The Kamsack Community Choir and five guest artists presented a concert at Westminster Memorial United Church on December 11 called A Christmas Gathering.
As emcee, Gwen Reilkoff welcomed everyone to the concert, saying that the choir members were happy that everyone could join them “to share music, laughter and the magic of Christmas.”
She thanked the guest artists for adding their talents to the production: Darren and Kira Kitsch on the hand bells and glockenspiel; Kathleen Tulloch on the flute; Ashley Hollett with a recitation and Jeremy Ruten on piano.
The choir is directed by Susan Bear with accompaniment by Marilyn Marsh on piano.
“Christmas is a time for people to gather,” Reikoff said as she introduced the first number of the concert. “Families often travel to be together. We have parties and invite our friends to celebrate with us. There are programs to attend at schools, town halls, and churches. Craft sales, plays, parades and special gatherings at various locations signal that this is a very special time of the year. And so the choir would like to invite you to gather together with us tonight to be part of the joy, the wonder, and the sacredness with its first number Carols of Gathering.
“This Christmas,”a song by Donny Hathaway, an American soul musician, and Nadine McKinnor, was released in 1970,” she said. “It celebrated the possibilities, the expectations and the anticipation of Christmas and the good fun and happy loving times. It will be sung by our quartet of John Adamyk, Susan Bear, Kathy Galye and Zennovia Duch.
“The choir’s next song is I Wonder as I Wander which is based on a traditional Appalachian Christmas carol.
“Sleigh Bells is an old Russian folk tune arranged by Earlene Rentz. You can definitely hear the Russian styling in it and a lot of bells. Hang on to your hats as our trio of Kathy, Zennovia and Susan sing Sleigh Bells.
“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing is a well-known Christmas carol. But when you add an extra set of hands on the piano and a wonderful arrangement you get magic. Here are Marilyn Marsh and Jeremy Ruten.
“Well, we were wondering for awhile whether we were going to get any snow for Christmas but it is finally here. The choir’s next number Winter Wonderland of Snowcombines two favourites, Winter Wonderland and Let It Snow.
“The song Wonderful Peace was originally written in Swedish by Gustaf Nordquist way back in 1921 and has become a very popular song at Christmastime there. It is a beautiful celebration of the joyous warmth that marks the Yuletide. It will be performed by our quartet.
“Christmas Hymn is a song by Amy Grant and Michael Smith who are well-known for their modern sacred music. Here is the choir with Christmas Hymn.
“Although the song, When a Child is Born has been recorded by many artists in both its original Italian and in English, probably the one we know the best is by Bony M. It will now be performed by our ladies’ trio.
“Our next number is from Beauty and The Beast-The Enchanted Christmas. It reminds us what the greatest gift is at Christmas. To perform As Long as There’s Christmas, we are delighted to welcome Ashley Hollett.
“Our ladies’ trio is back with And Glory Shone Around, a blending of new melodies with familiar Christmas carols.”
After the intermission, Reilkoff continued with the introductions of the numbers.
“A Winter Blast is a fabulous trio of three wintertime favourites. Here is our fabulous trio with three minutes of fun.
“Now we are going to quiet it down with a lullaby for Baby Jesus as the choir sings Sleep, My Savior, Sleep.
“A Tiny Child Will Comeis a beautiful Advent hymn by Don Besig and Nancy Price, sung for you by our trio of John, Zennovia, and Susan.
“Our next song was a number one pop hit in 1958 and won three Grammys that year. The Chipmunk Song was written by Ross Bagdasarian (a.k.a. David Seville) and sung by him in Chipmunk voice, although the singing credits were given to the Chipmunks. Here is the choir singing The Chipmunk Song.
“This next song is a beautiful new arrangement of two well-loved carols, The First Noel and Infant Holy, Infant Lowly. Our ladies’ choir is back, with Noel Fantasy.
“Several of our songs tonight combine two or more well-known songs. Jubilate! Bells are Ringing includes Hark! The Vesper Hymn is Stealing and The First Noel and will be done by the choir.
“Marilyn and Jeremy are back with another Christmas favourite: Go Tell it on the Mountain.
“At the end of a gathering people will often sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas. For its last song, the quartet would like to say We Wish You the Merriest with a song by Les Brown which was recorded by Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra in 1964.
“Our evening will soon come to a close but we are reminded in this song of the Morning of Promise still to come, based on Isaiah 9:2.”
Responding to the applause, the choir agreed to return for an encore.
“We would like to leave you this evening with a song that was written in October 1962 as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis and has since been recorded by hundreds of artists and has become a Christmas favourite,” Reilkoff said. “In this time of continuing uncertainty, we wish peace for all of you and for the world as we welcome the Christ Child into our midst. Here is Do You Hear What I Hear?”
