About 120 singers from the three Durango Choral Society choirs and members of the Durango Jazz Combo are warming up for Sunday’s performance of “A Traditional Family Christmas” at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College.
This year’s installment of the annual concert event will include three DCS choirs – The Durango Choral Society, Durango Children’s Chorale and Durango Women’s Choir – along with special guests, the Durango Jazz Combo.
“This is a really family-friendly, fun and spirit-filled performance. We’re performing a wide variety of music, plus we’ll have audience singalongs and surprises for the kids,” said Linda Mack Berven, conductor of the Durango Choral Society and Durango Women’s Choir.
Other concert highlights will include a surprise guest, Santa Claus, the conducting debut of Episcopal priest Bob Seney (winner of a fundraising auction) and two selections from “The Nutcracker Suite” by Tchaikovsky performed by the Vivace Piano Duo – Mack Berven and C. Scott Hagler, DCS associate conductor.
A Holiday Gala Fundraiser, a silent-auction benefit for the Durango Children’s Chorale, will take place before and after the concert, from 2 to 6 p.m., in Jones Hall, next door to the Concert Hall. Auction-goers will enjoy free refreshments and live music by Margi Coxwell.
“The gala is an important part of our fundraising efforts,” said Amy Barrett, conductor of the Durango Children’s Chorale. “It’s a large part of why we can offer as many scholarships to our students as we do. We’re very grateful for the support of our community.”
