The Sandwich Arts Alliance Village Concert Series Presents A Very Merry Sandwich Midwinter

The Sandwich Arts Alliance Village Concert Series continues the inaugural season with A Very Merry Sandwich Midwinter a special seasonal concert performance by the Woods Hole-based group the Solstice Singers and Ensemble Passacaglia on Saturday, December 5, 7:30 pm, at Sandwich Town Hall, 130 Main St. A pre-concert celebration begins at 7:00 pm when luminaria and hot mulled cider can be enjoyed at the Town Hall entrance.

Sure to delight audiences of all ages, A Very Merry Sandwich Midwinter celebrates the season, transporting listeners to another time, weaving Medieval and Renaissance songs, poetry, drama, instrumental music and dance together, performed in colorful period costumes. The Solstice Singers perform several pieces accompanied by Ensemble Passacaglia, and sing some selections a cappella. Ensemble Passacaglia performs original instrumental selections on period instruments including lute, recorder, crumhorn, viola da gamba, and an array of percussion instruments.

Founded in 1992, and under the musical direction of Lore Loftfield De Bower, the Solstice Singers have performed music in the style of the European medieval and Renaissance periods. The ensemble has appeared widely across New England, but this is their debut appearance in the community of Sandwich. Members of the ensemble reside across the Cape and Southeastern Massachusetts.

Instrumental quartet Ensemble Passacaglia performs ancient and world music with fresh interpretations of cross-cultural music from the medieval and renaissance eras. Their repertoire includes lute songs, madrigals, canzonas, processionals, and a variety of dance pieces from pavanes and galliards to Turkish melodies and Latin-inspired tangos and waltzes.

Tickets for A Very Merry Sandwich Midwinter are $18 for adults and $10 for students, available for purchase online at www.sandwichartsalliance.org, at Heart of Stone gift shop, 130 Route 6A in Sandwich, and at the door. For more information about Solstice Singers and Ensemble Passacaglia, visit www.solsticesingers.org. For more information about Sandwich Arts Alliance performances, educational programs and arts advocacy, visit www.sandwichartsalliance.org, or follow Sandwich Arts Alliance on Facebook.