Terence Fay

On Friday, Dec. 9, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 11 at 3 p.m., Con Brio Choral Society will produce two Christmas concerts with full orchestra in Old Lyme at Christ the King Church, 1 McCurdy Lane.

Con Brio, the shoreline’s renowned all-auditioned chorus, is celebrating its 20th birthday!  This year Con Brio remembers its past with much loved pieces and looks forward with new ones to the years to come. 

The opening chorus of the Christmas Concert’s featured work, J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, includes the words: Cease to be fearful, forget lamentation, Haste with thanksgiving to greet this glad morn!  And indeed Con Brio will … 

Directed by Dr. Stephen Bruce, the Con Brio Choral Society, Con Brio Festival Orchestra, soloists: Terrence Fay, tenor and Christopher Grundy, bass, promise a memorable concert. In the beautiful sanctuary of Christ the King Church in Old Lyme on Friday, Dec. 9, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 11, at 3 p.m., Con Brio’s chorus, orchestra and soloists will fill the church with Christmas music. 

Christopher Grundy

Con Brio opens this year’s concert with one of the most celebrated Christmas pieces, performing portions of J. S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, first performed over the six weeks of the Christmas season in 1734. Con Brio will present several of the well-known choruses; several chorales, (prototype of the Lutheran hymn); as well as the famous aria, Mighty Lord.

Among the variety of familiar and new pieces celebrating the season is Mark Reise’s arrangement of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen followed by its companion piece, I Saw Three Ships. Con Brio’s by now traditional practice of singing “in the round” will this year feature the Gloria from Rheinberger’s Mass in E-flat, the Kyrie of which moved audiences several years ago.

Two of the Sechs Sprüche of Mendelssohn will be followed by three new arrangements of familiar melodies: Forrest’s He is Born, Halley’s What Child is This? and Wilberg’s Masters in This Hall. Z. Randall Stroope’s powerfully moving Winter, first introduced to audiences a few years ago, is followed by Courtney’s highly entertaining and witty Musicological Journey Through the Twelve Days of Christmas.

As always there will be familiar Christmas carols for the audience to sing: We Three Kings and Joy to the World.

In addition to Con Brio’s two Christmas performances, the Spring Concert offers the opportunity to hear the magnificent Beethoven Mass in C and Patricia Schuman sing, once again, perhaps Con Brio’s most popular piece: The Easter Hymn.

Con Brio thanks its loyal audience members, sponsors and advertisers, for faithful support over 20 years.

The 70-member audition-only Con Brio Choral Society draws its members from Connecticut shoreline towns extending from Mystic to Guilford and north along the Connecticut River including Essex, Deep River and Chester, East Haddam and Moodus.  The group rehearses in Old Saybrook Tuesday evenings at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and performs at Christ the King Church in Old Lyme.

Of the regional group’s 70 members, 11 come from Essex, 5 from Deep River, 4 from Chester; 7 from Old Saybrook, 4 from Westbrook, 2 from Clinton; 7 from Madison  and 8 from Guilford. From across the Connecticut River, members are drawn from Old Lyme (1), Niantic (1), Mystic (3), East Haddam (2), Groton (2), and Moodus (1).

For more information about Con Brio’s concerts visit www.conbrio.org  or email dramy2000@yahoo.com.