the centuries to some oh-so-familiar songs like “White Christmas,” “Silent Night” and “Away in a Manger” and to some with a little twist like “Jingle Bells Sortof” and “Let’s Celebrate the Christmas Season.”
The calypso rhythms of “Up Above My Head” and “To Bethlehem” and the gospel rhythms of “Go Tell It On the Mountain” will surely set toes to tapping and fingers snapping, said Hickey.
Since it’s founding eight years ago, the Reedville Festival Chorale has been under the direction of Richmond/Reedville resident, Sharon Freude. She is an accomplished organist who also sings with the Richmond Symphony Chorus.
Carina Harrison has been the group’s accompanist since its inception. She is the choirmaster/organist at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and Bethany UMC in Reedville. Jessica Guy-Haynie will lend her talents on the flute to several songs.
The chorale presents concerts at Christmas and for the Reedville Independence Day celebrations. Membership is open. Proceeds from the concert, which are by donation to the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum, contribute to the renewal of the old Reedville School, now known as Festival Halle. Please bring canned goods for the Northern Neck Food Bank.
