Carols With The Consort

This concert will be a mix of some very familiar carols with traditional holiday selections and at least one selection that may be new to your ears.  The centerpiece of the concert is American Composer Daniel Pinkham's "Christmas Cantata" (Sinfonia Sacra) for Chorus and Double Brass Choir.  Composed in an early Baroque style, but used contemporary harmonies, it features outer movements that are exciting and an inner movement that is very reflective.  The brass are used in various ways to support the choir, play antiphonally and as a unit.  This work balances very well with the early Baroque selection by Jan Pieters Sweelinck "Hodie Christus Natus Est" which will be performed by five part choir and brass quintet. 

We are planning to give the regional premiere of Portland, Oregon composer Bryan Johanson's "O Magnum Mysterium".  This will feature the choir alone in a selection that focuses on the "mystery" of this text.  The brass will be featured alone on a selection by Giovanni Gabrieli.  Other selections include "Silent Night", "The First Nowell",Biebl's "Ave Maria", "Verbum caro factum est", "Jingle Bells" and we will conclude with our annual carol sing-along led by the brass and choir together.

I look forward to seeing our family of friends again this season.  Please join us for this exciting combination of these two groups Madrigali et al. with the Omaha Consort.  We are so very excited to share with you that we are giving the concert twice in one day.

Matt Harden
Director
Madrigali et al