ESTEVAN - A musical tradition that transcends borders and time is set to continue this December, as the Southeast Chorus from Estevan and the Northwest Chorus from Crosby, N.D., come together for their 52nd annual Christmas concert.
The event, a cross-border collaboration since the early 1970s, will feature two performances: Dec. 7 at St. Paul's United Church in Estevan at 7 p.m., and Dec. 8 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Crosby at 4 p.m.
"The rehearsals are going really well," said Shauna Meek, who co-directs the event alongside Harlan Johnson. "Our accompanist and I have been going down to Crosby on Tuesdays to rehearse with that group, and their director Harlan has been coming up on Thursdays to our rehearsals here in Estevan. We've been trying to have two per week, assuming that if people are free and can make it, they would come to both. And a lot have been travelling back and forth to get twice as much practice in."
The combined effort is no small feat, with around 50 singers participating, depending on weather and availability, Meek noted. Besides, they had new members joining this year.
"The core is the same, but we've had new members on both sides this year. So that's been really nice," Meek said. "We've had some really strong voices join us this year."
The concert promises a blend of new pieces and the old ones, reflecting the rich history of the two choruses.
"This is our 52nd annual concert, so we've had 50 years of music in the archives," Meek said. "We have some new music and we also have brought in some music from our archives. And we never repeat a program year to year."
Meek also highlighted how accessible resources have eased the process for members. She noted that many of their songs can be found online, allowing members to practice independently at home, which has been a huge help.
Preparations will culminate in final rehearsals next week in both Crosby and Estevan, leading to the concerts.
"We're really excited to give our performance and hope for a great turnout," Meek said.
