Chor Leoni presents its seasonal celebration of light, hope, and connection with Christmas with Chor Leoni this month at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United. With a diverse program ranging from the holy to the hilarious, the annual Yuletide tradition will share an inspiring repertoire of timeless holiday classics and hope-filled winter harmonies, including two world premiere commissions from Canadian composers and three holiday treasures that have been newly arranged.
David Cooper Photo
Christmas with Chor Leoni
When: December 16, 2022 at 8:00pm; December 17 at 2:00pm, 5:00pm & 8:00pm; December 19 at 5:00pm & 8:00pm
Where: St. Andrew’s-Wesley United (1022 Nelson St, Vancouver)
“Christmas is a time to gather and lift light to one another through song,” says Erick Lichte, Artistic Director of Chor Leoni. “Christmas carols and winter songs are vessels for hope, connection and warmth, and Chor Leoni’s diverse mix of sacred music, fun carols, and popular tunes is an opportunity to bring joy and meaning to our audiences during the holiday season, regardless of religious affiliation. And with its theatrical lighting and extraordinary acoustics, our home at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United is the perfect place to experience the spirit of the season. Our hope is that audiences will leave our celebratory winter concert with renewed hearts full of warmth and light.”
In addition to beloved classics such as the hopeful O Little Town of Bethlehem and jaunty Jingle Bells, Christmas with Chor Leoni will introduce audiences to a series of world premieres brimming with the warmth and magic of the season. Exciting new arrangements will be debuted by Chor Leoni’s 65-voice choir, including the New Year’s anthem Auld Lang Syne arranged by Saunder Choi, the upbeat Hanukkah tune S’vivon arranged by Nancy Grundahl, and Melissa Dunphy’s peaceful Halcyon Days.
The choir will also premiere two brand new works, commissioned by Chor Leoni. Cold Moon is written by up-and-coming B.C. composer Nicholas Ryan Kelly, a past finalist in Chor Leoni’s C4 composer competition. The hopeful and empathetic new carol, including text also written by Kelly, reflects the experience of those who may struggle to find joy during the holidays. A Fantasy of Carols is written by award-winning B.C. composer and Chor Leoni’s Composer in Residence Don Macdonald. A three-time Leo Award winner, Macdonald’s compositions include music for theatre and dance, published choral works, and more than 50 film music credits.
The joyous celebration will conclude with Chor Leoni’s signature candlelit encore of Silent Night, where audiences are invited to lift their voices in wondrous awe of the season.
Chor Leoni will be accompanied by several special musical guests, including harpist Vivian Chen, who performs with different ensembles including Vancouver Opera, Elektra Women’s Choir, and her own chamber group, the Elysian Trio; violinist/fiddler Cameron Wilson, recognized as one of Canada’s most versatile violinists who performs with Van Django, Hard Rubber Orchestra, and Mariachi del Sol; pianist Tina Chang, who performs with Vancouver Opera, Arts Club Theatre, and City Opera; and guitarist and Chor Leoni vocalist Keith Sinclair, whose arrangements are sung by choirs around the world.
Known internationally and loved locally, JUNO-nominated Chor Leoni is recognized as one of the vanguard male vocal ensembles in North America. Founded by the late choral luminary Diane Loomer and now led by Artistic Director Erick Lichte, Vancouver’s Singing Lions have enriched and transformed people’s lives through singing for thirty years. With stylistic grace and an adventurous spirit, Chor Leoni performs in many languages, styles and genres, always aiming to communicate, engage, and entertain.
Follow Miss604Holidays this season for the latest arts and culture activities, attraction and event news »
Stanley Park Ecology Society (“SPES”) has once again launched a symbolic Adopt-An-Animal fundraising campaign where you can help make a positive difference for wildlife in Stanley Park. With your adoption, which can also make a wonderful gift, you’ll be supporting SPES’s hands-on conservation efforts and unique environmental education programs.
Adopt-An-Animal in Stanley Park
Your symbolic adoption will contribute to conserving the ecological health of 1,000 acres of forest, wetland and seashore shared by over 2,000 species.
Become a monthly donor ($5 or more/month), or make a one-time donation of $40 or more, and receive a stylish fridge magnet of your adopted animal. Collect all 6 animals! A special certificate accompanying every adoption recognizes your support for Stanley Park. Donate in honour of someone special and they’ll personalize the certificate for whomever you wish.
Adopt by December 10th to receive your magnet in the mail by end of year. After December 10th, magnets will be available for pick up from the Nature House at Lost Lagoon on weekends between 11:00am and 4:00pm.
Adopt-An-Animal Options
Adopt a Hummingbird to support habitat restoration, wildlife monitoring (hummingbirds love native salmonberry blooms!), and the “Birding with Me!” nature program that provides an inclusive, safe space for members of the IBPOC and 2SLGBTQAi+ communities, and those who speak English as an additional language.
Adopt an Owl to support habitat restoration, wildlife monitoring, and the “Birding with Me!” nature program that provides an inclusive, safe space for members of the IBPOC and 2SLGBTQAi+ communities, and those who speak English as an additional language.
Adopt a Salamander to support SPES’s water quality monitoring in Lost Lagoon and Beaver Lake, the habitat of beavers and many other species in Stanley Park. Your support also provides fun, educational opportunities for kids in SPES’s Spring and Summer EcoCamps and in the popular Critter Club for wildlife-loving kids.
