Chorale is a Christmas season hit

More than 400 Sisters Country residents enjoyed a grand Christmas concert as the Sisters High Desert Chorale and Bell Choir performed at Sisters Community Church last Sunday afternoon.

The program began with Tim Drexler playing the piano, helping to set the stage for the varied sounds of Christmas that would follow. Then Lola Knox and Trish Liddell played beautiful flute duets accompanied by Donna Moyer.

After that, the joyful sounds of Christmas rang out with a spirited grand opening with the High Desert Bell Choir and chorale filling the hall with Lloyd Larson's resounding "Tidings of Joy," followed by the spirited chorale music describing the birth of Jesus Christ, "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day."

After the intermission -and the audience enjoying a repast of cookies and other goodies supplied by members of the chorale - Bill McDonald, accompanied by Lola Knox, Peggy Tehan, and Jim Prichard, charmed the audience with their ukuleles and vocal talents.

Marilyn Anthony's sweet soprano voice accompanied the bell-ringers to the music of "The Lamb," and then the men opened the second half of the concert with "O Tannenbaum," sung in German and English, followed by the woman of the chorale singing the prayer from "Hansel and Gretel."

After several more Christmas classics, the finale started with a traditional, spirited spiritual, "Jesus, What A Wonderful Child," with soloist Janie Buell helping to build the joyful musical celebration with the already hand-clapping audience. After "Jesus..." the bell choir and chorale sang the final piece in Latin by John Williams, "Exultate Justi."

While the applause was shaking the rafters, Irene Liden, the director of the chorale, went into the audience, scooping up children and bringing them to the director's riser where they rang Christmas bells while the audience and chorale sang Christmas Carols and the bell choir rang out the joy of the season.