True Concord kicks off holiday concerts; Repertory Singers, TSO also have shows

There’s something about sitting in the pews of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church and hearing the full force of the True Concord Voices & Orchestra choir sing hallelujahs that puts you in a quiet happy place.

And when the choir and chamber orchestra combine, it can be downright soul-lifting, especially when the program includes beloved Christmas carols and holiday gems.

True Concord will take us there this weekend with “From Anticipation to Joy: Lessons & Carols by Candlelight,” its annual Christmas concert that will feature guest musicians Christine Vivona on harp and Guy Whatley on organ.

The program will include songs from the ensemble’s 2019 album “Christmas with True Concord: Carols in the American Voice,” a collection of international Christmas songs that are rarely performed in America.

Green Valley composer Gerald Near arranged a few of those songs for the album. His newest work for True Concord, “Christina Rossetti’s In the Bleak Midwinter,” will anchor this weekend’s performances beginning at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, at St. Philip’s in the Hills, 4400 N. Campbell Ave.

It’s the first of five performances: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, at Green Valley’s St. Francis in the Valley Episcopal Church, 600 S. La Cañada Drive; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, at Catalina United Methodist Church, 2700 E. Speedway; and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 3738 N. Sabino Canyon Road.

Tickets are $27, $42 for premium seats through trueconcord.org. The ensemble is requiring ticketholders to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test taken within 72 hours of the performance. Masks also are required.

Also this weekend, the 50-member Arizona Repertory Singers under the baton of music director Ryan Phillips will perform “Sim Shalom, Grant Peace,” a concert that takes its name from a Hebrew prayer set to music composed by Jennaya Robison.

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Hebrew is one of eight languages you will hear at the concert.

“We are singing in Hebrew, Norwegian, Spanish, Irish, Latin, Italian, English, and will end with a really fun and uplifting song from South Africa,” Phillips said in a written release.

“It’s soul stirring for us to sing together in person again,” he added. “That spirit is going to shine through our holiday concert.”

Over this weekend and next, the choir will share the stage with guest pianist Woan Ching Lim, a harpist, string players and percussionists.

Performances: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, at Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 2331 E. Adams St.; 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, at Christ the King Episcopal Church, 2800 W. Ina Road. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at St. Albans Episcopal Church, 738 N. Old Sabino Canyon Road; and 3 p.m. Dec. 19 at Christ Church United Methodist, 3655 N. Craycroft Road.

Tickets are $18 online at arsingers.org or $20 at the door; students are free. Anyone over the age of 12 must show proof of vaccination and wear face masks.

Coming up: Tucson Symphony Orchestra will perform its “Messiah, Carols and Songs” concert featuring guest vocalists Kathryn Mueller, Helen Karloski, Paul D’Arcy and Paul Max Tipton at 4 p.m. Dec. 18 and 2 p.m. Dec. 19 at Catalina Foothills High School, 4300 E. Sunrise Drive. Tickets ($55-$111) and details at tucsonsymphony.org