Concert Chorale to Perform Dec. 14

The Blair Concert Chorale will present “A Glorious Holiday Concert,” a concert of John Rutter’s “Gloria” and additional works that will enhance the spirit of the season on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 12th Avenue and 14th Street, Altoona.

“A Glorious Holiday Concert” will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at First Lutheran Church, 12th Avenue and 14th Street, Altoona.

General admission tickets are available at Thompson pharmacies (Chestnut Avenue and Hollidaysburg) and at the door. Tickets for the concert are also available online at http://www.eventbrite.com.

Guest Conductor Rebekah K. O’Brien will direct the 50-member Blair Concert Chorale and 14 guest musicians.

The repertoire for the BCC’s Holiday concert will add depth and variety to the performance and has generated much enthusiasm from the singers. The music for this concert includes:

• John Rutter’s “Gloria,” structured in three movements; the piece is scored for choir, brass, percussion and organ.

• The premiere performance of a piece in five movements composed especially for Guest Conductor Rebekah O’Brien and the Blair Concert Chorale in August 2019 by German composer Christoph Pollak titled “Advenias – A Christmas Collection.”

• A suite of songs celebrating the Virgin Mary: “Ave Maria” by Tomas Luis de Victoria, “A Hymn to the Virgin” by Benjamin Britten, “Ave Maria” by Anton Bruckner.

• Two additional pieces by Christoph Pollak that evoke childhood and the love of the Christmas season: “Kanon” and “Hear the Little Children.”

• An added highlight to the concert will be an audience sing-along of traditional Christmas carols arranged by Ken Young, accompanied by a brass quartet.

Accompanying

Musicians accompanying the chorale include Kenneth Young, Josh Hillard, Dennis Clawson, Matt Stombaugh – trumpet; Josh Brumbaugh, Brian Rutter – trombone; Kathryn Beck – French horn; John Kovalchik – tuba; James Latten – percussion; and organist, Leslie Thayer will be featured during Gloria.

The voices of the Blair Concert Chorale Children’s Choir will be under the direction of Jamie Hillard and accompanied by Mary Villani. That group will present traditional and contemporary holiday selections. They will join the Blair Concert Chorale in concluding the concert with an arrangement of “Silent Night” partnered with “Peace, Peace, Peace.”

Conductors

Since long-term conductor Dr. Ryan Beeken left the area to take a faculty position at Wichita State University, the Blair Concert Chorale is under the direction of Guest Conductor Rebekah O’Brien for this concert.

Guest Conductor O’Brien is delighted to be making her first appearance conducting the Blair Concert Chorale. Primarily seen on the podium as the conductor of the Juniata College Orchestra and the principal guest conductor of the Newark Symphony, Delaware, she recently collaborated and led the Juniata Concert Choir as it joined forces with the Juniata Orchestra on its first international tour through Germany, Switzerland, and France.

Last February saw O’Brien leading the Newark Symphony Choir and Chamber Orchestra in a performance of Dan Forrest’s moving work “Requiem for the Living.” Beyond her work as a conductor, she also teaches the art of Eurythmy at the Susquehanna Waldorf School.

O’Brien currently lives with her daughter Genavieve in State College.