Holiday Voices
Dec. 16
Even in the most familiar holiday sounds, there’s a long tradition behind the music. For centuries, the winter season has been marked not just by ceremonies or rituals, but by people singing together. Before choirs grew large and repertoire grew vast, it was shared voices that carried these celebrations forward – processional chants, simple hymns, and carols shaped by place and community.
This episode of Arizona Encore follows that lineage, beginning with the Phoenix Girls Chorus in medieval and modern works inspired by ancient sacred texts, and Helios in the timeless beauty of Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.
The bright resonance of Canadian Brass brings a different kind of holiday spirit, before True Concord offers intimate carols by John Rutter and Stephen Paulus. The Phoenix Children’s Chorus closes the hour with Bach, Shawn Kirchner’s spirited Brightest and Best, and a final nod to a familiar favorite sung almost everywhere this time of year.
Featured in this episode:
Anonymous – Processional: Gaudeamus Hodie – Phoenix Girls Chorus
Durufle – Tota pulchra es – Phoenix Girls Chorus
Gjeilo – Northern Lights – Phoenix Girls Chorus
Gruber – Silent Night – Phoenix Girls Chorus
Leontovich – Carol of the Bells – Phoenix Girls Chorus
Anonymous – Es ist ein Ros entsprungen – Helios
Woodward – Ding Dong Merrily on High – Canadian Brass
Berlin – White Christmas – Canadian Brass
Traditional – What Child is This – Canadian Brass
Pola and Wyle – It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Canadian Brass
Rutter – Love Came Down at Christmas – True Concord; Eric Holtan, conductor; Guy Whatley, organ
Adam – O Holy Night – True Concord; Eric Holtan, conductor; Alexander Tentser, piano
Paulus – A Savior from on High – True Concord; Eric Holtan, conductor
Bach – Wir eilen mit schwachen – Phoenix Children’s Chorus; Benny Dominguez, cello; Jennifer Griffith, piano; Andrea Squires, conductor
Kirchner – Brightest and Best – Phoenix Children’s Chorus; Troy Meeker, conductor
Pierpont – Jingle Bells – Phoenix Children’s Chorus; Troy Meeker, conductor
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Dec. 16
Holiday Voices
Dec. 9
American Composers
Dec. 2
Strings and Hammers
Nov. 25
Native American String Quartets
Nov. 18
Contested Eden
Nov. 4
Winds and Poetry – Re-Air!
Oct. 28
Keyboards
Oct. 21
Chamber Music
Oct. 14
Beethoven’s 6th Symphony
Sept. 26
Marko Topchii
Sept. 22
Death and the Maiden
Sept. 12
All Mozart
