Counting Christmas Day, we’ve just begun our own Twelve Days of Choral Christmas, with this weekend marking the annual change from chorale and college choral groups to church choirs. We have over two hundred local chorale and college singers singing the music of Beethoven, Holst and others, while sounds of Bach, Pergolesi, Praetorius, Rutter and Willcocks are being heard in sanctuaries from Upland to Claremont to Chino.
Next week and through Christmas Day, the music of Bach and more contemporary composers will be sung in dozens of church services from Rancho Cucamonga to Upland to Claremont, Pomona to La Verne to Diamond Bar. On top of that, hundreds of people from around the area will get the chance to join in a mass choir experience of Handel’s most famous oratorio.
And More?
There will be more choirs singing these next few days than displayed here today, news of which should continue to arrive. There’s no plan to publish a new post, but such news as is discovered will still appear in this post as it is revised to reflect the latest information. Please check back in a few days.
Do you know of something choral in our area? Please pass word along, perhaps in the comments for this post, so that the work of our choral friends may be recognized and heard by others.
For the sounds of the season, here is some by Michael Praetorius
The King’s Singers – Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen
From 14 December through Christmas
Saturday 14 December
3:30 p.m., Pomona First Baptist Church Choir and Orchestra “Come Celebrate Christmas,” Pomona
6:45 p.m. Ayala High School “Madrigal Feaste,” Chino Hills
7:00 p.m., Pomona First Baptist Church Choir and Orchestra “Come Celebrate Christmas,” Pomona
7:30 p.m., Mountainside Master Chorale, “Organ Extravaganza,” includes music by Holst, Stanford, Parry, Claremont
8:00 p.m., The Claremont Concert Choir, Claremont Concert Orchestra with the Claremont Chorale, Symphony No. 9 in d minor, Beethoven, Claremont
Sunday, 15 December
8:30 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church Choir, excerpts of Bach Cantata 140 – Sleepers Wake during Advent, Upland
9:00 a.m., Claremont United Methodist Church Sanctuary Choir, Magnificat by Pergolesi, Claremont
10:30 a.m., Chino United Methodist Church Choir, “Love Came Down at Christmas,” selected carols by Rutter, Chino
9:30 a.m., Northkirk Presbyterian Church, “Carols and Choir Sunday,” Rancho Cucamonga
10:45 a.m., Claremont United Methodist Church Sanctuary Choir, Magnificat by Pergolesi, Claremont
11:00 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church Choir, excerpts of Bach Cantata 140 – Sleepers Wake during Advent, Upland
3:00 p.m., The Claremont Concert Choir, Claremont Concert Orchestra with the Claremont Chorale, Symphony No. 9 in d minor, Beethoven, Claremont
3:30 p.m., Mountainside Master Chorale, “Organ Extravaganza,” includes music by Holst, Stanford, Parry, Claremont
3:30 p.m., Pomona First Baptist Church Choir and Orchestra “Come Celebrate Christmas,” Pomona
5:00 p.m., St. Ambrose Episcopal Church Choir, Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, Claremont
6:00 p.m., University of La Verne, “Winter Choral Concert,” La Verne
6:30 p.m., Northminster Presbyterian Church Chancel choir, “The Christmas Experience: Christmas Joy!” (program at 5 p.m., concert at 6:30 p.m), Diamond Bar
Monday 16 December
7:00 p.m., Chino Valley Community Chorus “Home for the Holidays,” Chino
Tuesday 17 December
7:00 p.m., Claremont High School Winter Choir Concert, Garrison Theater, Claremont
Sunday 22 December
8:30 a.m., Grace Lutheran Church Choir, excerpts of Bach Cantata 140 (Sleepers Wake), Upland
9:00 a.m., First Church of the Nazarene Choir and instrumental ensemble, cantata The Winter Rose, by Martin, Ontario
9:00 a.m., United Methodist Church of Cucamonga adult choir and children, combined pageant/program, excerpts of “the King’s Birthday” and “Do You Hear What I hear?,” Rancho Cucamonga
9:30 a.m., First United Methodist Church Cathedral Choir and youth ensembles, a Christmas cantata, Upland
10:00 a.m., Claremont Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Choir, soloists and baroque ensemble, Magnificat by Bach, Claremont
10:00 a.m. Walnut United Methodist Church, children and adult choir, a cantata “Get Ready for the King!” Walnut
10:30 a.m., First United Methodist Church of Ontario choir, a Christmas cantata, Ontario
11:00 a.m., Eleventh Street Baptist Church adult choir, cantata “Bethlehem Morning,” Upland
11:00 a.m., First Church of the Nazarene Choir and instrumental ensemble, cantata The Winter Rose, by Martin, Ontario
