Harmonia Caelestis Concert in Celebration of Advent Season

The Augustana Choir and Sangkor: Augustana's Women's Choir are pleased to present Harmonia Caelestis, a choral concert in celebration of the Advent season. Festive music will resound in the University Chapel on the evening of Saturday, December 3 (7:45 pm-Pre-concert Lecture/8:00 pm-Concert) and the afternoon of December 4 (2:45 pm-Pre-concert Lecture/3:00 pm-Concert). Choral works of representative Canadian and Hungarian composers will be featured, including seven cantatas drawn from Harmonia Caelestis-an extensive choral/orchestral work written by Hungarian baroque composer, Pal Esterházy. As the Harmonia Caelestis cantatas were first published in 1711, this performance will be a 300th anniversary celebration! These glorious sacred baroque cantatas from Central Europe will be juxtaposed with a delightful single movement motet also written in the early 18th century by an anonymous Canadian composer, surprisingly enough!
Sacred choral works by Robin J. King will have their Camrose premiére to mark an important anniversary for this immensely talented Alberta composer, now residing in Bashaw, Alberta. With imaginative percussion, recorder, handbell, and organ accompaniments, King's inspired and accessible compositional techniques breathe life into lovely medieval texts suitable for the Advent season.
In addition to these featured works, miscellaneous choral compositions by Elgar, Gjeilo, Guzman, and Rutter will add to the heavenly harmony.
The Augustana Choir, directed by Dr. Ardelle Ries, and Sangkor, directed by Brendan Lord will be joined by the Esterházy Instrumental Ensemble, Dr. Roger Admiral (continuo), Tova Olson (piano & percussion), and Dr. Milton Schlosser (organ). Dr. Alex Carpenter will present an informative and enjoyable Pre-Concert Lecture at 7:45 pm (Saturday) and 2:45 pm (Sunday).
Tickets are available at the door ($16 adults/$12 students/serniors/$40 family). Donations to the Camrose Foodbank and Christmas Presence are welcome.