Sing With the Angels

After a week and a half that included performances in St. Paul, Bonnyville, and Beauvallon, the Elk Point Community Choir wrapped up its Christmas season with a home concert on Friday night. The December 9^th event, held at the Allied Arts Centre in Elk Point, featured the St. Paul Bell Choir, “Resonate.”

Choir president, Barb Buryn, welcomed the audience, noting the contrast in weather between this year’s frigid blast and last year’s balmy el Nino. She introduced the choirmaster, Udo Mueller, and pianists Sheila Hatch and Kelsey Taylor.

Opening with their anthem, “Just Let Me Sing” the Community Choir proceeded to share their joy of music through a number of understated harmonies, leading the audience to reflect on the peaceful message of Christmas. While most of the songs were accompanied by piano, for “Star of Wonder” by Greg Gilpin, the dominant instrument was voices of the choir, with support from finger cymbals, shakers, a hand drum, and a guiro – a Latin American instrument made from a notched gourd and rubbed with a stick.

Half way through the concert, the choir left the stage to focus attention on Resonate. An amazing variety of dings, clonks, bongs, and hums was produced by 12 ringers with their bells, chimes, hammers, and tubes, creating peaceful, clear melodies with rich undertones.  Members Joanne Lamoureux, Patricia Gervais, and Don Buryn took turns conducting the choir. Resonate demonstrated the focus and cooperation required by bell ringers so that the whole choir becomes one instrument. As Mueller commented, “nothing compares to that pure and delicate tone” of the bells. Mueller, an accomplished musician and music teacher at Glen Avon School in St. Paul, filled in at the last minute for an absent member of Resonate so the bell choir could perform with its full complement.

Following Resonate, Mueller joined Linden Lundback, Garry Townsend, and Alan Kostyniuk to perform as a quartet. The men delighted the audience with their range and harmony in two songs, one, “Gloria” written by Mueller who sang as he accompanied on the piano.

The headliners, Elk Point’s choir, returned to the stage with five more pieces including upbeat “Christmas in Killarney” and “Holiday Road” and concluding with the traditional “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Mueller shared his wishes for a safe and happy Christmas season, then invited everyone to share goodies.

Food donations were collected at the door and will be distributed in Elk Point and surrounding area by the Community Lions in their annual Santas Anonymous campaign.