Award-winning singing group performs Christmas concert in Vernon

Classical music lovers will want to be at the Vernon Community Music School on Sunday Dec. 10 for a special holiday event.

That’s when the award-winning Kelowna-based singing group Candesca performs Benjamin Britten’s celebrated A Ceremony of Carols and other holiday favourites starting at 2 p.m.

The group is under the direction of artistic director Alexandra Babbel and is known internationally for their exceptional vocal quality.

“This concert will be a special treat for classical music lovers in Vernon who will experience the charms of the holiday season while being enveloped in the elegance of the human voice. The 90-minute programme includes works by Handel, Caccini, and Offenbach, as well as Britten’s 1942 composition, A Ceremony of Carols, written during a transatlantic sea crossing from the U.S. to England, and inspired by a book of poetry purchased during a stop-over in Hallifax,” a news release for Candesca stated.

Tickets are available at Eventbrite.ca.

Candesca, meaning ‘Beginning to Shine,’ is made up of young women based in Kelowna who have toured 11 countries. Selected by audition, each member has a solid musical foundation with backgrounds that vary from high-level instrumentalists and composers to musical theatre performers and actors.

The ensemble is preparing for a tour in May 2024 and will perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City, where they will join voices from throughout North America, a full orchestra, and four solists to perform Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de Confessore. The tour includes additional dates at other iconic NYC venues.

“Candesca has been, and continues to be, a beacon of classical arts in our region. These talented young women are the light of my life! This show is not to be missed,” Babbel said.

Babbel founded Candesca in 2007 and has a distinguished international singing career as an operatic and concert solo performer. She holds a BA in Choral Music Education, MA in Opera Performance and PostMasters Certificate of Performance. She encourages young voices to embrace personal discipline and training at the collegiate level, which has culminated in numerous professional singing careers.