The strains of Hark the Herald Angels Sing rang out over the carrots and potatoes of the produce department at Brown’s Independent Grocer’s on Sunday Nov. 18. Shoppers turned in surprise as they heard the voices of the West Ottawa Ladies Chorus serenading them from the balcony of the grocery store.
It was a mini-concert of Christmas music arranged by Brown’s for its customers. It required hauling up accompanist Peter Brown’s keyboard in a shopping cart in the elevator and then putting it back together so Peter (who is not related to the owner of the grocery store) could play.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Music Director Robert Dueck. “And I think they could hear us all the way back to the meat department!”
One week later saw the Ladies’ Chorus heading to Manotick in a rented school bus through the freezing rain to take part as invited guests at a concert put on by the Manotick Brass Ensemble. This was a more formal presentation in a beautifully decorated church and required a rehearsal with the ensemble before the concert.
Concert Coming Up
These two appearances are typical of the lead-up to the West Ottawa Ladies’ Chorus own Christmas concert coming up on Friday evening Dec. 7 and Saturday afternoon Dec. 8 at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Kanata. It will feature some beautiful arrangements of carols in a variety of moods, including one that will be sung at one point in eight parts. That’s quite a feat for a choir to accomplish but this 40-voice choir is nothing if not daring under the skilled direction of Stittsville resident Robert Dueck. There is also a moving arrangement of Mary Did you Know the Yorkshire carol We’ve Been Awhile A-Wandering and many more.
Tickets are $15 in advance with ticket outlets listed on the website or $20 at the door. You can also buy online at www.westottawaladieschorus.ca Children under 12 are free admission.