St. Charles Singers to perform at two churches
The St. Charles Singers may be more easily associated with their annual holiday concert in Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, but the first concerts of the new year are just as exciting to founder Jeffrey Hunt.
"With the first concert of the year, we try to pick a theme so that the music has a single message," said Hunt, the artistic director for the St. Charles Singers since he created the group 24 years ago.
"It's actually a lot of fun for me because I use the music of composers over four centuries who had music in mind with the themes I am looking for."
Hunt said he was looking for music that would support the themes of "light, heaven and serenity" and the St. Charles Singers will perform it in "Faire is the Heaven: Songs of Serenity and Light" at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Baker Memorial, 307 Cedar Ave., in St. Charles and again at 4 p.m. Sunday at St. Michael Church in Wheaton.
"We were looking for music that would express those images and how they are portrayed," Hunt said of the concert themes.
Hunt said those who attend the concert will see a unique "double choir" concert, meaning the choir breaks itself in half to create two choirs.
More than 30 singers make up the St. Charles Singers, who perform up to eight concerts during a year, not including those in which they might perform as part of an Elgin Symphony Orchestra concert.
The Saturday night concert will include pieces such as an excerpt from "The Creation" by Franz Joseph Haydn (1797); "In Paradisum," a movement from Gabriel Faure's "Requiem (1888); Randall Thompson's "Have Ye Not Known" and "Ye Shall Have a Song" (1936); as well as some spirituals by black composers.
Hunt encourages those who have not yet seen the St. Charles Singers to consider attending this opening concert.
"Our holiday show is always well-attended, but there is room for those who would like to see this concert," Hunt said.
Single concert tickets are $35 for premium seats at the Baker Church concert, $25 for general admission, $20 for seniors 65 and older, and $10 for full-time students 23 and younger. Information is available by calling (630) 513-5272 or visiting the www.stcharlessingers.com Web site.