Autumn 2026
A Christmas Choral Tapestry
Here you can find some details of our rehearsals, and how we prepare for another exciting concert
Contents of this page
- Running order
- Learning resources
- Rehearsal schedule
- Homework for rehearsals
- Concert details and timetable
Running order
- The Great O (O come, O come, Emmanuel)
- Charpentier: Messe de Minuit
- CC 274 Quem pastores
- CC 202 Joy to the world
Interval
- [Corelli: Christmas Concerto]
- CC 62 Nativity Carol
- McDowall: Christus Natus Est
- [An encore‽]
Learning Resources
- Learning to read music
- YouTube and Spotify links for listening
- Sheet music: copies will be available at rehearsals
- Some MIDI files for individual voice parts
About the music
- Marc-Antoine Charpentier: Messe de Minuit pour Noël
- Cecilia McDowall: Christus Natus Est
- Arcangelo Corelli: Concerto Grosso in G minor op.6,8 “Christmas Concerto” (strings only)
- other carols (from 100 Carols for Choirs) with tuned and untuned percussion
- Chant, arr. AW: The Great O
Listen to the music
Music-learning files
- Messe de Minuit (Choralia)
On this web page you will see three sets of icons (see below). Hover over each to see your options.
NB We’re not singing the Credo, so you won’t need the movements from Credo to Et in spiritum sanctum dominum (inclusive).
Music scores
Scores will be distributed at the first rehearsals. If you wish to buy your own scores, here are some links:
Rehearsal schedule
AA = with Ailsa
AW = Alistair
HT = Holy Trinity Church, Dumbarton Road, Stirling
| Date | Messe de Minuit | Christus Natus Est | 100 Carols for Choirs | Forward planning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 September | Kyrie, Gloria | 202 Joy to the world 62 Nativity Carol 266 Personent hodie 46 Angelus ad virginem | ||
| 21 September | Sanctus, Agnus Dei | 274 Quem pastores 26 A spotless rose 73 Jingle, bells 192 Infant holy (unison) | ||
| 28 September | ||||
| 5 October | Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei | |||
| 12 October | Gloria | 26 A spotless rose 192 Infant holy (U) 274 Quem pastores | ||
| 19 October | complete | |||
| 26 October | Mid-semester reading week | |||
| 2 November | complete | |||
| 9 November | complete | complete | 274 Quem pastores 202 Joy to the world 62 Nativity Carol | |
| 16 November | complete | complete | Viva la musica Songs my heart has taught me | |
| 23 November | ||||
| 30 November | ||||
| 5 December | Rehearsal and Concert |
Homework for rehearsals
- Listen to the music as much as you can in the first few weeks of the semester.
- Get to know the work so well that you can enjoy the rehearsals and, ultimately, the concert, aware that you’re part of something bigger than just your voice part.
Concert details and timetable
- Venue: Holy Trinity, Stirling
- Dress: all black
Saturday, 5 December
The hall will be open from about 1pm
- 12:30pm Church open, lighting being set up
- 1:30pm Choir to be ready, to check seating, warm-up
- 2:00pm Rehearsal start
- 5:00pm Rehearsal end
Alistair is aiming to complete the rehearsal with the choir by 4.30pm.
However, this may need to be extended depending on how they go! - 7:00pm Return for pre-concert warm-up in the Hall
- 7:30pm Performance starts!
The concert performance is expected to end around 9:30pm.
Disclaimer
Some of these links are affiliate links. If you purchase through the link, it will cost you no more than if you had bought it directly. We may receive a small commission and it’ll earn our gratitude!