Christmas with Music and Beyond expands to two days

Music and Beyond is pleased to announce that, due to the popularity of this event in previous years, the concert will now be offered twice - once on December 21st at 7:30 p.m. and then repeated on December 22nd at 2:00 p.m. "Our annual Christmas concert has always been one of my favourites of the whole year," states artistic director Julian Armour.  "I am absolutely delighted that we are able to do it twice! We try to put together a huge amount of variety and offer a concert that will be loved by both the most die-hard music lovers as well as by people who are attending a concert for the very first time. We are presenting the December 22nd concert at 2:00 in the afternoon because many people may want to bring the whole family. As well, we have been finding that there are many adults that prefer not to go out at night in the winter. This concert features one fantastic piece after another!" Headlining the concert will be the dazzling young Québec soprano Hélène Brunet, who brought down the house in her last Ottawa appearance when she appeared as a soloist with Thirteen Strings last year. Ten top Canadian instrumentalists will share the stage including the Concertmaster of the Canadian Opera Company, violinist Marie Bérard;violinist Marc Djokic whose solo career has taken him across Canada this year; Ottawa-based violist Catherine Ferreira; cellist Julian Armour;Montreal double bassist Reuven Rothman; organist Matthew Larkin; harpist Caroline Léonardelli; pianist Frédéric Lacroix; percussionist Zac Pulak; and Susan Toman on harpsichord. Also performing will be the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir and gifted 15 year-old Ottawa soprano Cassidy Van Bavel. Both concerts take place at Ottawa's beautiful Dominion-Chalmers United Church. Christmas with Music and Beyond features music by Corelli, Handel, J.S. Bach, Vivaldi, Fritz Kreisler, Richard Heuberger, Carl Reinecke as well as an assortment of traditional carols. In addition to some of the best-loved repertoire from the Christmas including Corelli's beautiful and lively Christmas Concerto and the sparkling Rejoice Greatly from Handel's Messiah, the concert will also offer some lesser-known gems by Fritz Kreisler, Richard Heuberger, Marcel Samuel Rousseau and a carol setting by Ottawa's Kelly-Marie Murphy. A set of pieces from J.S. Bach's Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, all compiled by Bach to be enjoyed at home by his large family, will add a special festive touch. One of the most unusual and lively pieces on the program is certain to be Carl Reinecke's Kinder-Sinfonie (Toy Symphony) which will include a wide range of actual toy instruments throughout the work. The concert will also offer a short "Taste of Vienna" which looks forward to the Viennese Winter Ball being presented by Music and Beyond on February 20, 2016. Tickets to Christmas with Music and Beyondare available at participating outlets, online at www.musicandbeyond.ca, and at Music and Beyond's office at 51 William St in the ByWard Market. Tickets are $30 for adults, $20 for students, $10 for youth 15 and under, and $50 for reserved section seating. Special Fundraising Tickets, which include a reception and a tax receipt for $40 are $100. Family tickets are offered at the low price of $65 for a family of four and $70 for a family of five. As an added bonus, 2016 Music and Beyond pass holders are offered 2-for-1 pricing if they purchase their tickets through www.musicandbeyond.ca or by calling Music and Beyond at 613-241-0777 x505. Tickets are also available at Books on Beechwood, Book Bizarre, Lauzon Music, Granata Music, St. John's Music,  Wallspace (both locations) and Compact Music (both locations). Christmas with Music and Beyond is sponsored by The Jewel 98.5, VIA Rail, Ottawa Citizen, Chartwell Rockcliffe, Extended Stay and The Silver Rose.