Saturday Music Choir member Darren Wijerathna, 13, practising for the Renaissance Singers' Carols for Christmas concert. Photo / Judith Lacy
Saturday Music Choir member Darren Wijerathna, 13, practising for the Renaissance Singers' Carols for Christmas concert. Photo / Judith Lacy
This year, the Renaissance Singers’ Carols for Christmas concert will feature the addition of what characterises Christmas celebrations in many countries - children’s voices.
To aid the choir and audience in singing various popular carols, the choir has enlisted the help of 23 young singers who have been rehearsing regularlywith Nigel Tongs.
Tongs was a member of the New Zealand Youth Choir when it was judged the best choir in the world. He is also a soloist tenor and a member of the Renaissance Singers. He regularly stands in for music director Christine Archer-Lockwood when she is away to run rehearsals and often does the choir’s warm-ups at their practice sessions.
In addition, Archer-Lockwood has found a handful of young student choristers to boost the melody lines and help the audience with their singing of melodies and choruses.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the picture of children carolling is a common one. Churches there often have choirs of children - John Lennon and Paul McCartney were child choristers in church. When singing outside, children would be bundled up with warm hats, scarves and gloves.
The Renaissance Singers and extended company are providing an opportunity for those who like listening to and/or singing carols to do so.
The choir will sing some gorgeous and interesting carols that are a little less familiar. Its members have been learning how to pronounce Spanish in order to present two carols that are popular in Spanish-speaking countries, A La Nanita Nana and Serenissima una noche.
Saturday Music Choir members (from left) Richard Zhang, 9, Soren Kirkman-Jenkins, 8, and Mason Shippam, 9, rehearse Christmas carols under the guidance of Nigel Tongs. Photo / Judith Lacy
Carols the children will sing include Away in a Manger, TheLittle Drummer Boy and Coventry Carol.
The Renaissance Singers will give two performances of Carols for Christmas - one at 3pm on Saturday, December 9 at St Peter’s Anglican Church in Palmerston North, and another at 3pm on Sunday, December 10 at St John’s Anglican Church in Feilding.
The Details
What: Carols for Christmas
When: December 9 and 10
Where: Palmerston North and Feilding
Tickets: At the door $20; concession $15. Children aged 12 and under enter for free
