Trinity Western University’s School of the Arts, Media + Culture (SAMC) presents “In Every Season,” a night of uplifting choral music featuring an elite, 18-voice ensemble called the Chamber Singers. On November 4 and 5, the Chamber Singers will perform with a professional string quintet, piano, and organ. The evening is a rich musical journey ranging from poetic, contemplative pieces to lively American gospel.
Major works of the night include J.S. Bach’s cantata, Der Herr Denket an uns, and a beautiful setting of Psalm 23. Both pieces feature local student soloists: Sarah Quinn, Katrina Reynolds, and Anna-Marie Ryan. Every fall, the Chamber Singers perform a different Bach cantata, and this year it is a work originally composed to celebrate a wedding. It features a soprano aria and a Baroque instrumental ensemble. Psalm 23 is a little-known cantata by contemporary Canadian composer Robert Ingari. Through the work’s five movements, we follow the narrative arc of the psalm, concluding with a triumphant setting of “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” TWU has the privilege of presenting one of the first performances of this cantata.
This concert promises to be a spiritually uplifting experience that reflects on God’s presence in all seasons of life. Different pieces bring different seasons to mind, from the hope of new beginnings in “Bright Morning Stars Are Rising” to the “sunset” of the peaceful Lutkin benediction that closes the concert. The Canadian classic, “Rise Up, My Love, My Fair One” illustrates the beauty of love, while an upbeat Finnish song depicts a moment of gratitude and soaring joy. The rich and vivid poetry of pieces such as “I Am the Still Rain Falling” complements sacred works that illuminate well-known biblical texts in a new way.
Enjoy the concerts at Emmanuel Free Reformed Church, Abbotsford, November 4 and at Langley Canadian Reformed Church, November 5. Both concerts are at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and details, visit www.twu.ca/samc or phone 604.513.2173.