May 3rd, 7:30 PM
Exciting New 2025 Season
Dear Friends,
It is with great joy that we announce the continued renewal of our choir with a new Artistic Director and an exciting new concert program for 2025. This spring we present orchestral and choral masterpieces by three of the Baroque period's greatest composers. Antonio Vivaldi's "Gloria" and "Credo" face off against George F. Handel's vocal roller coaster "Chandos Anthem #9". Our newly established Surrey Baroque Orchestra, meanwhile, will be performing Joseph Haydn's Symphony #1. Rounding it all off, some wonderful choral pieces by the Gregorian Period masters, Palestrina and Victoria.
A VERY SPECIAL OFFER TO STUDENTS
As part of our Youth Community Outreach Program..and to celebrate our 60th anniversary....for this concert ONLY.... we have set aside 100 Free tickets for Students on a first-come, first-serve basis. Especially of interest to voice or musical instrument students, but ALL students (show ID at door) are welcome
Later this year. As has been our Christmas tradition for decades we will be presenting Handel's choral masterpiece "Messiah" for White Rock, South Surrey and South Frazer audiences. This highly popular event has become a cultural tradition and usually sells out, so we will be offering preferential exclusive advance ticket sales to supporters who have purchased a ticket to the May concert. And once again we will providing a unique "up close and personal" performance with accomplished professional soloists and a full professional orchestra. There is no better way to kick off the Christmas season.
A Special Bonus for Our Loyal Patrons
All regularly priced tickets include a special "Handel Society Perk" of a 15% discount at any of Executive Table's Group's fine restaurants, in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Richmond, and Squamish. These fine restaurants regularly score as #1 in Vancouver by Trip Advisor.
TICKET PRICES
Regular – $30
Seniors – $25
All Students - FREE
(100 limit. Show Student ID)
(Sorry, no infants or toddlers)
About "Hidden Gems" (performed May, 2023)
The Ascention Oratorio, (Cantata BWV 11)
This beautiful oratorio inexplicably is not often performed or recorded. This is likely due to its relatively short length (about 30 minutes) relative to Bach’s great Masterpieces such as the Easter Passions and Christmas oratorio. But it is also easily lost among the 240 Cantatas Bach created. We might call it a partially hidden gem.
This story of Jesus’ ascension into Heaven begins in a grand fashion with trumpets and drums leading the Alto aria Ach bleibe doch . We then hear more recitative by the Evangelist, leading to another aria, this time by the Soprano. And the work incorporates two beautiful chorals, finishing off with the grand style with which it opened.
We thank Thee, Lord (Cantata BWV 29)
Bach composed this sacred oratoria in Leipzig in 1731 for a festive church service marking the annual inauguration of a new town council. Bach scored the work in eight movements for four vocal parts and a festive Baroque orchestra. The organ dominates the first movement Sinfonia which Bach derived from a Partita for violin. The full orchestra accompanies the first choral movement and plays with the voices in the closing chorale, while a sequence of three arias alternating with two recitatives is scored intimately.Bach used the music from the choral movement for both the Gratias agimus tibi and Dona nobis pacem of his Mass in B minor.
Our generous donors:
