LUMINESCENCE - CHRISTMAS CLASSICS (CONCERT)

Luminescence Chamber Singers and Children’s Choir

Directed by Roland Peelman

Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest to December 15

 

Reviewed by Len Power December 13

 

With a large and varied selection of Christmas songs from around the world, Luminescence produced an evening of uplifting music that ranged from traditional Nativity hymns, Medieval carols and classic Yuletide songs.

With both the Luminescence Chamber Singers and the Luminescence Children’s Choir as well as internationally acclaimed organ virtuoso, Thomas Heywood, it was directed by Roland Peelman.

 The concert commenced with the familiar carol, Once In Royal David’s City, by Henri John Gauntlett from 1849. Boy soprano, Magnus Hoy, sang the haunting opening solo part from the gallery of the church. Joined by the Children’s Choir and the augmented Chamber Singers with Thomas Heywood on the organ, the combined sound was exhilarating, especially the dramatic finale.

Magnus Hoy with the Luminescence Children's Choir

Seventeen songs were presented in this hour-plus concert. Some were accompanied by Thomas Heywood on the organ, and others were sung a capella by the choirs. Songs from Germany, England, Spain, France, USA and Australia were heard in this delightful program.

Each song showed the variation in Christmas music from around the world and across the centuries. All were memorably sung and there were some notable highlights.

Coventry Carol from 1591 had music and text from the Pageant of Shearmen and Tailors in Coventry, England. With Roland Peelman providing the percussion accompaniment, the Luminescence Chamber Singers gave this a rousing performance.

Attributed to Catalan composer, Mateu Fletxa, Ríu ríu chíu, from 1556, this folk narrative was given a dramatic performance by the Chamber Singers that invoked all the passion of Spain.

The more recent The Paling of the Stars from 2012 with music by Cecilia McDowall to a Christina Rossetti poem was given a nicely sensitive performance by the Chamber Singers.

A Child Is Born in a 2024 arrangement of the music of Roland Hanna and Thad Jones was a hauntingly beautiful song with soloist, Magnus Hoy, again with both choirs.

Roland Peelman (director), Thomas Heywood (organ) and the Luminescence Chamber Singers

Organist, Thomas Heywood, played an arrangement of carols including The First Noel and Good King Wenceslas. It was superbly played with a powerful finale.

Sleeping Child, a 2021 English song with music by Bob Chilcott and text by Charles Bennett was presented by the Chamber Singers with soloist, boy soprano Bryn Lymburner. His astonishingly clear voice and confident presentation was another highlight of this program.

Bryn Lymburner

The program ended with the augmented Choral Singers and Children’s Choir singing the well-known carols, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful and Stille Nacht (Silent Night). To hear these carols so beautifully and sensitively sung was the perfect end to this excellent Luminescence concert.

 

Photos by Peter Hislop

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 14 December 2024.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.