11:00 a.m., Grace Lutheran Church Choir, excerpts of Bach Cantata 140 (Sleepers Wake), Upland
1:30 p.m., Claremont Symphony Orchestra, Annual Handel Messiah Singalong
4:00 p.m., Claremont Symphony Orchestra, Annual Handel Messiah Singalong
7:00 p.m., San Dimas United Methodist Church, cantata “Candles & Carols,” Hayes & Martin, San Dimas
Tuesday 24 December 2013
4:00 p.m., Pomona First Baptist Church Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with choir, Pomona
4:00 p.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church choir, anthem Son of God, Son of Man Mehrens/Mauldin, Rancho Cucamonga
4:00 p.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Family/Children’s Mass, Upland
5:30 p.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church choir, anthem Son of God, Son of Man Mehrens/Mauldin, Rancho Cucamonga
6:00 .p.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Mass in Spanish, Upland
6:00 p.m., Upland Brethren in Christ Church, service with choir, anthems “Baby, what you goin’ to be? – Star Carol – Silent Night”, Upland
6:30/7:00 p.m., Pilgrim Congregational Church Choir, before service music, service at 7:00 p.m. with choir, Rutter, Courtney, Gawthrop, Pomona
7:00 p.m., Bethel United Church of Christ Choir and Soloists, lessons and carols service, Ontario
7:00 p.m., Chino United Methodist Church Choir, Christmas Lullaby by Rutter, Chino
7:00 p.m., Claremont United Methodist Church, Christmas Eve Candlelight – Lessons and Carols with Choir, Claremont
7:00 p.m., First Lutheran Church of Ontario, service with choir, Ontario
7:00 p.m., First United Methodist Church of Ontario choir and bells, Christmas Eve Candlelight Service & Lessons, Ontario
7:00 p.m., Pomona First Baptist Church Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with choir, Pomona
7:00 p.m., Rock of the Foothills Lutheran Church, service with choir, La Verne
7:00 p.m., St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Lessons and Carols with choir, Pomona
7:30 p.m. Upland Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christmas Eve Service, with choirs
8:00 p.m., First Christian Church Chancel Choir, Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Pomona
9:00 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, service with choir, Claremont
9:00 p.m., La Verne Church of the Brethren Christmas Eve Service with Sanctuary Choir, Come, Lord Jesus; O Holy Night; Lo How a Rose, Arr. by Kirchner La Verne
9:30 p.m./10:00 p.m., St. John’s Episcopal Church Choir, choir concert at 9:30, “Christ Mass” at 10 p.m., La Verne
10:00 p.m., Northminster Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir and Praise Team, Candlelight Communion Service with Lessons and Carols, Diamond Bar
10:00 p.m., St. Ambrose Episcopal Church Choir, music of Praetorius and Willcocks, Claremont
10:00 p.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Christmas Carols (10 p.m.) and Night Mass (Multicultural) at 10:30 p.m., Upland
10:30 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, service with choir, Upland
11:00 p.m., Claremont Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Choir and Soloists, Lessons and Carols, Claremont
11:00 p.m., Claremont United Church of Christ Chancel Choir, and Choral Bells, Claremont
11:00 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Candlelight Service with choir, Upland
11:00 p.m., La Verne Heights Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir, Traditional Communion Service, La Verne
11:00 p.m., Redeemer Lutheran Church of Ontario, Christmas Eve Candlelight service with choir, Ontario
11:00 p.m. / 12:00 a.m., St. Denis Catholic Church, Carolers at 11:30 midnight mass with all choirs, Diamond Bar
Christmas, Wednesday 25 December
7:30 a.m., St. Denis Catholic Church, Contemporary Choir, Diamond Bar
8:00 a.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Mass in English, Upland
10:00 a.m., Redeemer Lutheran Church of Ontario, Christmas Day service with choir, Ontario
10:00 a.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Mass in Spanish, Upland
10:30 a.m., St. Denis Catholic Church, Adult Choir, Diamond Bar
12:00 p.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Mass in English, Upland
1:30 pm., St. Denis Catholic Church, Filipino Choir, Diamond Bar
5:30 pm., St. Denis Catholic Church, Youth Choir, Diamond Bar
A bit farther away
The two concerts below involve choral people from our area and are included despite being outside the immediate area. Please consider them along with the events above.
14 Dec., 8:00 p.m., Inland Master Chorale, “A Season of Light,” Redlands
15 Dec., 3:00 p.m., Inland Master Chorale, “A Season of Light,” Redlands
(updated, 23 Dec.)