St. Charles Singers - 'Candlelight Carols'

About this event

The St. Charles Singers, led by founder and music director Jeffrey Hunt, welcome first-time guest artists the Kontras Quartet to the acclaimed mixed-voice chamber choir's 42nd annual Candlelight Carols concerts December 4-6 in St. Charles.

"The Kontras Quartet are an exceptional string ensemble,” Hunt says. “We’ve had the joy of performing with their cellist, Jean Hatmaker, in previous concerts.”

The St. Charles Singers' holiday program will offer seasonal songs for choir and string quartet, a cappella carols, and string quartet works.

The St. Charles Singers and Kontras Quartet will perform together in three works, all in the first half of the program, titled "Contemplation": J. S. Bach’s “O Little One Sweet,” Ola Gjeilo’s “Sacred Heart” (Ubi Caritas III); and Nate Adams’ “Lux Brumalis,” in the composer’s new arrangement for choir and strings. Adams composed the original version, for voices and piano, on commission from the St. Charles Singers.

Also on the program's first half are two a cappella choral works, Kenneth Leighton's "Lully, Lulla, Thou Little Tiny Child" and Morten Lauridsen's "O Magnum Mysterium," plus a set of string quartet compositions.

The program's "Celebration"-themed second half includes Gjeilo's "The Holly and the Ivy," John McCarthy's arrangement of "The Little Drummer Boy," Alice Parker and Robert Shaw's arrangements of "Masters in This Hall" and "I Saw Three Ships," Ben Parry's arrangement of "Jingle Bells," Carolyn Jennings' arrangement of "O Yule, Full of Gladness," Jean Alain's version of "Noël nouvelet," Michael Head's "The Little Road to Bethlehem," and David Willcocks' arrangement of "Deck the Hall."

For their traditional Candlelight Carols finale, the St. Charles Singers will assemble around three sides of the sanctuary for a surround-sound rendition of “Silent Night,” arranged by Willcocks and local choral director, composer, and educator Robert Boyd of Westmont, Illinois.