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by Anura Guruge

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Related posts:
>> 2014 ‘Italian’ rehearsal. 
>> Clearlakes 2014 Italian Christmas II.
>> 2014 Christmas tree lighting.
>> 2013 Christmas tree lighting.
>> 2012 Christmas tree lighting.
>> Clearlakes Christmas 2014 ….
>> Spring 2014 Clearlakes virtuosismo.
>> Clearlakes 2013 Christmas: Stupendous.
>> French Christmas 2013 concert.
>> Our little Ad. for Clearlakes.
>> Spring 2012 Clearlakes Chorale concert.

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The programme set out to be lively and the 76 voices and 16 piece orchestra hit the notes out of the church — Alton’s ten year old, aesthetically pleasing St. Katharine Drexel Church.

The notes soared. You could feel them rising and bouncing off the ceiling. You could feel Christmas. If you closed your eyes you could smell pine boughs and Christmas cake and that was even before they sang a stirring Italian version of “Deck the halls …”, Con i rami d’agrifoglio. It was a load of fun, superbly entertaining and inspiring. People left, both concerts, smiles on their faces bonhomie in their hearts. This is a wonderful prelude to Christmas.

Yes, of course, I am biased. Yes, Devanee, my 14 year old is in the choir. A sparano. The tall blonde, third from the left in the back row. She is the youngest of the bunch and this is her third year with Clearlakes. Yes, she started when she was 11! During that time, with two concert weekends per year. and practices every Thursday night other than in the Summer, Clearlakes has definitely become a major part of our life. Even in the Summer we have a lot of overlap of folks who also sing with with Great Waters. I was at both concerts, the Friday night rehearsal and the last practice on Thursday. So four days of it and I couldn’t get enough.

Given that I am in charge of the cooling, which means we keep all the windows open even in the winter, I knew that the sound of this gay concert floated out and drifted towards Toute 28. I wish I had a way to have made sure that folks passing by could have heard it. If they could they would have stopped. This was not your common or garden music you associate or expect in rural New Hampshire. The Sunday’s performance, with the church packed, further enhancing the acoustics, was as good as what you would see around Christmas on PBS! I was proud to be associated with this class, extremely convivial outfit. At the intermission, in between adjusting the window openings and going downstairs to check on status I was talking to a well-heeled professional from Wolfeboro. He was saying that he is sued to going with his wife to Boston to get culture but this was as good as anything he would expect to hear in Boston. I concurred.

Really not more that I can say without sounding trite. The Spring concert is in May, May 9 & 10, 2015, and you should mark it on your calendar. Stravinsky, ‘Symphony of Psalms’. I will get a preview in mid-January. That is when the Thursday practices will begin. I will keep you posted.

It was a hectic but delightful weekend for us. Devanee and I went to the traditional, after-concert/Christmas party at a very elegant (and historic) house in Wolfeboro. We could have stayed there a long time, but I had promised Teischan that we would get our two Christmas trees this weekend. So at 7pm we were cresting Prospect Mountain Road headed to Walmart in Rochester. By 8:30 I had two trees, in their stands, watered and in place. So both kids are happy.

Merry Christmas.

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by Anura Guruge

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Related posts:
>> 2014 ‘Italian’ rehearsal — Dec. 13, 2014. 
>> Clearlakes 2014 Italian Christmas II — Dec. 2, 2014.
>> 2014 Christmas tree lighting.
>> 2013 Christmas tree lighting.
>> 2012 Christmas tree lighting.
>> Clearlakes Christmas 2014 … — Sep. 11, 2014.
>> Spring 2014 Clearlakes virtuosismo — May 18, 2014.
>> Clearlakes 2013 Christmas: Stupendous — Dec. 15, 2013.
>> French Christmas 2013 concert — Oct. 14, 2013.
>> Our little Ad. for Clearlakes — Oct. 27, 2013.
>> Spring 2012 Clearlakes Chorale concert — May 12, 2013.

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Click to ENLARGE.

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Clearlakes Chorale has always been OUR thing together
going back to 2010 or 2009.

Before she started singing with them, ahead of the
2012 Christmas concert the two of us used
to go to the Christmas concert together —
and sit in the front row.

That she join the Chorale was my idea.

I was also the one that would take her to
the Thursday night practices and
all the rehearsals.

Over the years I have got to know most
of the folks and I definitely am part of
the ‘family’ given that I do help out
with setup, lighting and A/C
during the concert.

So taking a picture of Devanee & I
at the Clearlakes Christmas
concert has become a family tradition.

So here is the progression
2012, 2013 & 2014.

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2013

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2102

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by Anura Guruge

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Related posts:
>> Clearlakes 2014 Italian Christmas II — Dec. 2, 2014.
>> 2014 Christmas tree lighting.
>> 2013 Christmas tree lighting.
>> 2012 Christmas tree lighting.
>> Clearlakes Christmas 2014 … — Sep. 11, 2014.
>> Spring 2014 Clearlakes virtuosismo — May 18, 2014.
>> Clearlakes 2013 Christmas: Stupendous — Dec. 15, 2013.
>> French Christmas 2013 concert — Oct. 14, 2013.
>> Our little Ad. for Clearlakes — Oct. 27, 2013.
>> Spring 2012 Clearlakes Chorale concert — May 12, 2013.

