'Peace on Earth' a delightful show

SCOTT WHITED
PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

The Christmas season is upon us, ergo it's time for Christmas music.

The Pueblo Choral presented "Peace on Earth: A Christmas Concert" to the Pueblo community, represented by the large crowd in attendance, yesterday afternoon at Praise Assembly of God church on Troy Avenue. Including the 35 children of the Pueblo Children's Chorale, the event featured over 100 voices offering up a fine variety of seasonal melodies, both sacred and secular.

The adult choir, conducted by Artistic Director Mark E. Hudson, started the program off with an extended 13-song sequence dedicated to "The Glory of the Lord: A Choral Celebration for Christmas." The powerful tones of the experienced singers rang through the cavernous sanctuary, moving easily and beautifully from upbeat standards such as "Joy to the World" to the triumphal exultation of the concluding "Praise to the King."

The Children's Chorale joined their elders on stage as new conductor Dana Ihm invited the smiling audience to join in singing a quartet of favorites highlighted by "Jingle Bells," "Deck the Halls," and, of course, children's favorite "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

The Children's Apprentice Choir under the direction of Betsy Barto initiated their four-song set with a lovely and haunting ode to the first Christmas family called "O Who's That Yonder?" Children's Concert Choir Director Jennifer Shadle-Peters then led her charges through an internationally flavored trio of songs that included the traditional "African Noel" and a Spanish carol entitled "Riu, riu, chiu," which was introduced by the accidental early arrival of half of the tuxedo-clad men of the adult choir. No one missed a beat, though, and the men added some formal decoration to the stage as the children sang "One Candle," their best song, which began with a beautiful solo by a young girl who was then joined by a young man for a sweetly harmonic duet before being joined by the rest of the choir. The concert ended with another audience-participation set dedicated to the ubiquitous jolly old elf - who perhaps unsuprisingly appeared to share goodies from his bag.

With the Dove of Peace hovering above the proceedings on soaring wings and a stage fronted by red-leaved poinsettias and flanked by brightly lit Christmas trees (conical conifers for the secular folks), "Peace on Earth" entertained and uplifted. It inspired joy in the hearts of all the performers' parents, both those still here on the blue orb and those now abiding up above with the star of the season.

"Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year!"