The Greenwich Choral Society announces its Annual Holiday Concerts, Saturday, December d at 4:00 PM and Sunday, December 4 at 2:30 and 5:00 PM.
The generosity of Saint Nicolas and the many legends surrounding his heroic life will be revealed through Benjamin Britten’s Saint Nicolas cantata for large chorus, semi-chorus, soloists and orchestra of strings, complemented by piano and organ. The Greenwich Choral Society will share the spotlight with the Greenwich Academy Madrigal Singers, Choristers from Christ Church, Greenwich, and tenor Chance Jonas-O’Toole as Nicolas.
In addition, the infinite love and kindness of Mary and her song for her son’s ministry will be proclaimed in Gerald Finzi’s dramatic setting of the Magnificat in an arrangement for strings and organ, featuring Jonathan Vaughn at the console of the mighty new organ at Christ Church. To conclude, a garland of traditional carols for choirs and audience will highlight the blessings of the season – weaving a tapestry of images for all ages.
The Choral Society’s traditional December Holiday Concerts are a significant part of their community’s holiday celebrations. This year they are again scheduling three performances and returning to Christ Church, Greenwich to usher in the holiday season.
Tickets are $55, $40 and $25, and are free for students K-12. For tickets and additional information, visit the Greenwich Choral Society’s website at www.gcs-ct.org.
Chance Jonas-O’Toole – Tenor
In 2019, Chance made his debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra as the tenor soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy under Andris Nelsons. In 2022, Chance joined the Merola Opera Program, singing Monostatos in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, as well as scenes of Donizetti and Britten with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. Also in 2022, Chance was chosen as a finalist in the Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition.
Chance is a graduate of The Juilliard School, where he received his Bachelor’s and Master’s in Music. While there, he performed multiple roles, including the Prologue in Britten’s Turn of the Screw, Mercure in Rameau’s Hippolyte et Aricie at Juilliard, Jo the Loiterer in Virgil Thomson’s The Mother of Us All at the Met Museum with Met Live Arts, and the First Sailor in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas on tour with Juilliard 415. Juilliard is also where Chance developed a love for song and concert repertoire, participating in New York Festival of Song, Juilliard Songfest, WQXR’s Midday Masterpieces, and premiering Jonathan Dawe’s Oroborium with the New Juilliard Ensemble in Alice Tully Hall.
Chance is a recipient of the Novick Career Advancement Grant from the Juilliard School.
Greenwich Academy Madrigals
The Madrigal Singers represent a long tradition of musical excellence at Greenwich Academy. The Upper School treble ensemble has received invitations to perform both regionally and internationally. In December 2004, they performed at a private reception hosted by First Lady Laura Bush at the White House. In 2008, they received an invitation to perform at the National Association of Independent School Annual Convention at Radio City Music Hall in New York. On April 7, 2013, the Madrigals were invited to perform “The Star Spangled Banner” at a New York Mets baseball game.
In 2012 the Madrigals traveled from Barcelona to Paris, performing in cathedrals in Figueres, Aix-en-Provence and Albi, with a final concert in Paris at Basilique Ste-Clotilde. In 2014 the Madrigals toured Scandinavia. Their 2017 tour of Ireland included concerts in various cities including Dublin, Killarney, and Gallway. Their 2019 tour of Finland, Sweden, and Norway, included a concert at the famous Rock church of Helsinki.
Erica McCants became the conductor of Madrigals in the fall of 2019. She earned her bachelor of music education and vocal performance certificate from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Ms. McCants came to Greenwich Academy in the fall of 2005 as a middle school music teacher. She served as Performing Arts Department Chair from 2012-2018. In addition to Madrigals she is also the vocal director and conductor for the Upper School fall musical, directs Bel Canto, Gospel Choir, teaches Group V music classes and coordinates the private lesson program.
