Capital Region Performance Gallery

by Dick Frantzreb

I’ve monitored the Sacramento choral scene carefully for the past 10 years, so people sometimes ask me, “Which is the best choral group in the Sacramento region?” My answer: “For what kind of music?” The fact is that there are truly excellent groups in each category: classical, barbershop, etc. ― and some excellent groups, very different in their programming, defy categorization. But for a bright, pop sound, with a bit of jazz and a lot of Broadway, Placer Pops Chorale has no equal. I sang for 15 years with its predecessor chorus, and I’ve attended nearly all Placer Pops concerts in the past 8 years, as their excellence has grown. So on this Thursday evening at Sierra College’s Dietrich Theatre, I was expecting another outstanding show ― and that’s what I and the rest of tonight’s near sell-out crowd got.

After two concerts at Harris Center earlier this month, this was the first of four at Dietrich Theatre. Think about that for a moment: each of those performances is or was sold out or nearly so, and that means 2,500 to 3,000 people will have heard them perform this month. Harris Center is a great venue, and the way Placer Pops stages their concerts, they take full advantage of the big stage and the other resources that Harris Center provides. Dietrich Theatre is a smaller, more intimate venue, and there are those who love its comfortable familiarity. But for me, it’s always a toss-up where I would like to see the Placer Pops Chorale perform.

On this evening, the theatre was decorated with a colorful, poinsettia-based, lighted garland that ran along the edge of the stage. Three large lighted wreaths hung above the risers, connected by draping. Behind the risers was a blue scrim that changed colors during the course of the concert.

The 14 members of tonight’s Placer Pops Orchestra were tuned and in place when the house lights went down and Director Lorin Miller came out to the welcoming applause of the audience. He turned to the orchestra, gave the downbeat, and chorus members rushed in from either side of the stage, in no order, to take their positions on the risers. The men were in tuxedos with red bowties and cummerbunds; the women were in a variety of brightly colored dresses.

(Click here to open the program in a new window.)

That rushing the risers was significant. It established that this was a group of happy people who were having fun, loving to sing and ready to share their exuberance with all their friends in the audience. So keeping with this spirit, all four songs that followed had an up-tempo, pop style in which the orchestra was fully involved, including drums and brass. The singing itself was bright and full of energy. The chorus members had various “choralography” routines that emphasized their lyrics. The joy they projected was infectious and was reflected in their faces. And as for their bodies, they never stood still; sometimes the choralography looked like they were really dancing in place. And to add to that feeling of activity, the chorus often repositioned themselves on the risers. There may have been a musical reason for it, but at minimum it served the purpose of creating an extra bit of visual interest and added to that impression of constant energy.

All of this blurred any distinction between a traditional chorus and a show choir. Watching them perform, I was reminded of my childhood experiences seeing the Christmas shows at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The Placer Pops Chorale would have fit beautifully into one of those memorable stage shows.

The fourth number, a mix of “Sleigh Ride” and “On a Sleigh Ride with You!” featured a solo by Director Lorin Miller. Miller has had a career as a soloist of both popular and classical music, and throughout his 16-year tenure with this group, he has performed a solo in just about every concert. His fine tenor voice and sense of style has earned him a following, and so his solo is something that Placer Pops audiences always look forward to.

The high energy of the first four numbers eased a little in “Give Me Christmas,” a pleasant song, new to me ― and to the audience, I would imagine. There was no choralography in this piece, though the singers moved freely to the pop sound of the arrangement. Listening to this music, the thought came to me that this was an event where you could lose the cares you might have brought with you. You might even feel years younger.

“The Christmas Song” (“Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”) carries a lot of nostalgia for most of us, and so its presentation was a bit subdued. Two mixed quartets were positioned forward, on either side of the stage and on mic. This was a pattern followed for several songs in the concert. It gave easy access for incidental soloists, but I think the primary purpose was to have strong singers from each voice part contribute a bit extra to the choral mix being fed to the audience. It also probably helped lyrics get through, and gave the audience something different to focus on.

After “The Christmas Song,” Miller spoke to the audience. It’s a folksy touch of his that always builds rapport ― and gives those super-active singers a little rest. After welcoming the audience, he mentioned that his wife had just left (and he would be following soon) to see their first grandchild in North Dakota ― to which this California audience offered groans of light-hearted sympathy. Miller also announced the upcoming spring concerts (see the linked program), and noted that after them, the chorus would depart for a tour of England.