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Click to ENLARGE.

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Yes, of course, I was there for the Friday rehearsal.

Actually I was there even prior to that because
per my wont I helped with the ‘stage’ setup.

I never miss the Friday rehearsal.
For the first time I am not at the
Saturday afternoon rehearsal
which is happening as I write.
Too busy.

I was at the Thursday night rehearsal as well.

Friday was the first time the
soloist and the orchestra were present.

Wow. What a difference.

One heck of a concert
as I have been promising you.

Very stirring.
Very Christmassy.

You will go away uplifted and rejuvenated.

One of the soloist will blow your socks away.
So put on two pairs.

Make sure to make at least ONE of the performances.

Enjoy. See you there.

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by Anura Guruge

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Related posts:
>> 2014 Christmas tree lighting.
>> 2013 Christmas tree lighting.
>> 2012 Christmas tree lighting.
>> Clearlakes Christmas 2014 … — Sep. 11, 2014.
>> Spring 2014 Clearlakes virtuosismo — May 18, 2014.
>> Clearlakes 2013 Christmas: Stupendous — Dec. 15, 2013.
>> French Christmas 2013 concert — Oct. 14, 2013.
>> Our little Ad. for Clearlakes — Oct. 27, 2013.
>> Spring 2012 Clearlakes Chorale concert — May 12, 2013.

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Click to ENLARGE.

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The musical program for this December 2014 concert,
per its theme of “Italian Christmas”
(having done “Christmas in France” in 2013)
will be as follows:

Antonio Vivaldi: Gloria in D Major

O Sanctissima

In Notte Placida

Quanno Nascette Ninno

Dormi, Dormi O Bel Bambin

Venite Adoriamo il Nato Bambino

Mille Cherubini in Coro

Venite su Pastori

Astro del Ciel

Con i Rami D’Agrifoglio

Gesù Bambino

Gloria in Terra

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Since I take Devanee to many of the Thursday night practices and rehearsals I have got to hear most of it, and it is fantabulous. Extremely pleasing to the ear and sure gets you in the Christmas spirit. You should definitely try and make one of the concerts. You will be glad you did. See you there. I will be at both plus the ‘dress’ rehearsal on Friday night. And i know that I will still feel that I didn’t get enough of it and will be eagerly awaiting the availability of the CD.

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by Anura Guruge

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Related posts:
>> 2013 Christmas tree lighting.
>> 2012 Christmas tree lighting.
>> Clearlakes Christmas 2014 … — Sep. 11, 2014.
>> Spring 2014 Clearlakes virtuosismo — May 18, 2014.
>> Clearlakes 2013 Christmas: Stupendous — Dec. 15, 2013.
>> French Christmas 2013 concert — Oct. 14, 2013.
>> Our little Ad. for Clearlakes — Oct. 27, 2013.
>> Spring 2012 Clearlakes Chorale concert — May 12, 2013.

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Three (3) YouTube Video clips.
Click to access.

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This is our third Wolfeboro, N.H., Christmas Tree lighting with Clearlakes Chorale (which during that time has become an integral part of our family life). That girl in green who appears to figure prominently in all the videos and photos makes sure of that. We are glad. It is always a lot of fun. Great people.

Funnily enough the gentleman standing directly behind the girl in green is the FAMOUS Steve Barlow who just happens to be fixing her Green MGB right at this moment. Notice there is a green theme in her life. This was the first time she got to meet Steve because she was at school when Steve came to check out the car and I had the car towed to his place in Wolfeboro. Steve had no idea she was going to be signing at the Christmas Tree lighting. So that was all neat — though he also told us, right off the get go, what the ‘damage was’, as soon as we met.

All in all a real fun afternoon. I have a TON of photos of the Wolfeboro Parade and Santa and Mrs. Claus lighting the tree. I will try to post them in the next few days.

Enjoy. Merry Christmas.

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by Anura Guruge

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Related posts:
>> Clearlakes Christmas 2014 … — Sep. 11, 2014.
>> Spring 2014 Clearlakes virtuosismo — May 18, 2014.
>> Clearlakes 2013 Christmas: Stupendous — Dec. 15, 2013.
>> French Christmas 2013 concert — Oct. 14, 2013.
>> Our little Ad. for Clearlakes — Oct. 27, 2013.
>> Spring 2012 Clearlakes Chorale concert — May 12, 2013.

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Click to ENLARGE.

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Clearlakes Chorale, where this is her 3rd year signing, has become Devanee’s 2nd family — and that is good.

Last year, for her 13th birthday, her birthday, October 10, fell on Thursday — the night of the rehearsals. So we had a birthday party for her at the rehearsal, during the break. It was huge success and a number of folks said “you should do this every year”.

I didn’t need to be told again. Folks know me. Any excuse for a party. So we had a party the day before per birthday, this Thursday. It was fun. 

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