Berkshire Lyric and the Blafield Children’s Chorus, 2013
“Making Spirits Bright, a Concert of Christmas Music” will take place at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on Park Square in downtown Pittsfield on Saturday, December 21 at 7:30.
The 85-voice Berkshire Lyric Chorus will be joined by the its youth faction, the Blafield Children’s Chorus, in a wide-ranging choral program of some of the most beloved music of the season.
Jack Brown, Berkshire Lyric’s artistic director, said the concert is the latest in a more than 50-year tradition of choral performance in the region.
“Berkshire Lyric recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, and this annual holiday concert remains a heart warming and nostalgic evening of great Christmas music for the whole family,” said Brown.
The concert will be led by Brown and accompanied by Joe Rose. The featured work will be Benjamin Britten’s “A Ceremony of Carols,” performed as part of the celebrations of the centennial anniversary of his birth. This famous work originally written for a boy’s choir has been reimagined for Berkshire Lyric and celebrates their own Blafield Children’s Chorus in several movements. Teresa Mango will perform the virtuoso harp part and also accompany the chorus in a moving arrangement of Silent Night to end the program.
“The chorus always enjoys singing with the great St. Stephen’s Pipe Organ in the rich acoustics of this historic church. There will be a sing-a-long portion for the entire audience to join their voices,” said Brown. “Another special treat is the addition of Metropolitan mezzo-soprano Marjorie Dix. She is the Berkshire Lyric 2013-2014 Season Guest Artist and will also be featured at our summer Tanglewood Concert on June 1, 2014.”
For more information and to order tickets, please visit www.BerkshireLyricInfo.org. Tickets may be purchased online or by cash or check on the day of the event.
About Berkshire Lyric
Berkshire Lyric has been a fixture in the Berkshire musical landscape for more than 50 years, beginning as a lyric theater performance group. It has since grown to be the only multi-generational music performance and educational group in the Berkshires, providing scholarships, tuition-free education, and quality performance opportunities to Berkshire residents of all ages. As a non-profit, federally tax exempt charitable organization, Berkshire Lyric is supported in part by grants from local Massachusetts Cultural Councils, local corporations and gifts from individual contributors.
