GozoNews.Com

The Universal feast of Christmas brings around many activities: fund raising activities, dinners, parties, traditional food, decorations but above all, it brings music. Music is that thing which is heard everywhere or we may say, is the common thing in all places decorated for this festive season. It is in the streets, in the houses, in the shops, in the churches.

The Xaghra Local Council is keen to contribute to the Christmas events in its locality. On Thursday 28th December 2006, it will be presenting a Christmastide Concert, Gloria in Cielo, at the Basilica of Marija Bambina in Xaghra, Gozo.

The concert is being held under the auspicious patronage of the President of Malta, Dr. Edward Fenech Adami.

During the soiree’, a collection will be held in aid of the Community Chest Fund Malta.

The Council is grateful for the invaluable support of the Xaghra Archpriest Mons. Carmelo Refalo and his Collegiate Chapter and also the Cultural Committee within the Gozo Ministry. Financial sponsorship for the Concert is generously provided by many Gozitan and Maltese businesses and individuals and by Government Entities.

This musical event has reached its eight edition and had seen various choirs join together for this Chrismas concert.

For this year’s edition, the Xaghra Local Council invited the Schola Cantorum Jubilate of Xaghra to perform, on its own, a selection of popular and traditional Christmas Carols. Many by now, have heard of Schola Cantorum Jubilate, the independent youth choir which specializes in the sacred polyphony. Recently they have been featured in all of the local newspapers regarding their annual event of ‘Carols by Candlelight’ which was held for the forth consecutive year on Saturday 9th December 2006.

The repertoire includes various carols, some popular, others not so much. They will be interpreting certain carols a cappella and during others, they will be accompanied by the Jubilate Chamber Orchestra which is made up of professional young Gozitan musicians. The Choir and Orchestra will be under the baton of Marouska Attard.

The evening includes some solo instrumental pieces and other vocal solos by the Soprano, Director and violinist Marouska Attard. The well known Joe Caruana will be interpreting organ pieces as well. Ms. Attard graduated this year with B. A. Hons in Music and the Schola’s success is due to her constant technical training.

The concert is being held in the Basilica of Marija Bambina of Xaghra, which will certainly be a pleasant backdrop for the choir but above all a perfect place for the acoustics.

Everyone is invited to the concert and entrance is free.

Since the concerts starts at 7.30pm, those attending are kindly asked to be in church by 7.15pm.