The Music Team at St. Paul’s United Church in Perth is presenting “A Musical Celebration of Christmas” on Sunday, December 21 at 2pm. The first half of the concert will feature the St. Paul’s Senior Choir singing Emmanuel, God with Us — a contemporary “Lessons and Carols” telling the Christmas story through music and readings.
The second half of the program will feature a variety of vocalists and instrumentalists. Joel LeBlanc, long-time member of the St. Paul’s choir, will sing Huron Carol, the oldest Canadian Christmas carol, written in the mid-17th century.
Don McLean, the minister at St. Paul’s, is also a cellist in the Kingston Symphony. Along with Director of Music Brad Mills on organ, he will perform arrangements of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel and Divinum Mysterium.
Kelly Hood will perform a medley of two Christmas songs, Away in a Manger and the Irish traditional reel Christmas Eve, on the Uilleann pipes (Irish pipes).
Six members of the St. Paul’s choir are in a barbershop octet called “High Octane.” They will be harmonizing together on barbershop arrangements of O Holy Night and Go Tell it On the Mountain. High Octane consists of Terri Henderson, Leslie Hoyle, Rick Comrie, Sue Upham, Brad Mills and Bill Elgie from the St. Paul’s choir, joined by Tineke Doornbosch and Dan Woods.
The “Charlie Brown Trio” will be returning this year to perform more music from the much-loved A Charlie Brown Christmas. The Emmy award-winning jazzy arrangements from the soundtrack, written by Vince Guaraldi, will be performed by Brad Mills on piano, Cam Gray on bass, and Terry Kirkpatrick on drums. The St. Paul’s Junior Choir and the women of the Senior Choir will join the trio on My Little Drum, which is a swinging version of The Little Drummer Boy.
One of the St. Paul’s Junior Choir members, Mathew Smith, will be joined by his mom, Karen Smith, in a rendition of Alan Jackson’s There’s a New Kid in Town (and he’s lying in a manger down the road).
Interspersed amongst all of this will be an opportunity for the audience to join the choir in singing some favourite carols, accompanied by the St. Paul’s mighty pipe/digital three manual organ, one of the finest instruments in the region. Brad will pull out all the stops for a rousing Toccata on the tune O Come All Ye Faithful.
Following the concert, everyone is welcome to join the choir for refreshments. There are no tickets or admission charge, but donations for the work of St. Paul’s will be accepted at the door (suggested donation of $20). St. Paul’s United Church, a centre for creativity, discovery and growth, is located at 25 Gore Street West in Perth stpaulsperth.ca.