CBC Christmas Sing-In choir gets set for 37th concert
Annual tradition attracts 100s of Montrealers to the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul
For hundreds of Montrealers, CBC's Christmas Sing-In is the highlight of the holiday season.
Every year, about 1,500 people gather at the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul and the neighbouring Bourgie Hall to sing their favourite Christmas carols.
This year, CBC is celebrating the 37th Sing-In on Dec. 11.
Jean-Sébastien Vallée is conducting, with the help of organist and music director Jonathan Oldengarm and guest tenor John Tessier.
After months of preparations and planning, the week before the concert is the most intense for the choir.
"We have thirteen hours of rehearsal in the next four days to put [it] together," says Vallée. "It's a big week."
Vallée's first Sing-In as conductor of the choir was last year. He admits it was stressful joining such a longstanding tradition, but he now understands what it takes to create such a unique concert.
"We try to put carols that people have heard, but sometimes we try to pick arrangements that are slightly different," says Vallée. "People will recognize the tune, but they will feel that there's a different twist on it."
Planning for the concert goes on all year, but the choir starts rehearsing in the fall.
The choir is composed of 28 professional singers. The other 15 singers are volunteers, all trained musicians, music students or singers from the church or community.
They are a committed group, with weekly rehearsals, singing every Sunday morning at the church and performing several concerts throughout the year.
Alto singer April Babey says the Sing-In is the highlight of her Christmas season.
"It's wonderful. It's really a very joyful experience to be able to make music with a bunch of strangers," said Babey. "I love singing with the brass: Nothing is like Christmas more than a brass sextet. It gives you the warm fuzzies."
Every year, Montrealers line up for hours to get a seat in the church.
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The event has become so popular that, beginning a few years ago, a second venue was added at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts' Bourgie Hall, where hundreds can enjoy the concert via HD video simulcast.
Oldengarm says the Sing-In really connects with people: He sees many returning year after year. Oldengarm joined the Sing-In as the organist twelve years ago.
"Every year, I sit in the middle of it, and I can't believe I'm here," said Oldengarm. "It's the most intense Christmas experience."
CBC will be collecting voluntary donations at the Sing-In for West Island Community Shares, which supports 40 different charities and organizations in the West Island.
If you'd like to secure a seat, show up at the church at the corner of Sherbrooke West and Redpath streets by noon to pick up your entrance bracelet. Doors open at 2 p.m. and the Sing-In starts at 3 p.m. sharp.
This will also be the first year the Sing-In will be streaming live on Facebook, so many more can take in this special CBC tradition. You can also stream the 2016 Christmas Sing-In at cbcmusic.ca/singin, starting on Dec. 16.
