Burbank Chorale

Saturday night I will be performing with the Burbank Chorale at this concert of Christmas music. The two John Rutter pieces are amazing.

The Burbank Chorale's holiday concert has the theme "Echoes of Joy," which takes on multiple meanings for the event on Dec. 16 and 17 at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Glendale.

The featured pieces are "Gloria" and "Cantus" by contemporary British composer John Rutter, said director Mikhail Shtangrud.

"We have this great space now at St. Mark's Church and it has beautiful acoustics," he said. "It truly lends itself to a concert with brass instruments."

In searching for music, the director discovered Rutter's pieces, he said.

"Both are for choir and brass ensemble and will sound spectacular at St. Mark's," he said.

It's a thrill for the choir to be introducing these works to the audience, said Kyrian Corona. "The audience is familiar with his Christmas carols, but these are really his signature pieces," Corona said.

The concert will open with Giovanni Gabrieli's (1557-1612) "In Ecclesiis," (Latin for "In the Congregation") scored for eight-part choir, brass ensemble and organ, Shtangrud said. "St. Mark's rich acoustical properties and opposing choir galleries, each with its own organ, inspired the composers who wrote music for its services to emphasize the resulting echo effect, scoring antiphonal music for various combinations of singers and instrumentalists," he said.