The Sooke Community Choir is going all out this year for an outstanding and unusual Christmas Concert, with Bruce Ruddell conducting. Bruce has skillfully coached the choir to new heights and harmonized voices to a new level of excellence, that will inspire and bring joy to all those who attend. The theme of the evening is A Christmas Past.
As well as old seasonal harmonies that will be sung, there will be readings about life in Sooke in pioneer days, as remembered by Maywell Wickheim. A few of our elders are still with us, and we treasure their interesting, sometimes funny and always entertaining tales of the past. We are so fortunate to have a story teller like Maywell in our midst, and his clear memories are treasures to share.
And there’s more! Gillian Lemire-Elmore, our accomplished performance pianist and accompanist, will play Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G minor, Opus 23 #5...a passionate and alluring piece. Gillian performed Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona’s, The Malaguena at the last concert, so many will remember her exquisite talent, skill and ability to capture the composer’s passion.
We are so happy to have ‘found’ Bruce, our new conductor. He has a wonderful way of eliciting the very best from each person in the choir and ensuring that the audience enjoys and engages with us, in an evening they will not soon forget. Bruce is a professional composer, playwright and musician who wrote Let Me Call you Sweetheart, which played at the Belfry in 2012.
The choir will be selling and taking orders for beautiful Christmas door swags $25 and lush Christmas table centerpieces, with candles, for $10 and $15. You can call ahead to order at 250-818-6441 or buy at the concert. There will be treats, tea, coffee and juice at intermission.
We look forward to seeing you at St. Rose of Lima Church, 2191 Townsend Rd. on Saturday, December 6, 8 p.m. or for a matinee performance on Sunday, December 7 at 2 p.m. The St. Rose of Lima venue will allow a larger audience to enjoy the concerts. The choir will also perform on December 4, 7 p.m. at the St. Mary of the Incarnation at 4125 Metchosin Rd.
Tickets are available at People’s Pharmacy, Shopper’s Drug Mart, Metchosin Country Market or from any choir member, or at the door. www.sookecommunitychoir.com for more information.
New members are welcome to join for the Spring session which starts on January 7, 2015.