provided to The Santiva Chronicle
Southwest Florida’s premier choral ensemble, the Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers, will perform the sounds of the season with Holiday Passport, a celebration of Christmas around the world. The annual Sanibel Christmas performance will be at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19 at Sanibel Community Church, 1740 Periwinkle Way. The event is free, and a goodwill offering will be taken to benefit a worthy community organization.
The concert will feature holiday selections from countries around the world, including Betelehemu, a Nigerian carol arranged by Barrington Brooks; the traditional Irish Wexford Carol arranged by Elaine Hagenberg; Ose Shalom, a traditional Hebrew poem set to music by John Leavitt; and Ocho Kandelikas, a Ladino song for Chanukah by Flory Jagoda. The concert will also feature accompaniment by special guest musicians including guitar and percussion.
“Since we’re all too familiar with our favorite American carols, it seemed important to expose our audience to holiday music from around the world,” says Mastersingers Artistic Director Shannon Arnold. “The evening will include a wide variety of fun and beautiful music that will be sure to get everyone in the holiday spirit.”
The Mastersingers are pleased to be returning to Sanibel for their annual Christmas performance, which could not happen in 2020 due to the pandemic. “We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with Sanibel Community Church and the island community,” says Mastersingers president Jill Janda-Kanner, who is also a Sanibel resident. “As an organization, we love and appreciate this tradition and are excited to return to Sanibel this year.”
Join the Mastersingers for Holiday Passport and celebrate the season at Sanibel Community Church on Sunday, Dec. 19. For more information on upcoming concerts, visit www.mastersingersfm.com.
About the Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers
Since its inception in 2001, the Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers has been the premier choral group in Southwest Florida. Its mission is to share significant choral works from classical composers as well as innovative new compositions. The 80-plus voice ensemble is also a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and gives back to the community through the generosity of its patrons. For more information visit www.mastersingersfm.com.
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