Island Bel Canto Singers will bring the music of Scotland, Ireland and Wales to Nanaimo this month.
The group will be joined by harpist Josh Layne, who is returning from a three-month tour in Europe, for a show at St. Andrew’s United Church on Dec. 1.
“Whether you love Celtic music, or the glorious sound of the grand classical harp, or the beautiful harmonies of the central Island’s premier adult treble choir – this concert will be sure to delight. There is also plenty of seasonal music to get you into the Christmas spirit,” noted a news release from Island Bel Canto Singers.
Layne will play four solo piece, including Deck the Halls, the First Noël and O Christmas Tree.
“The choir and I are excited and honoured to have Josh with us for these two concerts. And Josh is equally as happy to be back home on his beloved Vancouver Island – and particularly to play for Nanaimo audiences,” said Island Bel Canto’s artistic director, Fiona Blackburn.
The show will include Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, which the news release said brings 600-year-old carols back to life. The show will also include songs from the Irish production Riverdance, as well as familiar melodies such as Christmas in Killarney and the Skye Boat Song.
“As a singer who has recorded and toured Celtic music, I wanted to share my love of these songs with the choir. We have had so much fun polishing the up-beat pieces; the women sound beautiful, singing the soulful melodies, and I even persuaded them to learn the difficult sounds of Scots Gaelic,” Blackburn said.
The show will start at 3 p.m. and tickets can be purchased in advance from http://porttheatre.com or at the door for $30 for adults, $25 for youths and $15 for children. Kids under 12 get in free.
