Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra pairs Yuletide classics with poignant new pieces, November 29 and 30

Program features Derek Holman’s Sir Christëmas Suite, the world premiere of Gerda Blok-Wilson’s As if New-Created, and more

SPONSORED POST BY Elektra

Elektra. Photo by Christopher Edmondstone

Vancouver’s acclaimed adult treble voice choir, Elektra, opens the holiday season with Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra, a cherished tradition for local audiences. Joined by the Mira Youth Mentorship singers and guest instrumentalists, Elektra blends timeless Yuletide melodies with bold new creations at Pacific Spirit United Church on November 29 at 7:30 pm and November 30 at 3 pm.

At the heart of the program is Derek Holman’s brilliant Sir Christëmas Suite—a piece brimming with humour, wassail songs, and the playful rivalry of holly and ivy. Joyful, rhythmically spirited, and rich with contrast, this largely secular multi-movement treasure sparkles with wit and warmth, and provides the perfect foil to the season’s more contemplative and sacred offerings.

Holman was an English-born Canadian composer, conductor, and organist whose works have enriched the choral landscape in Canada and beyond. He was a prolific writer for treble voices, and his music is celebrated for its wit, rhythmic vitality, and imaginative settings of both sacred and secular texts. Holman taught at the University of Toronto and received the Order of Canada in recognition of his contributions to Canadian music.

Elektra. Photo by Christopher Edmondstone

Sir Christëmas Suite is a work with special personal resonance for Elektra’s artistic director, Cassie Luftspring.

“Derek Holman was a mentor whose wisdom and humour shaped me deeply,” Luftspring said in a release. “His Sir Christëmas Suite is full of that same wit and sparkle, and I can’t imagine a better way to welcome the season than by sharing this music with Elektra and our audience.”

Surrounding Holman’s suite is a rich tapestry of contemporary works. Elektra is presenting the world premiere of Gerda Blok-Wilson’s As if New-Created, a luminous new addition to the Canadian repertoire that was written especially for the choir. The program also includes Missy Mazzoli’s shimmering reimagining of chant by Hildegard von Bingen, Kelly-Marie Murphy’s radiant carols infused with harp, and Andrew Balfour’s Wyandot’s Realm, a poignant retelling that challenges the legacy of the familiar “Huron Carol”. Together, these works round out a festive celebration of wonder, community, and joy.

Usher in the holidays with Elektra’s radiant sound. Tickets are available here.

Post sponsored by Elektra.

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