Christmas is probably the most important and demanding time of the year for any choir. It’s a wonderful festive season, and where there’s celebration, there must be music!
But how do choirs prepare for their Christmas concerts?
Dionea Sirotic from Verteneglio, Istria (Croatia) and Elisa Rovida from Brescia (Italy) share their story with us.
Both choir directors and teachers with solid musical backgrounds, they however approach different genres and styles: Dionea tackles a vast repertoire with classical vocality, while Elisa favors modern singing in all its forms, from rock to gospel.
First of all, how are you preparing for Christmas with your choirs?
Dionea
December is traditionally packed with concerts. I conduct four choirs, ranging from children’s voices to adults: it’s a lot of work, and we need to start preparing Christmas pieces as early as October.
Elisa
he repertoire preparation begins well in advance: for my three choirs, I sometimes choose the pieces as early as two or even three years ahead. Christmas is a magical time for us, and our Advent calendar is filled with performances!
What repertoire will you be performing?
Dionea
We’ll mainly perform classic Christmas traditional pieces; working with choirs of different age groups gives me plenty of options to choose from!
Moreover, since I teach at an Italian school in Slovenia, I also try to introduce songs to our youngest choir members that connect Italian and Slovenian languages, fostering cultural inclusion.
Naturally, with the ‘AD LIBITUM’ sextet, our most experienced vocal group, I present more sophisticated and challenging choral arrangements, with harmonies that occasionally venture into jazz territory.
Elisa
Our repertoire is definitely Gospel, from traditional to spiritual, though with a strong contemporary influence. We’re really passionate about this repertoire: Gospel carries a powerful message of unity, and we strive to express it at its best!
When preparing a program, I always try to create a story that connects all the pieces together. We bring this program to life with sets, costumes, and makeup that we renew every year: our shows aim to be a complete experience – visual, vocal, and physical!
Can you tell us something about the traditional Christmas carols from your region?
Dionea
In my region, traditional pieces from Istrian, Croatian, and Italian heritage are frequently performed. The historical coexistence of Croatians and native Istrian-Venetian Italians makes our repertoire unique, both in terms of languages and in its harmonies and melodies. This is a strength we’re very proud of, as it represents an extraordinary cultural richness!
Elisa
In my city, Brescia, as in all of Lombardy, songs from the most classical Christmas tradition have always been present, and many of these pieces are still performed in their original Latin language.
With my gospel choir, we offer the same kind of spirituality but with a modern twist, through those typical African-American sounds that perhaps make everything feel a bit more exotic…
Are there any special events or celebrations planned in your city for Christmas?
Dionea
We live in Verteneglio, a small town in Istria, Croatia. Besides the traditional Christmas Mass and school performances, our Italian Community organizes two major Christmas concerts every year: one in the theater, where children are the protagonists, and one in church. These events are essential for us because, in addition to celebrating the Christmas holidays, they help keep our culture and identity alive!
Elisa
The city of Brescia is very receptive to culture; there will be numerous events throughout the area, and we’ll be performing in churches, theaters, and sports arenas. Many municipalities and local cultural associations constantly reach out to us for their Christmas concerts – we’ve become their artistic reference point, and this makes us proud: my choir, ONE SOUL PROJECT CHOIR, has become a real trademark!
Thank you Dionea, thank you Elisa, and break a leg for your concerts! From all of us, best wishes for the Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!