Adopt a Racoon to support habitat restoration and wildlife monitoring in Stanley Park. Your support also provides fun, educational opportunities for kids in SPES’s Spring and Summer EcoCamps and in the popular Critter Club for wildlife-loving kids.
Adopt a Beaver to support SPES’s beaver surveys and water quality monitoring in Lost Lagoon and Beaver Lake, the habitat of beavers and many other species in Stanley Park. Your support also provides fun, educational opportunities for kids in SPES’s Spring and Summer EcoCamps and in the popular Critter Club for wildlife-loving kids.
Adopt a Mason Bee to support our annual bumblebee survey and mason bee cocoon cleaning where cocoons are cleaned to kill parasites and preserved in torpor in SPES’s fridge until the Spring when they are released at our Air Bee ‘n Bee.
For more information about this campaign, EcoCamps, events and activities in the park, follow SPES on Facebook.
Bright Skies powered by Best Buy will be Canada’s biggest drone show and it’s happening this Friday and Saturday to launch Christmas at Canada Place. The public is invited to the free event featuring over 300 drones moving in sync to tell a special holiday story with twinkling lights.
Canada’s Biggest Drone Show at Canada Place
When: December 2nd and 3rd at 6:00pm
Where: Canada Place (999 Canada Place, Vancouver)
UPDATE as of Saturday morning: Unfortunately both shows have been cancelled.
From Best Buy: “We’re heartbroken to have had to cancel the drone show for Friday, December 2 and Saturday, December 3. Our co-creators and North America’s leading experts in this field – North Star – advised that the drones were unable to fly safely due to unexpected signal interference. While we’re hugely disappointed, safety of course will always be our number one priority. We hope all visitors had a chance to enjoy the other attractions at Canada Place.”
The 10-minute show will feature several holiday scenes, festive images and animations, all set against the city’s iconic North Shore backdrop. Local spectators, families and friends are invited to watch the spectacle in-person before walking through the festive Avenue of Trees and checking out the Woodward’s Windows, all underneath the iconic Sails of Light.
The drone show will be visible from the vicinity of Canada Place, including railings on the west side or at the north end of the building. In addition to the drone show, Best Buy will dazzle Vancouverites with share-worthy light installations at Canada’s Great Bright North light installation. Guests will be able to snap holiday photos and interact with light displays at the north end of Canada Place from December 2, 2022 – January 2, 2023.
Christmas at Canada Place
Christmas at Canada Place 2022
When: December 2, 2022 to January 2, 2023
Where: Canada Place (999 Canada Place, Vancouver)
Admission: Free! Just show up and stroll
Presented by the Port of Vancouver, this free, family experience captures the spirit of the season with beautifully decorated Avenue of Christmas Trees, the nostalgic Woodward’s Windows and a winter wonderland display of lights. For more information about Christmas at Canada Place and other happenings this season, follow Canada Place on Facebook.
Visitors of all ages are invited to create new memories and a winter fun, holiday tradition this year with the Sea to Sky Gondola Spirit of the Season.
Photo Submitted
Winter Fun at the Sea to Sky Gondola
Where: Sea to Sky Gondola’s Summit Lodge, a 45 minute drive outside of Vancouver
When: December 3 – 31, 2022 from 9:00am – 5:00pm
Tickets: A variety of tickets (ranging from $19.05 to $141.95 for a family pass) are available on Sea to Sky Gondola’s website.
Details
Enjoy Spirit of the Season from the base of the mountain to the summit for festive activities and decorations and endless views of the wintry landscape.
Through the month of December guests can enjoy everything from a decorated forest walk, photos with Santa, outdoor story time to holiday lunches with family and friends. Adding to the holiday experience and offered all season long are snowshoe tours, tubing rides at the park, nordic and backcountry skiing in the alpine forest. Additionally, these activities complement winter walks on the suspension bridge.
“During the season, the Sea to Sky Gondola summit turns into the ultimate winter wonderland,” says Christy Allan, Director of Sales, Marketing & Guest Services. “With our endless line up of activities and outdoor fun, there is so much for locals to experience and enjoy, right in their own backyard.”
About Sea to Sky Gondola
Just a short 45-minute drive from Vancouver, Sea to Sky Gondola is one of British Columbia’s premier attractions. Located in Squamish, BC between Shannon Falls and the Stawamus Chief, the attraction is within the unceded traditional territory of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam First Nations. Since its opening in 2014, Sea to Sky Gondola has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the globe.
Nominations are now open for the 2023 Courage To Come Back Awards. Coast Mental Health annually recognizes British Columbians who have overcome tremendous odds, yet selflessly give back to their communities. The awards will honour five recipients and raise funds for critical community mental health services and programming.
Courage To Come Back Awards 2023
This will be the 25th anniversary of the Courage To Come Back Awards presented by Wheaton Precious Metals, recognizing those who have not only overcome tremendous illness or adversity, but whose own challenges have inspired them to selflessly give back to others. Their inspirational stories deserve our recognition.
Categories: Addiction, Medical, Mental Health, Physical Rehabilitation, and Youth.
Since 1999, over 2,500 British Columbians have been honoured by their friends and family through a nomination, 139 of whom received these prestigious awards. They are our loved ones, our neighbours, and our friends, who have overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges with courage, strength, and a drive to inspire change and hope in the lives of others. Their moving stories will be celebrated in the Spring of 2023 in support of Coast Mental Health.
Miss604 is a proud sponsor of the 2023 Courage To Come Back Awards
