If you love choral music, there's no better time for concert going than December. This year's holiday offering by the Pasadena Master Chorale marries gorgeous choral music of the season with the immortal words of Charles Dickens.
"It's like a traditional Lessons & Carols service", explains PMC artistic and executive director Jeffrey Bernstein, "readings of text interspersed with choral anthems and carols."
In "A Dickens Christmas" the text readings are taken from Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol", that irresistible tale of holiday redemption.
"We will take the audience on a journey", says Bernstein, "from the miserly depths of Scrooge's cold heart to warmth of hope that even he can be redeemed."
Accompanying the humorous and potent words of Charles Dickens will be a feast of choral music gems including carols such as "In The Bleak Midwinter", "The Coventry Carol", and "Wassail" and beautifully transcendent works such as Lauridsen's "O Nata Lux" and Vaughan Williams's "Fantasia on Christmas Carols".
PMC will be joined by pianist Tali Tadmor. As is PMC's custom all readings and solos will be performed by members of the choir.
Continuing and deepening its partnership with the Pasadena Unified School District, PMC will is delighted to share the stage with two groups of PUSD singers: the PMC Student Singers from Washington Middle School, led by Cynthia Abbott (performing on Saturday), and the choir from Marshall High School, conducted by Jonathan Gould (performing on Sunday).
A Dickens Christmas will be presented twice. The matinee performance at 4:00pm on Saturday, Dec. 7 is a benefit concert to support the Pasadena Master Chorale. Held in the intimate Altadena Community Church, tickets for this special performance are $25. The evening performance at 7:30pm on Sunday, Dec. 8 at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Pasadena is offered, as all PMC programs are, on a "Listen First, Then Give" basis.
RESERVE TICKETS Saturday, Dec. 7 | 4:00pm
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Tali Tadmor pianist
Jeffrey Bernstein conductor
The mission of the Pasadena Master Chorale is to create choral music
that educates, uplifts and inspires as many people as possible.