POCO announces Christmas concert
Pictured are members of the Pend Oreille Chorale and Orchestra at a past concert.
(Courtesy photo)
On Saturday, Dec. 9, at 3 p.m., the Pend Oreille Chorale and Chamber Orchestra will present its one free concert this Christmas season.
It will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 602 Schweitzer Cutoff. Due to other events, only one concert can be held this December, officials said.
“The concert will have a variety of music and musicians besides the chorale and orchestra,” said director Mark Reiner. “The Selkirk Brass will greet everyone in the foyer and ring in the joy of the season with traditional carols,” Reiner went on to say. They are also second on the program as a brass choir with the chorale singing “O Magnum Mysterium” (O Great Mystery) by 16th century composer Gabrieli.
“The Heavens are Telling” by Beethoven opens the program with chorale, Mozart’s “Laudate Dominum” (Praise the Lord) with Caren Reiner as soloist is third. She is accompanied by both choir and orchestra. For musical variety a trio follows by 20th century composer Max Reger. “Serenade” will be performed by Gayle McCutchan, Alisha Dawson and Marcy Hogan. Another Mozart, the famous “Ave Verum” with chorale and orchestra is next. Ending the first half will be “The Birthday of a King” with tenor soloist Jeff Eakle.
Opening the second half will be two movements of an early Beethoven Sonata for violin and piano with Keegan Bernardin and Caren Reiner. Another chamber ensemble follows with a rather slow and introspective movement of a piano trio by Schubert with Gayle McCutchan, Christine Alexander, and Caren Reiner.
The final piece is a short Mass for soloists, chorale and orchestra, “Missa Brevis” by Joseph Haydn, composed at age 17. Featured soloists are Janice Wall and Deanna Benton, sopranos, and Cindy Horton and Alisha Dawson, flutes.
“We wish to thank the church for their generosity in allowing both rehearsal space and performance venue,” said director Mark Reiner. “We hope audiences will enjoy our free musical offering, one performance only Dec. 9 at 3 p.m. The Pend Oreille Chorale and Orchestra continues to celebrate many decades of free service to the community.”