Elektra fetes the holidays with The Light of Hope Returning, November 30 and December 1

Shawn Kirchner’s exhilarating folk oratorio blends familiar and new carols in an immersive multidisciplinary exploration of winter mysteries

SPONSORED POST BY Elektra

Elektra. Photo by Collide Entertainment

 
 

Vancouver’s renowned choral ensemble Elektra launches its 38th season with an invitation to embrace the music of winter, solstice, and Christmas in Shawn Kirchner’s sparkling folk oratorio The Light of Hope Returning, at Pacific Spirit United Church on November 30 at 7:30 pm and December 1 at 4 pm.

Composer Kirchner, who Elektra welcomes to Vancouver for the performances, has crafted a work that weaves strands of Appalachian and shape-note traditions with gospel and spiritual sounds, along with faint echoes of the folk roots of the British Isles. Elektra first premiered the work in Canada three years ago, and is now performing it once more in co-founder and artistic director Morna Edmundson’s final season with the ensemble.

Toe-tapping fiddle tunes on “Brightest and Best” allow listeners to feel a resounding rhythm, while “Angels We Have Heard on High” delivers sparkling bluegrass-banjo rhythms. Dive deep into the soul-stirring gospel grooves and saxophone solos in “Lo, How a Rose and Children, Go Where I Send Thee”. The unique silvery sound of the hammered dulcimer—a stringed percussion instrument—adds a magical touch to the evening, and violin and cello notes steer transitions throughout the multifaceted oratorio.

 

Shawn Kirchner.

Morna Edmundson. Photo by Emily Cooper

 

Kirchner is an L.A.-based composer, arranger, and songwriter whose choral works are performed throughout the world. He served as the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s Swan Family Composer in Residence from 2012 to 2015.

Enhancing Elektra’s upcoming performance are extraordinary original video art projections by renowned Syrian American artist Kevork Mourad. Known for his collaborations with classical musicians, including Yo-Yo Ma’s Silkroad project, Mourad’s mesmerizing visuals add depth and wonder to Kirchner’s entrancing work.

Elektra is known for its brilliant programming, multidisciplinary initiatives, and spellbinding performances under the direction of Edmundson, and has been a groundbreaking ensemble since its founding as a women’s choir in 1987. In 2024, Elektra expanded its embrace to welcome all adult treble voices, celebrating a diverse and gender-inclusive community of singers.

Don’t miss this mesmerizing blend of melodies and traditions, in which Elektra welcomes the holidays through an immersive and unforgettable concert experience.

For tickets and more details, visit elektra.ca.



Post sponsored by Elektra.

 
 
 

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