Yvonne Orlich
It sparkled. It was jolly. It twinkled, and it was jingley. It was energetic. It was jazzy. It had a hint of Broadway. It was traditional. It was fun. It was serene. It was all these things wrapped up in an hour of holiday songs. It was the culmination of about 12 weeks of intense weekly rehearsals. The Sun Lakes Chorale Holiday Concert took place on Dec. 11 in the sanctuary of Sun Lakes United Methodist Church where it has traditionally been held for many years. And it was another enthusiastic, receptive audience. The Chorale is a group of almost 70 singers who gather every week starting in September and ending with a holiday break immediately after the December concert.
This year’s program was made up of 13 different numbers, some new to the members and some brought back from previous performances. The wide range of genres made this a musical experience unlike others we have done. Each concert brings new emotions with the wide-ranging types of songs. Songs like “Come and See the Baby” had a gospel flare, while “Sparkle, Jolly, Twinkle, Jingley” was wordy and fast-paced, with almost tongue-twisting lines which required lots of practice. To put all those words to the tempo of the song was challenging but doable. Variations of traditional Christmas carols were sung as well. Oftentimes, trying to “unlearn” the tune to a Christmas carol as we know it can be difficult, but it provides an interesting new slant on memorable holiday tunes.
While some, like “Oseh Shalom,” are sweet and spiritual, others, like “Zat You, Santa Claus?,” were pure fun and allowed the singers to be a little more carefree. A slightly different rendition of “Silent Night” was no less moving than the one most of us are used to hearing and singing. Rob Swanson skillfully directed this concert, this being his third concert as musical director. Some numbers required additional accompaniment (a violin and a flute) beyond the usual talents of our regular accompanists Caroline Brown, BJ Van Noy, and Mary Sievert. Several solos were included, namely, Barbara Yates, Beth Wyman, Jodi Mattson, Wes Davis, Steve Foss, and Barb Hyder, all of whom did an excellent job.
Early on in rehearsals, the mutterings of members from each section (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass) can be heard. “The songs are too fast for us,” “We’ll never learn all these words,” “When do we get to breathe in this one?” Rob pushes ahead, and somehow, almost magically, we go from “We’ll never do this” to “We’ve got this!”
It is our sincere hope that every audience member fully enjoyed the concert and left with the promise to come back in 2026 for the Spring Concert on March 26. With that, we take a well-deserved break until January when we start the process all over again. We wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season and a Healthy and Happy New Year. Thank you for your support.