Kingston Chamber Choir welcomes the season with ‘As Winter Unfolds’

On December 10th, the Kingston Chamber Choir (KCC) will delight audiences with a selection of winter-themed music during a special concert at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. As Winter Unfolds is KCC’s 2022 seasonal performance, featuring music guaranteed to “stir the soul.” The evening will feature a number of winter- and holiday-themed musical selections for choir, piano, and strings. Keep reading to find out how you can win a pair of tickets to the concert!

KCC is a 28-member “mixed voice ensemble” based here in Kingston. The group was founded in 2004 by Gordon Sinclair and has gone on to become one of the city’s most respected musical groups. Members include teachers and music professors, as well as professional singers and advanced music students, all of whom contribute to the professional and well-rehearsed performances the choir is known for. 

Over the years, KCC has collaborated with a number of world-renowned musicians and groups, including the Canadian Chamber Choir, the choirs of Queen’s University, and the Kingston Symphony Orchestra. KCC took part in a virtual, multi-community choirs project last December, which featured the world premiere of On the Beach at Night by Matthew Emery. The choir also participated in Flight 752: Elegies, another world premiere performance, as they sang alongside award-winning santur player Sadaf Amini. 

This December, KCC will launch its 2022-2023 season with As Winter Unfolds, which coincides perfectly with the start of winter. The evening’s musical selections will feature pieces by Francis Poulenc, including his Quatre motets pour le temps de Noel (Christmas Motets), as well as compositions by Ola Gjielo, including two of his most famous pieces: Luminous Night of the Soul, and Dark Night of the Soul. KCC will also perform several well-known season pieces, such as Rutter’s Angel’s Carol. 

The evening will feature a number of guest musicians, including longtime accompanist Clare Marion on piano. A special string quartet will also join KCC, comprised of:

• Katya Poplyansky, violin (Concertmaster for Kingston Symphony Orchestra (KSO))
• Gisele Dalbec, violin (Music professor, Queen’s University, retired Concertmaster, KSO)
• Julia McFarlane, viola (KSO) 
• Wolf Tormann (Music professor, Queen’s University)

As Winter Unfolds will take place on Saturday, Dec. 10th, 2022, at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, located at 390 Kings Street West. Front doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the performance set for 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $10 for students, and can be purchased through the Isabel’s website. Non-Queen’s University students are encouraged to call or visit the Isabel’s box office in order to get tickets at the discounted rate. 

For those who cannot attend the performance in person, KCC has worked with the Isabel’s digital concert hall to provide a special live stream of As Winter Unfolds. Tickets to watch the stream are $25 and can be purchased online. 

Kingstonist is pleased to be giving away a pair of tickets to As Winter Unfolds to a lucky Kingstonist subscriber!

• Giveaway: One pair of tickets to As Winter Unfolds
• To enter the contest: Subscribers, please email your first and last name and phone number to [email protected], and make sure the subject line is “As Winter Unfolds”
• Contest runs from Thursday, Nov. 24 to Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022.
• Draw will take place on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, and the winner will be contacted by Kingstonist staff via email.
• Not yet a Kingstonist subscriber? Subscribe here!