Join us for a warm and joyous celebration of the winter solstice and the festive season, Chamberfest-style. As we approach the longest night of the year, let us revel with a stage full of Chamberfriends. Together, we will “let the light in” in anticipation of the return of longer days and shorter nights.

In this concert, we feature past and present laureates of the Canada Council for the Arts’ Musical Instrument Bank, together with special guests, in a festive program exploring all of the season’s splendors – light, love, homecoming, pageantry, and peace – common themes, no matter how you celebrate. Guiding us through this unique concert experience is the illustrious storyteller and host, Tom Allen.

Our evening begins with the pastoral Sinfonia from J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, followed by Vivaldi’s famously fun Concerto for Four Violins. We celebrate the Festival of Lights with a nostalgic and klezmer-inflected Hanukkah Overture, and bask in the seasonal glow of Vaughan Williams’ Greensleeves.

Dinuk Wijeratne performs his own piano concerto, “Gajaga Vannama.” Based on a famous Sri Lankan folk and dance melody, this work celebrates the majesty of the elephant and its role in pageantry and ceremony. We close our celebration with a selection from Norwegian choral composer Ola Gjelo’s Winter Songs collection, “The Rose,” perfectly evoking the spirit of winter.

Programme

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750)
Christmas Oratorio
BWV 248 X. Sinfonia

Anna Petersen and Kira Shiner, oboe d’amore, Marat Mulyukov and Dylan Pinette, English horn

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741)
Concerto for 4 violins in B minor, RV 580
I. Allegro
II. Largo
III. Larghetto – Adagio – Largo – Allegro

Julia Mirzoev, David Baik, Emily Kruspe, and Carissa Klopoushak, violin, Andrea Stewart, cello

Adam Shugar (b. 1988)
Hanukkah Overture for String Orchestra and Clarinet
Lighting the Menorah – Ma’oz Tzur – Gelt and Gift Giving – The Dreidel

Sean Rice, clarinet

Intermission

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958)
(arr. Ralph Greeves)
Fantasia on ‘Greensleeves’ (from the opera Sir John in Love)

Lara Deutsch, flute, Emily Belvedere, harp

Dinuk Wijeratne (b. 1978)
Gajaga Vannama
Fantasy Variations on a Traditional Theme for piano and strings

Dinuk Wijeratne, piano

Ola Gjelo (b. 1978)
The Rose

• David Baikviolin
• Carissa Klopoushakviolin
• Emily Kruspeviolin
• Julia Mirzoevviolin
• Tovin Allersviola
• Paul Caseyviola
• Andrea Stewartcello
• Desiree Abbeycello
• Thibault Bertin-Maghitdouble bass
• Lara Deutschflute
• Anna Petersenoboe
• Kira Shineroboe
• Marat MulyukovEnglish horn
• Dylan PinetteEnglish horn
• Sean Riceclarinet
• Emily Belvedereharp
• Nicole Presenteyharpsichord
• Dinuk Wijeratnepiano
• Tom Allenhost

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