Masterworks Chorale offering holiday concerts

“I think a lot of parents and grandparents are reluctant to take their kids to musical concerts because they are worried about behavior, noise and interest,” Renfroe said. “I think that’s unfortunate because most kids love music. The concert is an easy way to expose their kids to high-quality live choral music.”

Masterworks Director Bryan Baker will be the conductor and lead the concerts. Kids can participate through sound effects and several songs like “Must Be Santa” by Bob Dylan, a famous call-and-response song. The program also includes traditional carols and lullabies from other performances to challenge them. The concert also weaves in different songs and pieces like body percussion and water glass instruments to pique interest.

“I would be shocked if they were not completely fascinated by seeing someone play a goblet of water,” Renfroe said.

The Sunday Carols and Lullabies concert at 4 p.m. will be an hour and 40 minutes with no intermission. The more traditional performance of holiday music will feature Carols and Lullabies by Conrad Susa, Nowel by Randall Thompson, White Winter Hymnal by Pentatonix and other festive favorites. The Susa piece is in Spanish and includes a harp, marimba and guitar. The program will also have a Ukrainian song called “Carol of the Bells.”

“It’s a very relevant program,” Renfroe said. “I think the Spanish language is another way we are trying to offer programming that welcomes a more diverse audience.”

Each concert will have 78 singers, building back from before the pandemic when there were around 100 singers. Both performances are at the Congregational Church of San Mateo at 225 Tilton Ave.

“These concerts are a traditional holiday cornerstone,” Renfroe said. “A feel-good set of concerts that are really a Christmas gift to everyone.”

The San Mateo-based choral ensemble has been around for nearly 60 years and battled through the pandemic to keep itself open by getting creative and offering virtual concerts only. State funding helped the nonprofit get through the tough times. Renfroe said continuing the funding levels outside a disaster could usher in a golden age for art, especially smaller art organizations.

With COVID still around and flu cases rising, most singers will wear masks. Singers without masks will get tested beforehand. Everyone 12 and older must present proof of vaccination, and everyone is asked to wear a mask.

People can go to https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=mastc for more information.