Tortolano plans seasonal sing-along concerts

Dr. William Tortolano

All in one concert, 17 Christmas and seasonal carols will be presented in a community sing-a-long at Saint Michael’s College Chapel on Sunday, December 2, 2018 at 3 p.m.

Organist and music director is William Tortolano, professor emeritus of fine arts and music at Saint Michael’s College. His solo organ concert career included performances at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, and Cathedrals in London, Glasgow and New York City.

Tortolano says he felt that it was seldom that people had the opportunity to give their voices in song with a great variety of carols in one session. The program will be presented at four churches of acoustical, and historic interest: The Saint Michael’s College Chapel; Blessed Sacrament Church in Stowe (on December 9 at 4:30 p.m.); Saint Luke’s in Fairfax (on December 16 at 4 p.m.) and Saint Peter’s in Vergennes (on December 23 at 3 p.m.)

The carols include settings by Handel and Mendelssohn; carols from Germany, Austria, France and Italy will be sung in English and one verse in the original languages; and familiar favorites: The Twelve Days of Christmas and White Christmas.

Organ music was selected to fit the particular instruments at each Church, including Petro Yon, Buxtehude, and J.S. Bach.

The concerts are free and open to the public. A free will donation, for charity, will be available.