Yellowknife Choral Society returns to St Patrick’s Church this weekend with Love, Light, Joy, Umoja, a concert featuring Fireweed Children’s Chorus and Aurora Chorealis.
The event takes place on Friday at 8pm and Saturday at 2pm.
Margo Nightingale, conductor of Aurora Chorealis, has been involved with the choir since moving to Yellowknife nearly 30 years ago. She said this season has been marked by strong energy across both groups.
“We have a lot of enthusiasm about this program,” she said, noting that about 75 members make up the regular season roster, “which is a lot of people, a lot of sound and a lot of energy.”
Fireweed Children’s Chorus opens the concert with A Charlie Brown Christmas, supported by guest musicians Andrew Jossa, Sean Robson and Mike Auty. Fireweed accompanist Élise Auld is also performing with the choir.
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Nightingale said the young singers have connected with the nostalgic score, describing it as “music that still resonates with young and old.”
The concert’s second half features Aurora Chorealis – the adult community choir – performing a range of seasonal works, including the premiere of The Bells of Christmas, written by Yellowknife composers Chris Philpott and Norm Glowach. The piece was arranged for choir by Bill Gilday.
Nightingale said introducing new local music is one of the highlights of the program, which also features tone chimes played by Fireweed singers Vinh Bui-Nguyen and Méïssa Nciri Israël.
Alongside collaborative pianist Shauna Morgan, Aurora Chorealis will also perform six movements of the Nguzo Saba Suite, a substantial work based on the seven days of Kwanzaa – celebrated every year from December 26 to January 1.
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According to Nightingale, the suite has been the choir’s most challenging focus this fall. She described it as “quite extensive and quite complicated,” but said its messages have deeply resonated with singers.
“We’re celebrating traditions that are more familiar to us and some traditions that are newer for us,” Nightingale said.
“I always prefer our rehearsal process to the concert because the idea of growing together and doing something together in rehearsal is always quite precious. Sharing the ultimate labours of those singers is what I am looking forward to the most.”
