Seattle’s Northwest Boychoir Inspires a Musical Nativity

Northwest Boychoir, Vocalpoint! Seattle, and Northwest Sinfonia, conducted by Jacob Winkler.

REVIEW

A Festival of Lessons and Carols, Benaroya Hall, Seattle

ERICA MINER

Singing Christmas Carols en masse at holiday time is always an edifying experience. Heightened by the telling of the Nativity told through readings and biblical lessons, the occasion becomes especially engaging.

On December 23 at Benaroya Hall, an enthusiastic audience witnessed the 80-member combined chorus of the Northwest Boychoir and their associated group, Vocalpoint! Seattle, present the story of the Nativity told through readings, choral settings, and audience participation. Listening to fresh young voices interpret yuletide favorites in a magnificent concert setting enhanced by colorful lighting and projections was a special treat.

Jacob Winkler.

Patterned after the Christmas Eve observance at King’s College in Cambridge, England, the Festival of Lessons and Carols is a valued Seattle Symphony tradition and seasonal favorite. The evening was akin to a traditional pre-Christmas feast of Dickensian proportions. Perennial favorites known over the ages, some of which were arranged by conductor Jacob Winkler, shared the program with less familiar and more contemporary but equally enjoyable melodies, all of which the audience embraced with great zeal. Interspersed between the carols were the Lessons, which presented an opportunity to contemplate the meaning of the season.

Members of Northwest Boychoir.

The Northwest Boychoir, with its high level of musical education and vocal performance, provides the local community with a unique choral resource for gifted young singers. The group’s musical sophistication, rich tonal quality, and dedication to perfection have established their reputation as one of the premier children’s choirs in the US. The combined level of singing with Vocalpoint! Seattle, a group of exceptional young adults who bring together the best in ensemble vocal performance, created the perfect blend for a musical celebration.

Winkler, who grew up singing in the Northwest Boychoir and Vocalpoint! Seattle, was the ideal conductor for the evening’s program. Having earned a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from the University of Washington, he became Associate Music Director of the Northwest Choirs in 2009. In his lively and sensitive helming of both traditional and less familiar fare, he showed an exceptional mastery of conducting choral ensembles and a deep love for the participating groups. His gestures were expressive and magnanimous, emphasizing the subtleties of each phrase: a delight to watch.

Members of Northwest Sinfonia.

Winkler also brought out the best aspects of the accompanying Northwest Sinfonia and Chorale. The Northwest Sinfonia has established itself as one of the recording industry’s top symphonic orchestras, with a very long list of feature film, classical, video game, and TV recordings. Not surprisingly, these two groups provided impressive collaborative playing and singing to create a homogeneous total ensemble.

The program was chosen to elicit an enthusiastic audience response. Recognizable names such as David Willcocks (“Unto Us Is Born a Son”), John Rutter (“Come Leave Your Sheep”), and Felix Mendelssohn (“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”) shared the stage with the lilting West Indian spiritual “The Virgin Mary had a Baby Boy” and Pietro Yon’s Italian delight, “Gesù Bambino.” A standout was “This Little Babe” of Benjamin Britten, from his magnificent A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28. The piece, a huge challenge technically, rhythmically, and interpretively, was performed with panache: an impressive accomplishment for the youthful ensemble, for which the audience showed an immense appreciation.

Reading a Lesson.

The Nine Lessons, interspersed at perfect intervals with the music to illustrate the timeless story, drew from both Testaments, including Genesis, Isaiah, Micah, St. Luke, St. Matthew and St. John. Always inspiring, the appeal of these familiar recitations was enhanced by the winning narrations of young choir members, starting with the youngest and progressing to the older ones. Each lesson was spoken with great care and impeccable diction, heightening the effect on the listener.

For the most familiar carols, the lighting in the hall was augmented, allowing the audience to read the words in the program and sing along with the choirs and orchestra. The collective energy added a special touch to the evening’s enjoyment. As a finale, the much beloved Adolphe Adam favorite, "O Holy Night," filled the hall on a fervent note, spurring the audience to go forth and enjoy their holidays in the best way possible: with music in their hearts and minds.

---ooo---

Benaroya Hall, 200 University St, Seattle, WA 98101, Monday, December 23, 

7.30 p.m. 

Images: Jacob Winkler: Courtesy nwchoirs.org; Performance photos: Jon Pendleton.