Alvin M. Keeling 
Live music continues its slow return to Louisville after a year of near silence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Louisville Chamber Choir is set to make a “happy” noise as it continues its return to the stage with two holiday-themed Christmas concerts this week in Louisville.
“We had to cancel the last concert of our 2019-20 season, and we lost the entire 2020-21 season,” wrote Peter Lovett, chairman of the choir board, in a statement. “We got to come back and sing live this year and it was more meaningful than I thought. I think we have all realized how easily the experience of playing music can be taken away. “
The Louisville Chamber Choir resumed live performances earlier this year with a music concert for All Saints’ Day in October and have just completed three performances of the Christmas party and other “Handel’s Messiah” selections with the Louisville Orchestra.
The choir will perform two Christmas concerts, one on December 18 in the city center at Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral at 7:30 p.m. and the second on December 19 in the Highlands at St. James Catholic Church at 3 p.m. Christmas carols and new music, including an arrangement of “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Louisvillian and choir member Austin Echols.
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“I am delighted to be back with the excellent musicians of the Louisville Chamber Choir. I felt a renewed spirit of performing live choral music among the singers, and our audiences were thrilled with our performances, ”said artistic director Kent Hattberg. “Our Christmas concerts will also feature works by Bach, Eric Whitacre and John Rutter. like timeless arrangements of traditional Christmas carols arranged by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw. “
Following this concert, the Louisville Chamber Choir will focus on their upcoming performance at the American Choral Directors Association’s Southern Region Convention in Raleigh, North Carolina. The American Choral Directors Association is an organization of conductors and musicians of all skill levels from across the United States. Choirs are selected by blind audition of recordings submitted during the most recent three-year period.
The Louisville Chamber Choir is “honored” to be the only mixed community choir from the Southern 11-State region to be invited to perform, Hatteberg said.
Returning to concerts was not easy and the choir made sure to prioritize the health and safety of its singers and audiences.
“We had to make some adjustments, like all of the choir wearing masks and distancing themselves, but it’s worth it. Being able to share the gift of live music has been something special,” said Lovett.
Contact Editor-in-Chief Kathryn Gregory at kgregory@courier-journal.com.
Louisville Chamber Choir 8th Christmas concert
WHAT: The concerts feature a mix of traditional Christmas carols and new music, including an arrangement of Louisville’s In the Bleak Midwinter and choir member Austin Echols.
WHEN AND WHERE:
- December 18, 7:30 p.m., Christ Church Episcopal Church, 421 S. 2nd St.
- December 19, 3 p.m., St. James Catholic Church, 1826 Edenside Ave.
COST: $ 30 for adults, $ 25 for seniors, $ 10 for students 18 and under, free
COVID-19 SECURITY: Masks are compulsory for all participants.
MORE INFORMATION: Tickets for the concert are available at the door or on the choir’s website, louisvillechamberchoir.org.
