ENSEMBLES: Concert Group, Choral Scholars, and Young Men’s Ensemble

Ragazzi Boys Chorus makes its triumphant return to the stage with its first in-person concert in almost two years, Mysteries and Miracles. Featuring vaccinated singers from Ragazzi’s Young Men’s Ensemble, Concert Group, and Choral Scholars in person and unvaccinated choristers remotely, this holiday concert will include treasured yuletide gems and contemporary festive pieces to celebrate the season. Led by Artistic and Executive Director Kent Jue, Mysteries and Miracles will be performed at 2pm PST Saturday, December 4, 2021 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Redwood City. For the in-person concert, audience capacity is limited to 100, with social distancing enforced. All audience members are required to wear a mask, and all performers, staff, volunteers, and audience members must show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination before entering the concert space. Audience members will also need to show an ID that matches their COVID-19 vaccination card. Purchase tickets ($30) by filling out the form below. Advance ticket purchase is required; tickets will not be available at the door.

With repertoire that spotlights the magic of the holiday season, Mysteries and Miracles will include a wide variety of songs in its repertoire. Among the works offered by Ragazzi’s Concert Group (CG) and Choral Scholars (CS) are Richard Oswin’s fervent Sanctus; Christmas classic Hodie, arranged by Edmund Hughes and Edward Galante; and While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks, Craig Courtney’s dreamy, sparkling arrangement of the standard carol with text by Nahum Tate. CG and CS will also perform Anton Bruckner’s profound motet Locus Iste and Philip Lawson’s a cappella arrangement of Down to the River to Pray, an Appalachian folksong made popular by the Grammy Award-winning film O Brother, Where Art Thou?. CG will sing John Rutter’s buoyant and lively Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day; Evan Ramos’ elegant O Magnum Mysterium, a setting of a Latin Christmas text exploring a moment of great wonder and mystery; and Alessandro Grandi’s rich, resonant Hodie, nobis de caelo, edited by Tortolando. CS will also perform Howard Helvey’s upbeat arrangement of the traditional Catalan Carol Fum, Fum, Fum.

During this thrilling performance, Young Men’s Ensemble (YME) will perform Michael John Trotta’s mesmerizing arrangement of the 18^th century hymn Veni, Veni Emmanuel, Kim Andre Arnesen’s beautifully expressive Cradle Hymn with words from Isaac Watts’ poem, Morten Lauridsen’s emotive a cappella arrangement O Magnum Mysterium, and David Conte’s driving and rhythmic a cappella arrangement of the Traditional French Burgundian Carol Pat-a-Pan. YME will contrast Stephen Caracciolo’s gorgeous a cappella arrangement of O Tannenbaum (composed by Melchior Franck) with Carl J. Nygard’s delightful arrangement Oh! Christmas Tree???, a parody of the traditional German carol. YME will also sing a rollicking rendition of Jingle Bells by James Pierpont, arranged by Philip Lawson, and the joyous, traditional Kenyan song Wana Baraka, arranged by Shawn Kirchner.

Doors open 30 minutes prior to performance.