The Norfolk Chamber Consort continues its 54th season on December 12 at 7:30 P.M. with Consort Christmas III: Celebrating in Multistyle at the beautiful sanctuary of the historic Freemason Street Baptist Church in downtown Norfolk.
The program opens with two representative organ selections: Il est un petit L’ange (Noël Suisse) by Claude Balbastre and Movement II from Charles-Marie Widor’s Symphonie Gothique, Op. 70, as performed by a prominent organist Bradley Norris. The angelic voice of ODU Early Music Specialist Dr. Bianca Hall soars in three selections from the Florence Laudario (14th century). She sings in Italian and accompanies herself on cittern. The first half concludes with improvisations on popular Christmas tunes by ODU Jazz Professor John Toomey.
After a quick intermission, NCC’s Artistic Co-Director, Oksana Lutsyshyn, performs selections from Weihnachtsbaum (Christmas Tree) for piano by Franz Liszt. Selections from The Seasons by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky follow as performed by the Invencia Piano Duo, formed by NCC’s Artistic Co-Directors Andrey Kasparov & Oksana Lutsyshyn. Next on the program are Romance, Op. 94, No. 2 by Robert Schuman – given by the composer to his wife Clara as a Christmas gift – arranged by William Newman and Il est né, le divin enfant by Robert Beaser as rendered by Duo Thalassa. This ensemble consists of flutist, WHRO 90.3 host and NCC’s Associate Artistic Director Wayla Chambo, and guitarist Todd Holcomb, Executive Director of Tidewater Classical Guitar. The concert concludes with Rhapsodie sur des cantiques bretons II by Camille Saint-Saëns as rendered by Bradley Norris.
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Doors open for the public at 6:50 P.M. (Entrance from Bank Street). Pre-concert talk by Andrey Kasparov starts at 7:15 P.M.