If the breeze associated with the Yuletide had not yet showed up, the crisp musical strains emanating from St Augustine’s Chapel last Sunday on the North Street Campus of Kingston College, Clovelly Park, were sure to herald that Christmas is here!

On show was the much-vaunted Kingston College Chapel Choir (KCCC) and this year’s presentation truly lived up to the accolades both earned and assigned by affinity.

Under the firm baton of Choirmaster Audley Davidson, the choir offered an exquisite display of choral music marked by preparation and discipline under the theme ‘Tidings of Comfort & Joy’.

As soon as the 35 choristers, armed with music folders, marched into the chapel — purple-vested and bow-tied for the occasion — they got down to business presenting the storied Te Deum in C scored by Franz Joseph Haydn and arranged around 1799.

Programme notes describe the main work as being composed for choir and orchestra with three continuous sections — two ebullient outer sections, contrasting with a calm middle. The audience simply described the presentation with the word, “Wow!”

Supported ably by the approximately 10-piece Fortis Friends Chamber Orchestra the musicians teamed to thrill the audience with the “canticle of praise”.

Brimming with excitement to offer applause, the attendees sat in anticipation of the final chord of the near 15-minute work to respond. And the approval was thunderous and continuous.

The other pieces on the 17-item feast of music featured more modern compositions, spiced with work of local composers Clyde Hoyte (O’er our Blue Mountain), Andrew Marshall (Fanfare intro to
Hark The Herald Angels Sing), Noel Dexter (Sing de Chorus), and Richard Beckford (Joy —composed and dedicated to the KCCC in September of this year).

The choir’s execution of John Rutter’s Angel Carol was as controlled as it was lovely. The underparts of the choir made their presence sure as they blended to created cool aahs and passing phrases to support the Christmas text.

So too was Gold for a Manger Bed, arranged by Malcolm Archer; however, the clarity of words was diminished here, even though the smooth score allowed for it.

The recently restored pipe organ made its debut for the evening on Fanfare for Christmas. Livingston Burnett shifted from the keyboard for this piece. Here a family of familiar carol tunes and texts had heads bopping and feet tapping along in the joy of the season.

The organ would again feature in the lullaby-esque Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (Mark Wilberg). The army of gentlemen were particularly responsible in the treatment of the piece, with distinct attention to conductor Davidson.

They then raised the volume and tempo with the dramatic Masters in the Hall arranged by David Willcocks.

Here would come a quick break at which emcee for the evening Karnette Batchelor Evering engaged the audience. She later rallied the giving with a cause in support of the relief efforts for St Hilda’s Diocesan High School post-Hurricane Melissa.

She seized the opportunity to lead her own audience choir with the fun-loving Twelve Days of Christmas, and later Hark The Herald Angels Sing.

The choir retook the reins with Here’s A Pretty Little Baby (Andre Thomas). The piece would have been perfect had the soloist Andrew Grant been miked. The power of the full choir in harmony proved a bit of a challenge for him. The end, however, was joy in musical chords.

Also well executed was the unaccompanied Noel, Sing Noel arranged by Ian Humphris and Beckford’s Joy — with clear and clean soloist Kijani Evering.

The remainder of the programme had the audience overjoyed Sing de Chorus, O Holy Night (Tom Fettke), and They Rejoice with Exceeding Great Joy (Fettke).

The climax came with the stirring The Sounds of His Love by Don Marsh.

In all, the season was ably welcomed with the music of the KCCC. The centenary of this institution set to a soundtrack of glorious Christmas music was a joy to hear and a comfort in times of challenges.

— MAT

Soloist Matthew Hylton delivers the Jamaican carol O’er our Blue Mountain, wriiten by Clyde Hoyte. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

A section of the attendees that filled St Augustine’s Chapel on the North Street Campus of Kingston College for the annual Christmas concert. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

Organist Livingston Burnett on the chapel’s pipe organ during the singing of Hark The Herald Angels Sing, in the audience joined. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

The KCCC marches in. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

Choirmaster Audley Davidson conducts chamber orchestra and choir. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

The choir presents Te Deum in C major by Haydn. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

From left: Kingston College Board Chairman Michael Vaccianna, Suffragan Bishop of Kingston Garth Minott and Lord Bishop of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands Leon Golding and his wife Lauren. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

Ladies of St Hilda’s Diocesan High School enjoy the carol Silent Night by candlelight. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

In attendance are former Governor General Sir Kenneth and wife Lady Hall. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)