The skanner., December 07, 2016, Page Page 7, Image 7

December 7, 2016 The Skanner Page 7
Oregon Symphony Presents
Gospel Christmas Dec. 9-11
Northwest Community Gospel Choir performing Gospel Christmas at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
T
he Oregon Symphony, with
Guest Conductors Charles Floyd
and Gary Hemenway, and the
Northwest Community Gospel
Choir, will present Gospel Christmas
at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 and 10 and at 4 p.m.
Dec. 11 at Arlene Schnitzer Concert
Hall.
For the past 18 seasons, Gospel
Christmas concerts have been the
Oregon Symphony’s most popular
holiday performances. Some of this
year’s selections include “Sacrifice
“
The
Northwest
Community Gospel
Choir features the
very best of the lo-
cal gospel talent
of Praise,” “Hark, the Herald Angels
Sing,” “Celebrate the King,” “Carol of
the Bells,” and a rousing medley of
Christmas worship songs.
The Northwest Community Gospel
Choir features the very best of the
local gospel talent from local and re-
gional churches and music ministries.
In addition to their first-rate choral
Charles Floyd
work,
the
Northwest
Community
Gospel Choir
features
a
number
of
talented solo-
ists who take
turns
lead-
ing the group
with stellar
vocal inter-
pretations of
classic holiday songs.
Conductor, pianist, and composer
Charles Floyd has been heard in con-
cert with more than 500 orchestras
since 1991 — including every Oregon
Symphony Gospel Christmas concert
since our annual performances be-
gan in 1999. He is a regular conductor
of the Boston Pops.
Tickets begin at $35 and can be pur-
chased online at OrSymphony.org; in
person at the Oregon Symphony Tick-
et Office located at 909 SW Washing-
ton St., in downtown Portland (M-Sat,
10 a.m.-6 p.m.); by phone at (503) 228-
1353 (M-Fri, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-
6 p.m.); and at the Arlene Schnitzer
Concert Hall starting two hours be-
fore every performance.
Arts & Entertainment
Black Nativity: A “Balm” for the
Season and a Musical Tour de Force!
I
f you walk by a cer-
tain church in North
Portland the first three
weekends in December,
the music coming from
the sanctuary will stop
you in your tracks. You
will want to be inside, but
unless you have a ticket to
“Black Nativity,” Langston
Hughes’ gorgeous gospel
song play, you will be out
of luck.
Case in point: at a recent
rehearsal of this cultural Performers Tasha Williams and Shelley B Shelley on stage at
retelling of the Nativity PassinArt’s ‘Black Nativity’
Story, a passerby walked
African Americans’ faith, but also pro-
into the sanctuary, and said, “I just
vided a refuge free from racism and
couldn’t walk past. I had to know what
oppression.” Carley added, “We invite
was inside. Are tickets available?” The
everyone, no matter what faith or back-
church is Greater St. Stephens Mission-
ground, to join us for this celebration
ary Baptist Church, the company once
of hope and healing.”
again bringing this “joyful noise” to
Pastor Kimberly Black, whose chil-
Portland is PassinArt: A Theatre Com-
dren have performed with PassinArt
pany, and director Jerry Foster stopped
in the past, shares the role of Narrator
rehearsal and made the reservation
in this year’s production. Pastor Black
then and there.
says Black Nativity brings hope, which
The Church as Community Space
“we need this Christmas more than
PassinArt describes itself as being ever.” She remembers the last Sunday
equally about great theatre, communi- of last year’s performance where there
ty and culture, so it is not surprising was standing room only, so she urges
they would choose to present what has people to get tickets now. “If you love
been called “the Black community’s gift music and you love the season,” she
to the world” in a local church in North says. “Come bring joy to your soul.”
Portland for the second year. Co-found-
The Music Makes You Feel Good
er and Board Member, Connie Carley
The uber-talented cast, which in-
acknowledges the historic role of the
Black church that not only “sustained
See BLACK NATIVITY on page 8