Louise Rose and friends highlight a music-inspired Christmas Day community celebration on Sunday at 11 a.m. at First Metropolitan United Church.
The lively service will feature Louise Rose, her Open Door and Good News Choirs, and her jazz combo of Bryn Badel, trumpet, flugel horn; Barbara Callaghan, percussion; and Casey Rider, bass, joining organist and music director Fran Pollet and the First Met Choir.
All told, some 50 singers and musicians will be raising the rafters for an informal Christmas morning service.
In addition to the traditional favourite sing-along carols, many African-American and Latin-inspired carols will be performed, including Go Tell It on the Mountain, The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy and the poignant Sweet Little Jesus Boy.
The musical feast will also include Rose’s improvisations, as she presides over First Met’s beautiful nine-foot Baldwin grand piano, first played by her mentor Oscar Peterson when it belonged to the Victoria Symphony.
Afterwards, volunteers will be serving a Christmas Day lunch to the inner city community in the First Met hall.
First Met is located at 932 Balmoral Rd. at Quadra Street. For more details call 250-388-5188 or visit www.firstmetvictoria.com.