On Saturday evening, Voices International choir performed their first of 4 concerts in their 2015 Christmas Concert Series entitled "A Groovy Christmas".
With a choir of 40+ singers, Voices International's Christmas concert series 2015 got off to a great start in Bonnevoie Church. Despite the acoustics, and particularly re the bass guitar, the choir raised themselves and delivered a wonderful technically superb concert under the ever-exuberant watchful eye of director/conductor Thomas Raoult.
As per tradition, the somgs in the Voices International concert repertoire spanned different countries and languages, including from Germany, Poland, Jamaica, USA, Ireland and others, including Luxembourg. Tradition also saw a number of serious songs interspersed with some light-hearted ones, but few traditional carols this time round. The choir, and musicians, were exquisitely turned out, all in black save red neckerchiefs and pocket handkerchiefs.
Their entrance saw them carrying white roses and singing a capella, soon upping the tempo with a jazz-style rendition of Cool Yule. A Silesian folk melody then brought their harmonies to the fore. With a journey across to Atlantic to the Caribbean, the concert came alive with "Tiny little baby born in Bethlehem" and introduced the first cameos (mini solos). Thomas Raoult then swapped his conductor's baton for a guitar for "On This Winter's Night".
The choir's arguably greatest asset, their harmonies, were then used to great effect for "Baby, Please Come Home", before the music became very formal once more with a rendition from the Magnificat and music by Bach. But not for long, with The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York" (suitably abridged...) one of the best-known of the concert (here, especially, the acoustics meant the best of the choir was lost on the audience).
The 12 Days of Christmas then received not one, but two, send-ups; firstly, with The Twelve Days After Christmas - listen to the lyrics carefully! - and then The Twelve Groovy Days of Christmas, to finish off and send everyone home with Christmas cheer in their hearts.
Great credit to the choir and their loyal following as the large Church was almost full for the first of their four concerts. The next one is this evening, Sunday 6 December at 19:30 at the Church in Strassen, with the remaining two on 12 & 13 December. See www.voicesinternational.lu for details.
The concerts are not just about singing, they are also about giving. Voices International donates the proceeds of their concerts to children's charities, with the Maison Francoise Dolto in Howald to benefit from this concert series.
Also, next March, Voices International will embark on a new project; they will perform - for the first time in Luxembourg - Misa a Buenos Aires, a contemporary composition (sung in Latin) that combines Argentinian rhythms (tango) with the text and structure of a classical mass. They will be accompanied by a full orchestra on this occasion.
Photos by Geoff Thompson
