Winter 2011 —An American Christmas

Allegra Martin, Director

Sunday, December 4, 2011 at 3 p.m.

Featuring a new composition by Kenneth Seitz.

An afternoon of music and storytelling that evokes the magic and wonder of the first Christmas. The program will highlight the particularly American contributions to the genre. The music encompasses a wide variety of styles from Appalchia, African-American, Shape note, Gospel as well as some more contemporary contributions, in particular from local luminary Daniel Pinkham and director-emeritus Kenneth Seitz while also including classics such as Randall Thompson's "Nowell" and John Jacob Niles' "I Wonder As I Wander". The poetry behind the music are equally diverse and explore some interesting back-stories, such as Balthazar the brown king among the wise men, the activities of the Queens behind the Kings, and a haunting poem in Mary's voice watching Joseph's reaction to the newborn babe.

More about the performers:

Cantilena, a women's chorale under the direction of Allegra Martin, is an ensemble of approximately 30 singers, dedicated to performing music written for the treble voice. Our challenging and diverse repertoire spans from the 15th to the 21st centuries and includes works in many different languages and musical forms. We strive to introduce both our members and our audience to works they are unlikely to encounter in other forums, with an emphasis on music composed specifically for women's voices.

For more information about the concert, please send us an e-mail at info@cantilena.org.

First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church
630 Massachusetts Avenue
(corner of Mass Ave and Route 60)
Arlington Center, MA
(This venue is handicapped accessible)

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