Berks Sinfonietta and Vox Philia join with Wilson High School’s Treble Choir and choirs from Shillington and Lancaster to celebrate the Christmas season in “What Sweeter Music,” a virtual concert streamed on Facebook and YouTube. The concert will be broadcast Sunday, December 20 at 4:00 pm. Readers can watch by at www.berkssinfonietta.org or www.voxphilia.org.

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Sixteen singers from Vox Philia gathered in early November (carefully spaced out and wearing special singer masks) to record several unaccompanied carols, including David Willcocks’ joyous setting of “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day” and the gorgeous “Away in the Manger.” Both arrangements were written for Christmas Eve services held at King’s College, Cambridge where Willcocks directed from 1957 to 1974. The choir also performs “E’en So Lord Jesus” by American composer Paul Manz and Josquin’s Renaissance masterpiece, “Ave Maria.”  

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Vox Philia and Berks Sinfonietta come together to perform Holst’s “Christmas Day,” and the opening two movements of Vivaldi’s famous “Gloria.” Wilson High School’s Treble Choir takes over to perform the work’s third movement; originally a soprano and alto duet, the music gains an even more joyous atmosphere when sung by a choir. 

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The production of this concert requires a great deal of engineering. Berks Sinfonietta recorded in early November, so that each singer could receive a video of the orchestral performance. They then recorded themselves singing with the orchestra at home. For John Rutter’s “What Sweeter Music,” and Kim André Arnesen’s “Gradle Hymn,” Vox Philia collaborated with the Senior Choirs of Immanuel UCC in Shillington and Grace Lutheran in Lancaster.  

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Viewing is free and available to all. Vox Philia asks for donations equaling our normal ticket costs ($15/Adult and $5/Child). Each December the choir donates our ticket revenue to charity, and this year we will give all revenue to Family Promise of Berks County. Learn more about their wonderful work at: www.familypromiseofberks.org.