Connecticut Master Chorale Annual Holiday Prelude Concert

The Connecticut Master Chorale, under the direction of Tina Johns Heidrich, will present its annual Holiday Prelude Concert on Sunday, November 23, at 3 pm at the First Congregational Church, 164 Deer Hill Ave, Danbury.

This popular concert has become a tradition for many and will feature a wide variety of seasonal and festive selections. A combination of new choral versions of old favorites along with less familiar music from many cultures will provide jubilant and exalted sounds of the season.

Opening with Bradley Ellingboe’s joyful and inspiring anthem “Welcome to Our Wondering Sight”, the program also includes an outstanding arrangement of “Now Thank We All Our God” by the incomparable John Rutter, Amy Grant’s touching and eloquent “Breath of Heaven” and “A Carol Fantasy”, a splendid array of four traditional carols with the joyous sounds of brass and bells.

The ever-popular steel drums with Latin percussion will accompany the Chorale in the Puerto Rican carol, “Saludo, Saludo”, and “Christmas a Come”, a traditional carol from Jamaica.

Christmas in New Orleans: a tribute to Louis Armstrong will be a special highlight, featuring three songs that were recorded and made popular by the “King of Jazz”; “Cool Yule”, “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?” and “’Zat You, Santa Claus?”

A new choral version of the iconic “Let There Be Peace on Earth”, an expressive arrangement of the traditional song “Hine Ma Tov” in Hebrew, and other delightful music round out the program ending with the rousing Southern Gospel hit “Christ Is Born!”

The Connecticut Master Chorale is an ensemble of 55 vocalists in their 16th year of singing in Western Connecticut. They will be accompanied by the Connecticut Master Chorale Holiday Brass and Joseph J. Jacovino on piano and organ.

Admission to the concert is $20 in advance and $25 at the door. The venue is handicap accessible and doors will open at 2:15. Please call (203) 743-0473 for ticket purchase and visit www.cmchorale.org for additional information.