Next on the program was a new arrangement of “Silent Night” by Dan Forrest (two more of his songs would be performed later). The violin and then piano started the piece, and when the chorus came in, I heard surpassingly beautiful 4-part harmony. It reminded me of Miller’s insistence in rehearsals that his singers work to produce a “good choral sound.” I heard it now and many times later in the concert when they sang a cappella or with a minimal accompaniment. Then the orchestra helped this new “Silent Night” build to a dramatic peak until it tapered to a gentle conclusion, followed by murmurs of appreciation from the audience.

The last piece before intermission was a medley of the songs from the movie, “White Christmas.” Unless one has seen the movie (and remembers it), some of the music comes as a surprise, because it has nothing to do with Christmas. Six songs were represented in this medley, which ended, of course, with “White Christmas.” Of those other songs, my favorites were an endearing, cute duet of “Sisters” by real-life sisters Kristin and Sarah Knotts and a solo of “Count Your Blessings” by Joyce Skolnick, one of this group’s go-to soloists for the past decade.

After the intermission, the women returned in all-black dresses of different styles; the men changed their red bowties and cummerbunds for black. The first musical selection (not in the program) was an Irish-themed medley of Christmas songs featuring the flute and pipe of Alice Lenaghan, a regular player in the Placer Pops Orchestra.

The chorus began with “Sing Glad Tidings,” which included an introduction by violin and cello that almost felt mystical. The first theme was that of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” and it featured more great choral harmonies with the contribution of each voice part coming through clearly. Then the melody switched to “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,” with a solid start by the tenors (and some basses?). Then came in succession, “The First Noel,” “Away in a Manger,” “Still, Still, Still,” “Ding Dong Merrily on High,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “The Wexford Carol,” “Joy to the World,” “How Great Our Joy,” “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” I list all these melodies because while this was being sung, it struck me that with all the songs and especially medleys in this concert, you would go home having heard every traditional Christmas song you could think of. But I don’t want to demean this delightful medley. It was an appealing arrangement that showcased beautiful singing from an excellent chorus. From the reaction of those around me, it was clearly an audience favorite.

James Lord Pierpont would not have recognized the next piece as the “Jingle Bells” he wrote in 1857. Mark Hayes’ “Variations on ‘Jingle Bells’” was a hoot. First, it was fast as the wind, with different meters discouraging anyone inclined to toe-tapping. Then it was a waltz with new lyrics. Then there was a tongue-in-cheek classical section with a sing-off between two sopranos who happened to be mother and daughter. Finally, there was a fast-paced production number that highlighted the men’s sections with a bit of choralography. At the conclusion of the music, Miller turned to us and said, “I thought that was fun” ― and we agreed. He went on to speak about the multigenerational character of the chorus and what a family affair it is: 3 generations from one family, other parents and children, husbands and wives, and siblings (i.e. in “Sisters”). Then he spoke about the Placer Pops Scholarship Program (see details in the linked program), and he invited young people to sign up for auditions to be considered for the awards.

Miller then introduced Phillip Cuneo, a past scholarship winner, who spoke briefly about his college emphasis and musical activities. Then he delivered a solo performance of “Mary, Did You Know?” It wasn’t on the program, and with the announcement, the audience immediately expressed pleasant surprise. Then Cuneo delivered the song with a professional-quality voice and pop stylings, earning cheers as the song concluded.

At this point the house lights went down, and to the accompaniment of strings and piano, the women sang the first verse of “What Child Is This?” The men followed with the second verse, and the full orchestra came in for a grand finish to the third verse.

“Silver Bells” began with the seldom-heard introduction. The arrangement was also interesting for the tempo, which was a much slower than usual, even pensive and introspective. I noticed, too, that new lyrics had been added. Then, like so many other songs in this concert, the quiet beginning of the song built to a big ending.

“See Amid the Winter’s Snow” and “The First Noel” both began like the previous piece, almost reverential in mood, and demonstrating once again, the “good choral singing” of this ensemble. Eventually, each orchestration built to a climax and the singing seemed almost exultant, until it dwindled to a peaceful close.

With the concert coming to a close, Miller told us that he ends with the same song every year, “Because I love it!” And with that, orchestra and chorus launched into “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” It couldn’t have been more joyful. All the singers were relaxed, and there’s no question that the smiles on all their faces showed what they were really feeling. And of course that joy spread to the audience. So after of two-and-a-half hours of some of the best holiday entertainment to be had in our area, the audience expressed their appreciation with cheers, whistles, and a standing ovation ― the way they do after every concert of the Placer Pops Chorale.