Three different Port Alberni choirs will be celebrating the Christmas season with a "trilogy" of Christmas music concerts.
The Barkley Sounds Community Choir will open the season with "Christmas in Our Hometown" at the Alberni Valley United Church (3747 Church Street) on Sunday, Dec. 1. The show takes place at 2:30 p.m. and includes performances by the Phil's Harmonics String Orchestra, the Alberni Valley United Church Handbell Ensemble and the Dennis Olsen Jazz Trio.
"It's a really nice variety, and makes for a big, full sound," explained director Michael Villette.
Audiences can expect a combination of traditional Christmas songs, as well as brand new ones. Tickets for the Barkley Sounds Community Choir show can be purchased at The Grove Art Gallery, at the Echo Centre or from choir members.
The following weekend, Port Alberni's only auditioned choir Timbre! Choir presents "Sing a Merry Christmas" at the Alberni District Secondary School (ADSS) Theatre on Sunday, Dec. 8. The show starts at 2:30 p.m.
Frances Ketteringham, president of Timbre! Choir, says the show will include a mix of favourites and well-known carols with older arrangements. Singers will also be joined by accompanist Danielle Marcinek and four members of the Chor Leoni choir of Vancouver.
"[Director] Rosemary Lindsay is very good at putting together a program that pleases her, pleases the choir and pleases her audience," said Ketteringham. "That's not always easy to do."
Tickets for the show are available at the Echo Centre, the Grove Art Gallery, Finishing Touches, Salmonberry's, from choir members, online at www.timbrechoir.ca and at the door.
Finally, Urbanstreet Choir will close the season with "Christmas Memories" at the Alberni Valley United Church on Saturday, Dec. 14. This is the only evening concert, with a 7:30 p.m. start time.
"We're looking at trying to invoke some Christmas memories," explained director Janet Shlackl. "Christmas music, particularly older songs, invokes nostalgia in people. We're going from classic rock to very traditional, old music."
Tickets for the Urbanstreet Choir show are available at Walk the Coast, from choir members and at the door.
Although Port Alberni has three different choirs, there's no competition between them. All three choirs belong to the Port Alberni Orchestra and Choral Society, and they try to coordinate wherever possible. For example, this year Timbre! Choir has invited the other two choirs to join them in performing at the annual Christmas Light-Up at Harbour Quay (set for Friday, Nov. 29 at 6 p.m.).
Villette and Schlackl said it was an honour for their choirs to be invited to the event.
"We're quite enthused to be able to do some of that old-fashioned carolling," said Schlackl. "We really don't see a lot of that anymore."
The upcoming Christmas concerts also provided an opportunity for the choirs to work together when it comes to promotion. Shlackl describes the three concerts as a sort of "trilogy" of music for the Christmas season.
"It provides an opportunity for the community to get into the Christmas spirit from several different perspectives," she explained.
While some audience members prefer to attend just one Christmas concert, Ketteringham says many audiences like to attend all three.
"For a community of this size to be able to offer three, high-calibre choirs is just amazing," she said.
"Port Alberni's a great community for music in general," added Villette.
