CHRISTMAS CONCERT 2023

The 2023 NSA Christmas Spectacular was curated and conducted by a2. orchestra Artistic Director Josh Spirek, bringing together orchestral and choral music for an evening centred on the traditions of Christmas. The program combined traditional carols including Joy to the World, Silent Night, In the Bleak Midwinter, Good King Wenceslas and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing with classical favourites including Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro Overture, Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and Hallelujah from Messiah, Anderson’s Sleigh Ride and selections from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.

Performed by a2. orchestra and the Winthrop Singers at the Taryn Fiebig Concert Hall, the concert brought together familiar Christmas music with a full orchestral and choral sound, beginning a continuing collaboration between NSA Music and a2. orchestra.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Overture to The Marriage of Figaro
Randol Alan Bass - Gloria
John Rutter - Angels' Carol
Elaine Hagenberg - illuminare
Leroy Anderson - Sleigh Ride
Harold Darke - In the Bleak Midwinter, arr. Josh Spirek
George Frideric Handel - The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Felix Mendelssohn - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a
Reginald Jacques - Good King Wenceslas, arr. Josh Spirek
Ēriks Ešenvalds - O Salutaris Hostia
Sally Beamish - In the Stillness
Jean Sibelius - Be Still, My Soul
Traditional - Joy to the World
Traditional - Silent Night
Traditional - We Wish You a Merry Christmas
George Frideric Handel - Messiah, HWV 56: Part II, No. 44, “Hallelujah”


Josh Spirek - Conductor