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(Posted 11 a.m., Dec. 2)
31st
Christmas Choirfest raises $2,600 for local foodbanks
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online
Each
year, on the last Sunday in November, church choirs
from across Orléans gather to celebrate the holy
season in song and scripture while raising thousands of
dollars for local foodbanks.
This
year the Choirfest fell on the same Sunday as the
Grey Cup. That’s not unusually, but was unusual this
year is that the Grey Cup involved a team from Ottawa
for the first time since 1981.
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The
participating choirs at this year’s Orléans
Christmas Choirfest join together for the
grande finale, bringing the concert to a close.
Fred Sherwin/Photo
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Both
events started at the same time and when the Sonshine
Singers took the stage to open the Choirfest, it was clear
that a good many people had chosen to cheer on the Redblacks
rather than attend the concert.
Those
people who did come out, were treated to a night of Christmas
classics and some not so familiar songs celebrating the
holiday season.
The
Sonshine Singers kicked off the proceedings with an emotional
performance of “How Great is Our God”, a song
made popular by contemporary Christian music performer
Chris Tomlin.
The
chorus is made up of a talented group of able-bodied and
developmentally challenged youth under the direction of
Cathy Goddard, who is a recording artist in her own right.
The
group was followed on stage by the Cross Town Youth Chorus
which sang “Little Drummer Boy”. The senior
members of the chorus then sang “Rise Up Sheppard
and Follow”, accompanied by Alvaro Minaya on traditional
drums.
One
of the highlights of the Choirfest is the singing of Christmas
carols between each performance, during which time members
of the audience are encouraged to join in.
The
first ensemble carol of the evening was one of my personal
favourites, “O Come All Ye Faithful”. A passage
from the Bible describing the birth of Jesus is also read
between each performance.
The
Orléans United Church choir followed the Cross
Town singers in stage. The talented ensemble sang “Scots
Nativity” and “What Strangers Are These”.
After
the audience joined together in singing “What Child
is This”, the Cumberland Community Singers took to
the stage to sing “Gospel Noel” and “African
Angel Noel”, the latter accompanied on traditional
African drums by the aforementioned Minaya.
The
Queenswood United Church choir followed with a performance
of “Alleluia for Advent”, and “The Virgin
Mary Had A Baby Boy” accompanied by flautist Julia
Picotte.
The
entire audience then joined together for “Hark the
Herald Angels Sing”, during which freewill donations
were collected for the area’s two local foodbanks.
The
next chorus to take the stage was the St. Helen’s
Anglican Church choir which sang “Angel’s Carol”
and “Carols Around (And Around)”.
They,
in turn, were followed by the host Community Pentecostal
Church choir which sang “Shine On Us” and “It’s
Christmas”.
The
highlight of the night, as it is every year, was the coming
together of all the choirs to close out the show. This
year the massed chorus sang “When Christmas Comes”,
followed by “Do You Hear What I Hear” and “Peace,
Peace”, which traditionally brings the Choirfest
to a close.
As
has been the case from the event’s conception 31
years ago, this year’s Christmas Choirfest was once
again organized by Lynne Stacey with the help of a six
member organizing committe and dozen or more volunteers.
This
event managed to raise over $2,600 which will be evenly
split between the Orléans-Cumberland Community
Resource Centre and the Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
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THE OTTAWA SCHOOL OF THEATRE presents an all ages production of Treasure Island in the Richcraft Theatre at the Shenkman Arts Centre. Showtimes Thursday, April 18 and Friday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets $20 for adults. Students and youth 25 and under $10. To purchase visit 
TAPROOM 260 presents Michael Ben-Shalom live from 8-11 p.m. at 260 Centrum Blvd. For more information visit 
TAPROOM 260 presents The Underground live from 8-11 p.m. at 260 Centrum Blvd. For more information visit 
CLASSIC PIANO RECITAL – Orléans pianist Emily Hou will be performing works by Chopin, Mozart, Rachmaninov and Liszt at Kanata United Church as part os the Beaverbrook Community Concert Series. The recital will start promptly at 3 p.m. Kanata United Church is located at 33 Leacock Dr. in Kanata. For more information visit 
THE ORLÉANS BREWING CO. Trivia Night from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Call (613) 834-9005 to reserve your spot. The Orléans Brewing Co. is located at 4380 Innes Rd. near the Innes Road McDonalds.
