The Beaver Valley Choral Society presents its 2024 Advent concert series, “Carols by Candlelight,” at the following area churches:
- Saturday, December 7 at 4pm – Grace Lutheran Evangelical Church 393 Adams Street, Rochester PA
- Sunday, December 8 at 4pm – College Avenue Methodist Church 345 College Avenue, Beaver PA
- Sunday, December 15 at 4pm – New Brighton Methodist Church, 1033 Sixth Avenue, New Brighton PA
Selections will be performed by the BVCS Mary Inman Honors Handbell Choir, Principal Choir, Orchestra and Treble Youth Chorale. Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Sharon R. Burchill leads the 85-voice choir and orchestra. Deb Silverstein will be directing the eight boys and girls who comprise the Treble Youth Chorale and Judy O’Data directs the seven member three-octave Handbell Choir.
“Carols by Candlelight” begins with Bill Ingram’s prelude arrangement, ”Christmas Music for Twelve Bells,” featuring the Mary Inman Honors Handbell Choir. That is followed by “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” as arranged by Trevor Manor; the Lloyd Larson arrangement of “Long Ago Prophets Knew;” the traditional carol, “Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming,” arranged by Mark Lehnowsky; “Come Thou Redeemer of the Earth,” written by BVCS chorister Kirk Haberman; and “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence,” written by Heather Sorenson.
At intermission the Treble Youth Chorale performs the African American spiritual “Rise Up Shepherd, and Follow,” arranged by Audrey Snyder; “The Pembroke Carol,” written by Anna Lapwood. and Sara Teasdale; and “Jubilate! Bells are Ringing” arranged by Ellen Foncannon.
The second half of the concert begins with David Rasbach’s a capella arrangement of “We Shall Light a Thousand Candles;” followed by Joseph M. Martin’s choral medley “Shepherd Carols;” then the title piece, “Candlelight Carol,” written by John Rutter. The concert concludes with Benjamin Harlan’s exuberant finale, “Carol Fantasia.”
Admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted.
Founded at Beaver College in 1923, the Beaver Valley Choral Society begins its Second Century of Song. BVCS is a 501(c)3 Christian-faith based, non-denominational, intergenerational choral and orchestral arts organization.