A Celebration of Music

A CELEBRATION OF MUSIC

Minister of Music Jennifer Hamm

By Jennifer Hamm Minister of Music Jennifer: jenniferh@vpc.church

This year's concert is located at the Scottsdale Center For The Performing Arts as our campus Sanctuary continues to undergo renovations.

Tickets: vpc.church/music

Singing in a church choir is unlike any other experience. Members put in hours and hours of rehearsal time, diligently working towards the same goal – to perfect the music to the best of their ability, so that it is pleasing to our Lord. To then be able to present it to you is an extraordinary privilege. One that we hope will uplift and inspire worship through song.

One of the most exciting parts of our ministry, and a great tradition at VPC, is the Chancel Choir's Christmas concert. We have been blessed over the years by the generosity of VPC’s Foundation (VPF), who provides funding for our concert programs, to hire talented musicians to accompany our choir. We're also blessed to have space in the Sanctuary to host our events where we can accommodate a full orchestra, a choir, and an audience of 500 or more. The challenge in previous years was the acoustics in the Sanctuary. That is why I am so excited that as a part of the Sanctuary remodel these sound issues will be solved at last; producing concerts will be so much easier and the sound even more magnificent!

Unfortunately, renovations in our Sanctuary will not be completed in time for this year's Christmas concert. Thankfully, VPF continues to support us by covering 100% of the costs involved with hosting the event at the beautiful Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. If you have been in this venue before, you know how grand it is. If you have not, you are in for a treat! This is a wonderful opportunity for the Chancel Choir to sing in an amazing concert hall. It is a wonderful opportunity for outreach. And lastly, it is a wonderful opportunity for you to experience our magnificent choir and orchestra in such a beautiful facility. Make an evening out of it with dinner and a night on the town!

This concert will feature a 55 voice choir, soloists, and a full orchestra with select Phoenix Symphony members performing both sacred and secular Christmas music. The first half of the concert will feature Robert Shaw’s The Many Moods of Christmas. This work is a setting of eighteen Christmas carols grouped into four suites. We chose three of those suites to perform, which include, Good Christian Men, Rejoice, Silent Night, Patapan, O Come, All Ye Faithful, O Sanctissima, Joy to the World, Away in a Manger, Fum Fum Fum, March of the Kings, What Child is This, Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, and Angels We Have Heard on High. Solos from our Valley Singers range from Comfort Ye/Every Valley from Handel’s Messiah to Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. All played by talented instrumentalists whom we are so fortunate to have.

The second half will open with the beloved song, It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, and continue with a reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas with songs interspersed throughout. There will be a clever arrangement of Jingle Bells that explores different styles and variations. The concert will conclude with a most unique composition called A Musicological Journey Through the Twelve Days of Christmas, a hilarious parody on the famous song where each day is set to a different style of music. Composer Craig Courtney takes a traditional, very well-known song and makes a music history lesson out of it! The first day starts at the very beginning of western classical music tradition with Gregorian chant. Each day moves up through the ages; you will hear just about every style of western music represented. You'll chuckle a little bit at first and laugh out loud by the end.

I asked some of our choir and orchestra members to share their excitement for the upcoming concert. Here are some of their responses:

It is an amazing opportunity for our choir to have the chance to sing praises to God in one of the Valley’s premiere concert spaces. It will be a truly special concert to celebrate the season and with a vibrant area, there will be lots of opportunities to have a pre-concert dinner and make it a night out!

-Tiffany Pondelik, VPC Chancel Choir Member

The VPC choir is a wonderful place to build your musical skills and be with other musicians! The Christmas Concert will be enjoyable for everyone because of the vast variety of Christmas melodies. You WILL leave with a smile on your face and a warm heart!

-Larry Linkin, VPC Chancel Choir Member

Singing in the VPC Chancel Choir is one of the great joys of my life. Due to some health issues I may or may not be able to join the choir in this upcoming Christmas concert, however having the concert at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts would be a great thrill for me. Approximately 40 years ago I served on the board of the Scottsdale Center for the Arts along with Karen Meyer, Kay Herberger, and other distinguished Scottsdale citizens. So the Scottsdale Center for the Arts has always been a special place and I think that the choir will increase its visibility in stature as a result of the concert.

–Bob Turpin, VPC Chancel Choir Member

We look forward to playing the Christmas Concert each year at Valley! We really enjoy working with Jennifer Hamm, an awesome conductor, talented musician and dedicated Minister of Music! We were amazed to see her choir's huge growth each year and hear its spirit-filled singing. It's absolutely amazing! We also love her variety in her choice of music. We’ve played everything from Handel to Vivaldi to Rutter to more modern composers.

– Lan Qiu, violinist, Phoenix Symphony

The Chancel Choir is excited to have worked extremely hard for several months to learn new, challenging music— we consider it a privilege. We now get to move onto a professional stage with a professional orchestra and soloists, dressed in our very finest to present an evening that you will not forget! We want you to be as excited and proud of our choir as we are. You are a big part of this evening! It is such an honor to share this music with you, to have this experience together.

We hope you will come and take advantage of the outreach opportunity! Invite friends, family, and neighbors. Old Town Scottsdale awaits for a nice dinner prior to the concert; make an evening of it! We look forward to seeing each and every one of you at A Celebration of Music. As you enter this beautiful performance space, let our choir fill your heart with Christmas and be proud of every single one of them. They have worked so hard to help you feel God’s presence in this season.

I have been a part of VPC Chancel Choir for six years, and what a blessing it has been. Singing is a great expression of joy for the Lord and his wonderful works for us. Our singing is a very special form of worship and praise to God, and one we are happy to share. I am definitely not the best singer in the choir, but honestly, it really doesn't matter. Because when we sing, I am filled with the joy of his spirit, and my heart is full. You can hear it in my voice and see it on my face. That joy is a gift that our choir brings to the congregation and all who hear us. With our hearts and voices we share our faith with our church and community. Come join us, feel his presence and share in our joy.

-Maggie Sciacca, VPC Chancel Choir Member

Our Christmas Concerts are annual traditional affair - one not to be missed! We hope you will join us!

I am amazed and proud to be a part of the VPC Chancel Choir. I have enjoyed getting to know the lovely folks who are extremely dedicated to the music ministry of this church. Of course, the biggest thrill for Charlie and me, is singing under the direction of our daughter, Jennifer Hamm! Jennifer has sung under my direction for many years, traveling all over the world and singing in many magnificent cathedrals and churches. It was a huge thrill to have Mountain View Choir perform at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts a few years ago. I'm looking forward to singing with the VPC Chancel Choir at SCPA.

–Kay Randolph, VPC Chancel Choir Member