Friday December 6, 2019 ~ SOOKE
by Mary P Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
The Sooke Community Choir invites the community to share the glow of the winter season with family and friends at their upcoming ‘This Shining Night’ Concert Series, December 6, 7 and 8 at Sooke Community Hall and on December 14 at Oak Bay United Church.
The choir will be conducted by Artistic Director Bruce Ruddell and accompanied by Silvina Samuels on cello, Jeff Poynter on soprano sax and Kathy Russell on the piano.
The concert includes a combination of classical musical and popular winter songs. The promo says: “A stunning collection of beautiful and inspirational music that spans the ages from Mozart and Faure to George Michael and Pentatonix.”
Compared to last year’s ‘very gentle’ and meditative Christmas concert that was “reflective from beginning to end”, this year Ruddell says the concert will have “a similar kind of feel” but it’s “a winter show with some fun in it”.
The pop songs include the intense Kanye West song Coldest Winter and a Barbra Streisand version of Jingle Bells, as well pieces that are “reflective, gentle and full of peace”.
Of the 60 singers in the Sooke Community Choir, alto and soprano are covered by the 45 women and 15 men carry the bass. Ten singers in the group trek out from the west shore to Sooke for rehearsals. Over the six or seven years there has been a core group of 35 to 40 singers. “But we have a ton of new people and they’re young. I’m really happy about it,” says Ruddell.
“All the singers come with experience now. We do a gentle audition,” the artistic director says.
The choir has grown in skill and community presence in the past several years under Ruddell’s leadership. This year over 40 sponsors for the winter concert are listed by Sooke Community Choir as providing financial or in-kind support.
The evening concerts in Sooke start at 7:30 pm on each of Friday December 6 and Saturday December 7. The matinee on Sunday December 8 is at 2 pm. All of those at Sooke Community Hall at 2037 Shields Road.
Tickets are $20 each, for sale at South Shore Gallery (Sooke) and at Ivy’s Bookstore in Oak Bay — by cash or cheque, and at the door (cash/cheque). Online the tickets can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com