PREVIEW
Mission Hill Brass presents
It’s a Big Band Christmas 3
With special guests Capital City Big Band
Sunday, Dec. 22, at 7 p.m.
St. Albert United Church
20 Green Grove Drive
Tickets: $20 at door. Children under 12 free
Even before Mission Hill Brass takes its seat on stage, the glints of light bouncing off golden instruments hint at the beautiful notes to come.
Especially during a Yuletide concert, the 30 musicians have a way of conjuring up that warm, nostalgic feeling from bygone eras.
This year, the St. Albert based band rings in the Christmas season with a concert on Sunday, Dec. 22, at St. Albert United Church.
The moniker, It’s a Big Band Christmas 3, refers to the British-style brass band joining forces with the jazzier Capital City Band for the third consecutive year.
Although the two bands will perform separately, the whole program is a blended winter pageantry of new and old, traditional carols and contemporary popular works.
Mission Hill’s music director Daniel Skepple Jr. often chooses easy-listening works that are both dynamic and test the brass band’s technical ability.
A new piece and potential concert highlight is Nu Tändas Tusen Juleljus.
“This Christian traditional Swedish language Christmas song was written in 1898 by the Swedish song text writer Emmy Köhler (both text and melody). Translated into English, the title literally means 'Now are lit a thousand Christmas candles,' stated Skepple.
“The theme of the song is domestic harmony and inner peace, brought by the lights of candles as well as of the stars above, most importantly the star of Bethlehem. It is one of the most popular Christmas songs in Sweden.”
A trio performs Nu Tändas Tusen Juleljus featuring Dr. Taina Lorenz, Michael Lageunesse and Donna Aab.
Lorenz, a flugelhorn player who rejoined the band after a two-year absence, will also step away from her chair to conduct Canadian composer Donald Coakley’s Lyric Essay.
“It’s an interesting tapestry of harmonies and shifting melodies. It’s like an opera aria. It starts off gently, has an emotional climax in the middle and shifts to a quieter finish at the end. It’s harmonically interesting and emotionally compelling,” said Lorenz.
Julien Simard from the RCA Band also steps up to the podium to conduct Morten Lauridsen’s stunningly beautiful O Magnum Mysterium, a work that evokes the mystery of the nativity.
In this concert of solos, Dr. Troy Turner also plays the euphonium in Josh Groban’s mega hit You Raise Me Up while Micheal Lajeunesse performs the E-flat horn solo for In the Bleak Mid-Winter.
While the brass band focuses on concert music, the Capital City Big Band’s jazzy choices are characterized by distinctive tones, syncopated rhythms and improvisation.
The 17-piece jazz band's gift of music balances three standards and three Christmas tunes.
Opening the jazz band’s set is Tom Kubis’ arrangement of Deck the Halls that features a guitar and trumpet solo. Following is a famed Ella Fitzgerald tune, I’m Beginning to See the Light, sung by band vocalist Diana Stable.
“She has a lovely voice and she brings a nice touch. She brings something beautiful to the band, a different colour,” said bandleader Jean-Francoise Picard.
The Francophone band leader has also programmed several jazz stalwarts including Duke Ellington’s hard-hitting swing, Rockin’ and Rhythms, as well as Count Basie’s popular shuffle, Gorilla Man Blues.
As Picard says, “If you want to get into the spirit of Christmas, come listen to the band.”
