Varsity Choral Society to Present 24th Annual Christmas Concert

by Robert Horowitz 

The Varsity Choral Society, a community choir that is a division of Port Washington Play Troupe, will present its 24th Annual Christmas Concert at the Congregational Church of Manhasset on Dec. 15.

The Varsity Choral Society consists of professional and talented amateur vocalists, but is open to anyone interested in the challenge of singing fine choral music. 

Directed by Craig Tocher, the music director at the Congregational Church, the choir will be accompanied by organ, strings, trumpet and oboe.

This year’s program will open with the choir performing “Exultate Justii” by Randol Alan Bass, followed by Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria”, featuring soloists Molly Davey (a soprano soloist with the Congregational Church) and Melissa Maravell (a mezzo soprano formerly with the New York City Opera). The second half of the program will feature “Touro-Louro-Louro”, “Lay Down Your Staff”, “O Sanctissima” and “In the Bleak Midwinter”, all arranged by Robert Shaw and Alice Parker.  Additionally, the choir will perform “On Christmas Night All Christians Sing (The Sussex Carol)”, “Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella”, “Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine” and “Ding! Dong! Merrily on High”, all arranged by Howard Helvey.

Solo works also will be sung by choir members Joseph D’Angelo (“He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”), Roger Feuss (“O Holy Night”), Robert Horowitz (a soloist with the Congregational Church who will sing “Gesu Bambino”) and Michael Douglas Jones (formerly of New York City Opera and currently a soloist with the Congregational Church, who will perform “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”).  The trio of Nancy Morris, Jan Richardson and Lynne Stebbins also will perform the entertaining “The Twelve Days After Christmas”.

The 4 p.m. performance will end with its traditional audience Christmas carol sing-a-long, led by Clyde Locke.

Tickets, which are $20, will be available at the Congregational Church, 1845 Northern Blvd., on the day of the performance.  

The snow date for the performance is Jan. 12.