Immerse yourself in classic sounds of the season during Red Deer Symphony Orchestra’s Yuletide Songs this Saturday.

Offering a distinctly classical take on some lesser well-known holiday selections, the concert begins at 8 p.m. in the Arts Centre.

Highlights include Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in G Minor, Vivaldi’s Concerto in E Major and Manfredini’s Concerto Grosso in C Major.

Corelli’s piece ends with what is described as a Christmas pastorale movement. Claude Lapalme, RDSO’s music director, describes a pastorale as a short, gentle piece that relies on “drones to imitate the Italian pifferari, the local shepherds who would travel to nativity scenes and play their pipes to the newborn Jesus.

“The piece concludes in complete peace and leaves the listener with a great sense of wonderment.”

Rounding out the evening will be a selection of Christmas songs performed with local choir Soliloquy, a community-based choir founded and directed by Lisa Ward in 2004. The choir continues to share a love of music and singing and to maintain a high standard for themselves through quality repertoire and continued vocal growth.

Those attending are asked to bring a non-perishable food item or cash donation for the Red Deer Food Bank. There will also be a dessert reception in the lobby following the performance.

For tickets to Yuletide Songs, call the Black Knight Inn Ticket Centre at 403-755-6626 or visit www.bkticketcentre.ca.

editor@reddeerexpress.com