Culture

Guilford, Vt. – Friends of Music at Guilford’s 43rd Christmas at Christ Church program is set for December 11 & 12, Friday at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday at 4:00. These annual gatherings feature both choral and instrumental Christmas music, a story, and a short carol-sing.This year’s program includes an eclectic selection of songs, both sacred and secular, to bring in the holidays. Under the direction of Tom Baehr, the Guilford Chamber Singers present perennial favorites “Carol of the Bells” and “Deck the Halls” with much earlier carols from the 14th to the 17th centuries.

To these are added contemporary pieces “Bethlehem Spiritual” and “The Winter’s Night,” a hauntingly beautiful and evocative song that has become the group’s favorite; an entertaining setting of “Winter Wonderland” and even an arrangement of “Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy” from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker.” “Come, Dear Children” by Alfred Burt is an invitation to participate in the season’s festivities.

It’s a Wonderful Messiah Sing
Anyone who has ever sung Händel’s Messiah should come enjoy Brattleboro’s annual Messiah Sing on the first Saturday of December. You should probably cram first. I do. This post is our Saturday morning cram guide.

‘s Messiah Sing is Brattleboro at its best. It’s when everyone from our diverse music community is drawn to one place. The soloists are not boring. They’re either up-and-and coming locals or let-me-show-you-how-this-is-done professionals. For the choruses, you’ll always be near a strong singer. Brattleboro is lousy with them. You can just hum along if you’re unsure and then sing loud for the Hallelujah Raucus. If the singing stops during that dramatic rest just before the final Hallelujah, it’s wonderful and glorious. Someone ususally goofs, but there’s always next year when we’re sure to get it right. You just gotta let go on the Hallelujah Chorus. That’s the thing and ’tis the season. As the page turn will tell you, I Know That My Redeemer Liveth!

Friends of Music at Guilford invites singers and music lovers in the Tri-State region to start their holiday season at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, with the 45th annual Community Messiah Sing, a benefit for the homeless. Centre Congregational Church, at 193 Main Street in Brattleboro, has been home for the Sing since 1982 and for a few prior seasons as well.

Terry Larsen, a resident of Southampton, Mass., returns for a ninth season to lead the Sing. He brings over twenty-five years of experience as a music teacher, choral singer, soloist, and conductor to his role at the helm. William McKim, who has played the organ at this event for twenty-seven past seasons, and officially “retired” twice from doing so, agreed to step in on short notice when UVM’s David Neiweem, who played for the Sing in 2014, broke a collarbone in late October.

Mole Hill Theatre presents contemporary bluegrass and folk music quartet The Stockwell Brothers on Friday, December 4 at 7:30 pm.

Bruce, Barry, Alan and Kelly Stockwell’s music spans traditional and progressive styles, but their trademark acoustic sound features new singer/songwriter material recast with banjo, alternative rhythms and three-part harmonies. They cover straight ahead bluegrass songs, finger picked acoustic guitar ballads, full tilt breakdowns and traditional mandolin tunes mixed in with more unusual fare – Americana melodies riding world beat grooves and Celtic, jazzy, even neo-classical instrumentals.