Barb Brouwer
Contributor
Add a glow to this festive season with a performance by the Shuswap Men’s Chorus and Just For Kicks.
Several years ago, conductor Mary Landers saw a dancer perform to the same arrangement of a choral piece the chorus had already performed.
Moved by what she witnessed, Landers decided to invite Just For Kicks dancers to combine their talents with the 38 members of the chorus at a concert on Wednesday, Dec. 4.
Just For Kicks owner Patty Fleming and her daughter Kali Gawley have choreographed three dances to accompany the chorus.
“One thing she did give us is a piece we have choreographed before,” says Fleming of Prayer of the Children, American composer Kurt Bestor’s heart-sore response to the “horrendous civil war and ethnic cleansing” that took place in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. “Our junior competitive team (10-year-olds) took it to competition last year and won.”
On a decidedly lighter note, the school’s senior competitive team will dance to a fun Latin Christmas piece.
“They rehearse it every week and it puts a big smile on their faces – they’re loving it,” says Fleming. “And my son Gabriel, he’s gonna pull out a bit of tap with one of their chorale numbers, which is kind of cool.”
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There will be a total of 26 dancers, says Landers, pointing out Jim Johnson is the accompanist and Larry Keats and Sandy Cameron will perform as well.
The concert will open with a “fall kind of feeling,” then move into winter and snow, says Landers noting that “Seasons Glow,” the title of the concert, comes, in part from Glow, a beautiful piece composed by Eric Whiteacre.
“He’s a fairly well-known, up-and-coming composer and the piece is quite complicated,” she adds.
As well as slow and beautiful pieces, the Men’s Chorus will perform some upbeat numbers, including a singalong of popular tunes following the intermission.
“And there will be a fun surprise to close the show,” promises Landers.
The concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. at the Nexus. Tickets, which sell out quickly, are $15 and are available at the Pink Cherry and Shuswap Clothing and Shoes.
Newcomers to the Men’s Chorus are always welcome says Landers, who notes those interested should just attend a regular 7 p.m. Wednesday rehearsal at the Nexus in the new year.
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