Join us for an evening celebrating the Christmas festive season, at our upcoming concert on December 9th at 7:30 pm.

The Hamilton Civic Choir will present Christmas music from the 16th to the 21st century in their final concert for the 2023 season.  The concert begins with Bach’s electrifying “Shout for Joy”, Jauchzet, frohlocket. This is the opening chorus from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, which has been performed by choirs throughout the 300 years since the first performance in 1734.  The piece welcomes the Christmas season with great joy.

The concert will feature the NZ premiere of “Snow Angel” by Canadian, Sarah Quartel. Rapidly becoming a favourite among choirs internationally, Quartel asks the listener “to see the tremendous potential present in our children. The piece celebrates love, beauty and the strength that a child’s voice can bring to our troubled world.”  Accompanied by piano, djembe (African drum) and a haunting cello line, this five-movement choral work includes narration in which three angels present their perspectives on their earthly charges. 

Additional choral music includes arrangements of traditional Christmas carols, including Chilcott’s arrangement of “Jingle Bells” and the Rutter arrangement for female voices, “Tomorrow shall be my dancing day”. 

And it wouldn’t be Christmas without Christmas cake, a Christmas-themed raffle, Christmas mince pies and more carols!  The audience will be offered Christmas-themed refreshments at the interval, and the opportunity to participate in several carols throughout the evening.