Conductor explains Christmas at the Chan Centre’s popularity amongst another sellout

Posted by admin on Dec 1, 2009 in News | 0 comments

Tickets for the Trinity Western University Choir’s “Christmas at the Chan Centre” were on sale in September, and not long after were sold out. The highly anticipated concert will take place at the Chan Centre for Performing Arts on Sunday, Dec. 6. Wes Janzen, conductor and music professor at TWU, will lead the TWU choir. The concert will also include the Langley Fine Arts School Senior Choir, with Jim Sparks directing, and the Pacific Mennonite Children’s Choir, with Kim Janzen and Sonja Fast directing. In addition, there will be symphonic carol arrangements, Christmas carol sing-a-longs, and Bach Christmas highlights. The sold out concert is expected to be a seasonal delight.

Mars’ Hill: Why do you think that Christmas at the Chan Centre is so popular?
Wes Janzen: I think Christmas at the Chan Centre is attractive because TWU has wonderful singers who work with a lot of focus, energy and commitment on something that has deep and eternal significance. The first six letters of “Christmas at the Chan” says it all. It’s a celebration of the birth of Christ.

MH: Who came up with Christmas at the Chan event?
WJ: Mr. Tom Chan came up with the idea. He shared it with me over dinner seven years ago, asking if I would produce an annual Christmas concert at the Chan Centre that celebrated the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. His idea was that this be a gift to the community. That gift has grown in some miraculous ways. Music from our first Christmas at the Chan Centre concerts was also heard at Canuck Place and was broadcast on Canadian television. Three years ago I took the concert to Kiev where it was broadcast on Ukraine International television. Two years ago, members of our TWU Choir went with us to Kiev where we performed with Kiev Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Our concert from last year has been translated into Ukrainian by a linguist musician, and in January I’ll conduct it as an Orthodox Christmas concert in Kiev’s renowned Philharmonic Hall.

MH: How did you first become involved with this event?
WJ: I became involved when I said “yes” to [Chan’s] great idea. We saw eye to eye on all the essentials; a traditional Christmas that includes Christ, top quality music, no “commercialism,” a program that is well done, including an audience “sing-along,” all intended as a warm gift to the community. Choosing the music, rehearsing it with our incredible singers, and then putting it together with a great orchestra has been a pleasure. It’s a joy to share Christ through the excellence of our TWU student body and alumni and with the wider community.

MH: What made you want to become a conductor?
WJ: My dad was a fabulous conductor. He knew how to communicate musical ideas. He has a great love for the Lord, for people and for music. It was contagious. For a while I wanted to be a professional trumpet player until I had a spectacular experience with a hockey puck. They did not score.

MH: What is your favorite song that you will be conducting at the event?
WJ: My favorite song is whatever I’m doing at the moment. But in this concert my favorite might be “Gloria” by Bach. The trumpet parts are incredible, and we’ll have the best players in the city playing. Another favorite is called “When He Comes Again.” Jesus is coming again. Soon. We want people who come to Christmas at the Chan Centre to celebrate the birth of Christ, and look forward with joy and anticipation to His coming again.