Submitted by Blossom Valley Singers
With only a month until Christmas, the parties have begun, the countdown is on, and the annual Blossom Valley Singers Christmas concert is just around the corner, Dec. 9 and 10.
This year, the choir brings you “Christmas By Request” – songs taken from a wish list of Christmas songs, straight from the singers themselves.
“At our end-of-season wind-up after last Christmas and again after our Spring concert, we asked the choir members what songs they wish they could sing in our next Christmas concert,” explains choir president Linda Wallace. “So that’s where most of this year’s program was chosen from.
“We wondered what we’d get,” she laughs, “and there were definitely some surprises.”
It’s turned out, of course, to be a mix of both familiar and unfamiliar carols and hymns, some familiar and unfamiliar winter themed songs … and some unexpected but fun challenges for the choir.
Guests for this year’s concerts are local women’s choir, Key of She, and Windjammers (a spin-off of the local community band), who will accompany Blossom Valley Singers on several pieces.
The inclusion of other Creston Valley singers and musicians in their programs has been a commitment and tradition of the Blossom Valley Singers nearly since inception more than 35 years ago. “Whenever there is opportunity for us to share the stage with others, it’s an opportunity to lift each other up, to give others the chance to perform for an audience, and to celebrate Creston’s culture of appreciating music and live performance.”
An Early Christmas Present
As they prepared for this year’s annual Christmas concert, the Blossom Valley Singers were thrilled to receive news of an early Christmas present, in the form of a grant from the Creston & District Credit Union.
“We had only submitted the grant application a few days earlier,” said Wallace. “So we were completely blown away when we got the call.”
The choir had been seeking some support in the purchase of side rails for the risers used on stage for concerts. In his phone call, Creston & District Credit Union CEO Lawrence Makortoff informed Wallace that the Credit Union would cover the full amount – $1,625.
“And not just that,” Wallance says. “He said that the choir is good for, and does good for, the community and the Credit Union is happy to support what we do. That, alone, was amazing and important for the choir to hear, and the railings provide both safety and some much-needed peace of mind. We couldn’t be more grateful.” Their Christmas concert marks the first use of the new equipment.
To see what “Christmas By Request” has in store, performances are at the Kootenay River Theatre, Kootenay River Secondary School, on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 7 pm and Sunday, Dec. 10 at 2 pm. Tickets are available at Fly in the Fibre, Kingfisher Books, and Sunshine & Gelato, or online at crestonauditorium.tickit.ca. Seniors/Adult/Youth $15, Children 12 and Under $10.
