The Mancos Valley Chorus is preparing for its 2016 round of holiday concerts.
“Glimpses of Christmas” is the theme for this year, and the 35-member chorus will perform several unexpected versions of holiday favorites. Those include a disco version of “Jingle Bells” and a Celtic version of “Silent Night,” member Brent McWhirter said.
“We like to mix in different cultures,” he said.
Concerts will take place on Dec. 4 at 3:30 p.m., Dec. 9 at 7 p.m., and Dec. 10 at 3:30 p.m. at Mancos United Methodist Church. The choir also will perform Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at Montezuma-Cortez High School. Admission is free for all shows.
Kriss Larsen is director of the chorus and Lee Bartley is the piano accompanist.
The Celtic “Silent Night” will feature local violinist Tonilynn Saletta. A barbershop quartet of chorus members, dubbed the Millwood Boys, also will be featured in the show, McWhirter said.
The M-CHS performance is part of the Southwest Colorado Concert Series, and will be the first time the Mancos Valley Chorus is the only act on the bill for that type of show, McWhirter said. The group has performed with Southwest Colorado Concerts before, but usually with another act. The choir hopes to draw enough people to fill up the 400-seat Ralph Vavak Auditorium at M-CHS, he said.
About eight new members have joined the chorus for the winter shows, but the group is always looking for new members, McWhirter said. Rehearsals are every Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Mancos United Methodist Church. For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/mancosvalleychorus.
