We’re entering the musical season, when community groups and professional organizations all along the Niagara Escarpment perform pre-Christmas concerts. The Georgetown Choral Society will present “A Candlelight Christmas” on Dec. 4 & 5 at Georgetown Christian Reformed Church.
I used to be a member of this large choir. With as many as 110 members, we could make such a loud sound that sometimes my ears would ring and I would feel dizzy from being in the midst of all the vibrations. What’s even more difficult, however, is having a large choir sing softly and clearly.
Director Dale Wood achieves this through patience and humour in rehearseals. I never saw him lose his temper. Only rarely would he say that we wouldn’t perform a particular number if we didn’t practise it on our own outside of rehearseal. When I became too busy with other stuff, I realized that I had to drop out of the choral society.
I still love choral music, though, for its power and sweep and majesty. And it’s utterly amazing when amateurs from small towns produce such spectacular sounds.
There is plenty to choose from this December. Dale Wood also directs the Georgetown Children’s Chorus and the Achill Choral Society, which performs in the Caledon/Orangeville area.
What concerts are in your community this month? Do you enjoy choral singing, as a listener or participant?
