SUNDRE – A holiday season without Christmas carols simply wouldn’t be quite the same.
The Sundre Community Choir recently teamed up with their counterparts from the Handbell Choir to put on a couple of Christmas concerts at the Sundre United Church.
The first of the two performances on Sunday, Dec. 8 was attended by approximately 125 guests, said Cheri Jahnke, accompanist and handbell director.
“Many are annual attendees from neighbouring communities,” said Jahnke, adding some came out from places including Calgary, Red Deer, Olds, Innisfail and Camrose.
The concert featured Christmas and winter choral music performed by both groups followed by some refreshments and fellowship, said Jahnke.
The concert started with Away in a Manager and concluded with Silent Night, featuring recently purchased choir chimes. Each choir performed eight songs and jointly performed another three, which included six newly purchased choral arrangements, she said.
Both groups enjoy performing at a variety of functions and have long been staples of other events in the community such as the annual Remembrance Day ceremony as well as the Sundre Palliative Care Association’s Candle Lighting Service and Tree of Hope ceremony with appearances at the Sundre Seniors’ Supportive Living centre.
The handbell choir also had a performance scheduled at River Valley School on Monday, Dec. 16 while the community choir planned to sing at the Myron Thompson Health Centre’s Long Term Care Christmas Tea, she said.
Following the holidays, the two groups’ next sessions will resume later in January with the spring concerts planned for April 6 and 8.
