Tickets- Concerts
Find Out When Our Next Performance Is
Belle Voci’s
Premiere of
Alma redemptoris Mater!
Tuesday December 8, 2020
7:00 PM
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!
Saturday December 5, 2020
7:00 PM
Our video “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, will be playing on the Rotary Christmas Show exclusively on Chill TV.
For the month of December, 2020
We will be featuring stories and music videos from our singers to your house.
With members of
The Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra
on baroque instruments
Tickets are $40 each
and must be pre purchased
This pains me so much to write this. It is with heavy heart that I must write to you to let you know due to Dr Bonnie Henry’s latest orders, we can not perform our DECEMBER concerts. With these latest restrictions, we can not even live stream it.
My heart is broken as I was looking forward to this so much. We will do jesu meine Freude in the spring if things get better for the
Arts sector.
Join us!
Join us for the month of December as we present wonderful Christmas stories from our family to yours. Sit back and relax as you listen to some eclectic Christmas music offerings from Alma Redemptoris Mater to Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!
Bach, Jesu meine Freude!
COMING SPRING 2021!
One of J. S. Bach’s most monumental motets, Jesu meine Freude is a work of incredible musical and theological depth. Throughout the work, Bach draws the listener (originally his congregation members) into an intensely personal focus by weaving together scriptural and chorale texts with incredibly evocative music. There is a theme of transformation that underpins the work through all eleven movements. Many of the individual movements begin in a minor mode and conclude tonally with a major resolution. This “minor to major” transformation is a symbolism for the Christian faith. The progression of texts and music fully expose our human weaknesses and fears, but Bach always resolves them—a symbolic representation of his deep faith in the comfort of a loving God.
This particular motet is also a work of genius compositional construction. The work itself is a palindrome, with each movement being reflected from the middle (movement #6) outward. This form also gives the work a palpable direction— possibly representing the linear direction or journey of one’s faith within human existence, and also metaphorical direction which, for Bach, points upward to God in Heaven, the ultimate source of comfort in this life and the next.
Bach composed each of his six motets in the “old style,” (stile antico) which simply means that there is not an independent orchestra accompanying as there is in his cantatas and major works. The absence of orchestral accompaniment places the responsibility for dramatic characterization and contrast solely in the hands of the voices. This is both challenging and thrilling at once—the possibilities for expressing the rhetorical connection between text and music are limitless and the choir assumes the role of both musician and preacher. For Bach, this was no light mission—he was determined to convince people of the love and comfort found through the presence of God and the Holy Spirit. And thus he dedicated his entire life’s work Soli Deo Gloria, “to the Glory of God alone.”
Belle Voci virtual concert
Lay a Garland
Covid-19 isolation project
April, 2020
“…especially in times of adversity, it is important to keep making beautiful music and show our humanity by staying connected”. Paula DeWit- Music Director
Audition for Belle Voci
Celebrated a Capella Singers
Are you interested in singing with us? Admission to the Belle Voci a cappella ensemble is by audition/invitation, and we’re always interested in meeting new singers. who we’re looking for Prospective choristers are invited to contact the Artistic Director at any time during the year for an audition. In addition to filling permanent vacancies, we sometimes need substitutes for singers who are unable to perform certain concerts, or want to augment our roster for certain repertoire.
interested candidates are expected to:
• have an innate sense of musicality
• have a solid understanding of music theory fundamentals;
• be good sight readers;
• have a voice that blends easily in a small ensemble; and
• be committed to the rehearsal and concert schedule.
be respectful to the director and each other.
the audition Auditions are conducted by the Artistic Director and an accompanist. the 15 – 20 minute audition consists of:
• Performance of a solo piece.
• Unaccompanied sight singing.
• An interview.
Each singer is expected at all dress rehearsals, preparation sessions with the symphony (if applicable), and occasionally, extra choral practices. contact information If you would like to audition or need more information about the Belle Voci a cappella ensemble, please contact the Artistic Director, Paula DeWit at [email protected]