Birmingham Bach Choir celebrate Christmas with two traditional festive concerts.
The atmospheric Carols By Candlelight (Saturday 13 December 2014, St. Francis’, Bournville, Birmingham) sees them joined by St Francis’ Children’s Choir to perform a range of much loved carols in aid of charity.
Beginning with a candlelit procession through the Bournville church, expect to hear such favourites as Once In Royal David’s City and O Come All Ye Faithful, plus themed readings from Pauline Round and Michael Lloyd.
Carols By Candlelight tickets are £12 (concessions £10), family tickets (2x adults and up to 3 children) £25, with all proceeds go to St Mary’s Hospice Fund.
This is followed by Nine Lessons And Carols (Sunday 21 December 2014, 4pm), a free/ donations performance at St. Paul’s Church in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter which finds the choir performing a range of material as part of a traditional church service.
Enduring and familiar songs Silent Night and Hark The Herald Angels Sing, mix with perhaps lesser known, yet still enchanting, material such as Balulalow, John Rutter’s Dormi Jesu, Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium and Herbert Howells’ Sing Lullaby.
Consecrated in 1779, the Grade I listed ‘Jeweller’s Church’ is famed for its painted window, depicting the conversion of St Paul, and for its association with famed industrialists Matthew Boulton and James Watt.
Sarah Platt, Birmingham Bach Choir’s Chair, said: “Our traditional Christmas concerts at St. Francis’ and St. Paul’s churches are always firm favourites with audiences. We’ve performed at both venues many times, and they’re always magical occasions.
“There’ll be plenty of opportunities for the audience to exercise their own vocal prowess too, if they wish to join in.”
www.birmingham.bachchoir.com
