Music, ritual and poetry come to the forefront on Sunday morning, December 18 at 10:30 AM, as the First Parish Sanctuary Choir, under the direction of Rip Jackson, presents a special music Sunday celebrating the Winter Solstice. Through beautiful music, poetry and readings from books of ancient wisdom, the powerful transformation from darkness to light will be uplifted. Soprano sax player Katie Runde and bassist Ben Green will be the guest instrumentalists for this service. Together with Rip Jackson on piano and organ, they will play some of the music from the Paul Winter Consort that can be heard at St. John the Divine during the Winter Solstice Concerts there each December, including the rousing piece “Dancing Day.” The Sanctuary choir and soloists will sing deeply beautiful solstice-themed anthems by Eric Whitacre, Morten Johannes Lauridsen, Mark Hayes, John Purifoy and Rip Jackson. Tegan Waite will share liturgical dance during the ritual. Poetry by Diann L. Neu, Edward Hayes and John Philip Newell will be shared during the Solstice ritual. For more information call the church at 781-862-8200 or visit www.fplex.org.

PROGRAM:

Air in D J. S. Bach/Rip Jackson, arr.
Katie Runde, soprano sax; Rip Jackson, organ; Ben green, bass

Dominus Illuminatio – Rip Jackson
from The Beatitudes
Toni Tasker, soprano; Tegan Waite Green, liturgical dancer;
Sanctuary Choir

Winter’s Peace – John Purifoy
Sanctuary Choir

Celebrating the Winter Solstice – Diann L. Neu
Marianne DiBlasi

Winter’s Heart – Mark Hayes
Sanctuary Choir

A Winter Solstice Prayer – Edward Hayes
Paul Brouillette

To Drive the Cold Winter Away – Loreena McKennitt
Julia Jaffe, soprano

The Glow of the Eternal – John Philip Newell
Pete Tasker

Sure on this Shining Night – Morten Johannes Lauridsen
Sanctuary Choir

In the Great Darkness
Rev. Anne Mason

Solstice – John Purifoy
Sanctuary Choir

Glow – Eric Whitacre
Sanctuary Choir

Silent Solstice Night – Paul Winter, arr.
Austin Burns

Dancing Day – Paul Winter, arr.
from Solstice Live
Katie Runde, soprano sax and Ben Green, electric bass

First Parish Sanctuary Choir

Soprano: Maureen Bovet, Lee Brami, Elizabeth Walsh, Toni Tasker
Alto: Tish Callanan, Mary Edelman, Allison Flanagan, Ann Flentje, Julia Jaffe, Elisabeth Jas, Meg Newhouse, Ruth Rose
Tenor: Paul Brouillette, Austin Burns, Nathan Ramsayer
Bass: David Bovet, Charles Goodell, Ben Green, Paul Koons, David Meharry, Tom Rich, Don Yansen