For its second in a series of Christmas Around the World concerts, the Chicago Chamber Choir will perform "Canciones de Navidad: A Spanish Christmas" next month. Performances take place on December 12 in Evanston and December 16 in Lincoln Park. The skilled choral ensemble of 40 singers is under the artistic direction of Timm Adams.
The holiday celebration features a range of popular traditional works including O Magnum Mysterium by Tomas Luis de Victoria, the anonymous Riu Riu Chiu: El Lobo Rabioso, and Carol of the Birds. The chorus will also explore regional Latin music with a section of the program called "Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest" by Conrad Susa—scored for chorus, guitar, harp and marimba. They will highlight Catalonian, Puerto Rican, Castilian and Mexican songs as well as those from other parts of the Spanish-speaking world.
The Chicago Chamber Choir presents "Canciones de Navidad: A Spanish Christmas" Sunday, December 12 at 7 p.m. at the Music Institute of Chicago's Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue in Evanston and Thursday, December 16 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul's United Church of Christ, 2335 N. Orchard in Chicago. Tickets are $18 in advance, $20 at the door, and $15 for students and groups of 10 or more and are available at chicagochamberchoir.org or 312-409-6890.
CCC's 2010–11 season concludes with "Soar: Songs of Wind and Sky," the third concert program in its Singing the Elements series, April 9 at Our Lady of the Brook Parish in Northbrook and April 10 at Unity Lutheran Church in Andersonville.
Founded in 1996, the Chicago Chamber Choir promotes the joy of choral music by offering seasonal concerts and charitable performances that educate and entertain children and adults in the Chicagoland area. The choir's repertoire is culturally diverse and international in scope. Seasonal concerts feature a balance of sacred and secular works, including time-honored classics as well as contemporary selections.
As part of its mission, CCC actively seeks performance venues that bring music to under-served individuals and communities. The choir has performed in Chicago's inner-city schools, retirement homes, homeless shelters and rehabilitation centers. Artistic Director Timm Adams, who has conducted CCC since 2000, is associate professor of music at Rockford College, where he teaches private voice and music theory, conducts three choirs and musical-directs the Performing Arts Department's main stage musicals.
CCC's most recent CD, Hymns & Spirituals: Strength for the Journey, showcases its strongest repertoire: a collection of beloved and soul-stirring hymns and spirituals. Among the highlights are "My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord," "Give Me Jesus," "Ride the Chariot" and "There is a Balm in Gilead." The CD is $15 and is available at CCC's concerts as well as chicagochamberchoir.org.
"Canciones de Navidad: A Spanish Christmas"
Hodie Christus Natus Est
Javier Busto
O Magnum Mysterium
Tomas Luis de Victoria
Riu, Riu, Chiu: El Lobo Rabioso
Anonymous, arr. by The King's Singers
Alta Reyna soberana
Anonymous
Alegres Pregonan
Arr. by Eduardo Cifre
Christmas Lullaby
Jeffrey Van
Carols and Lullabies:
Christmas in the Southwest
Conrad Susa
Oh, me Belen! (Biscayan)
El Desembre Congelat (Catalonian)
Alegria (Puerto Rican)
A la Nanita Nana (Spanish)
Las Posadas (Spanish)
Campana Sobre Campana (Andalucian)
En Belen Tocan a Fuego (Castilian)
El Noi de la Mare (Catalonian)
Chiquirriquitín (Andalucian)
El Rorro (Mexican)
Over All the Land
Arr. by Goff Richards
Carol of the Birds
Arr. by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw
Villancico de la Falta de Fe
Eduardo Falu
Ocho Kandelikas
Flory Jagoda
O brilliante estrella
Mark Sirett
Llega la Navidad!
Ramon Díaz, arr. by Juan Tony Guzman
