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The Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Philharmonic Choir is offering local music enthusiasts a wonderful Christmas gift this season â€" a performance of Handel‘s Messiah, likely the most beloved oratoâ€" rio in the Englishâ€"speaking world. Conducted by Howard Dyck, the concert will feature the 100â€" voice choir, members of the Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Symphony, as well as soloists Janet Oberâ€" o meyer (sopranc), Linda 4 _ Maguire (mezzoâ€"sopranc), k + m ‘T .. Nils Brown (tenor), and ’ .% ; Daniel Lichti (bassâ€"baritone). . k Lichti, a favorite with local E audiences, grew up near feglly New Hamburg on a farm and still resides in that rural comâ€" munity. He did his underâ€" 4 graduate studies at Wilfrid # $ Laurier University, spent a d year at University of Â¥ Toronto‘s Opera School, and | did some postâ€"graduate work i in Germany. Before heading overseas to continue his studies, Lichti got his feet wet and [ gave a few professional performances. in 1974, for example, he made his debut at the Stratford Festiâ€" val in two contemporary opera productions at the Third Stage. When he returned from Europe in 1979, Lichti kicked off his concert oratorio career with a perâ€" formance of the Brahms‘ Requiem with the Ontario Choirs in Contact. Since then, his career has flourished as he‘s performed with choral orgaâ€" nizations throughout North America. Last season, he performed with Tafelmusik, the New Jersey Symphony, the Charlotte Symphony, the Ottawa Choral Society, the Winnipeg Symâ€" phony, the Baldwinâ€"Wallace Bach Festival, the Vanâ€" couver Chamber Choir, and the Phoenix Bach Choir. He also toured Germany during the summer with the Bach Choir of Bethiehem singing Bach‘s Mass in B Minor. Singing is something Lichti has always enjoyed doing, but while growing up on the farm, he never considered that it would one day be his livelihood. "I never really knew (music) was going to be a career, it was always something that was just fun to do," Lichti says. "I didn‘t grow up in a family that was particularly into the classics or anyâ€" thing like that â€" | just learned about it when I was in university and continued building on it." It‘s only been in the last couple of years that Lichti has been able to give up his day job, so to speak, and make a living as a concert soloist. Until 1993, Lichti was coâ€"owner of a farm operaâ€" By Deborah Crandall 115 T 5 . B \\ | A ie s it 4 â€" C | y * y , , x a % * career pays the bills. "When I began my career when I came back from Germany, being almost a complete unknown, | had to have another job to fall back on," Lichti says. "So what I did was join a farming comâ€" pany with two brothers. I put myself in debt there, but at least | had the assurance of a stable income and a place to live. So | pecked away at a career in concert oratorio because it only required me to be away for short periods of PE FE |time, like four or five days maximum." tion in New Hamburg. He still lives on a farm, but his singing The Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Philâ€" e l harmonic Choir launches its 74th j*{ season with Handel‘s Messiah, ME following a highly successful g European tour last summer. At J «PA e the European Sacred Music Festiâ€" s C W20 â€" val in Schwabisch Gmund, Gerâ€" _ | â€" many, the choir was lauded by # un #2 * â€" critics as being the "crowning 5 glory" at the international event.. < Since its first international tour, \@ &. | â€" the choir has been invited to perâ€" 3 form in several western and eastâ€" 4 ern European countries. . 6 5 _ The Kitchenerâ€"Waterioo Philâ€" limmail" .o harmonic Choir and members of »\»@ the Kitchenerâ€"Waterioo Symâ€" e . phony will perform Handel‘s Mesâ€" * J â€" siah Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $23, $26, and $29 (§5 for children for the Sunday matinee), and are available at The Centre in the Square Members of the Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Philharmonic Choir (above) performed excerpts from Handel‘s Mesâ€" siah last weekend during the annual "Singâ€"Aâ€"Thon" fundraiser at Fairview Park Mail. Bassâ€"baritone Daniel Lichti (below) will perform Messiah with the choir this weekend at The Centre in the Square. â€" Something that Lichti hasn‘t done a lot in the past (because of dedication to his family), but hopes to do more of, is operatic producâ€" tions. In fact, he was recently in Quebec to perâ€" form the role of Alfonso in Mozart‘s Cosi fan tutte with Quebec Opera. "Earlier in my career, | kind of made a deciâ€" sion not to do much opera while my children were growing up," Lichti says. "It means more trips away from home and for longer stretches of time. Now my children are both in school, so this fall I was away for five weeks to do an opera in Quebec City, and that‘s a new thing for me. it (opera) is something that is certainly of interest to me and maybe one PR | of those a year might not be too The caroliers will be performing between William Street and Bridgeport Road in support of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. Those visiting the uptown Waterloo area to enjoy some traditional Christmas carols are encourâ€" aged to bring nonâ€"perishable food items for the food bank. Food donations may be dropped off at Bents Camâ€" eras, Frenzi Hair Salon, Grabbajabba, and O.W. Sports. The Yuletide Singers and uptown Waterioo businesses will also be making a further financial donation to the food bank. Kâ€"W Symphony to present Christmas Pops concerts The Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Symphony will present its annual Christmas Pops concerts, Dec. 14 through 16 at The Centre in the Square. A tradition of the orchestra and its audiences for many years, the Christmas Pops features the music of the season, this year under the direction of Tommy Banks. in roles ranging o+ s s from executive producer to con _ ,%f3 l y 2 »> ductor and pianist, Banks has conâ€" o ( tributed to the success of more 2s 19 o than 75 internationally syndicated C O@KY television specials. The list of f f artists with whom he has worked [“ HI in the 40 years since his profesâ€" sional debut include Mel Torme, Aretha Franklin, Anne Murray, Diahann Carroll, Cleo Laine, and Engelbert Humperdink. For his performances with the Kitchenerâ€"Waterioo Symâ€" phony, Banks has designed a Christmas concert that feaâ€" tures two local high school choirs â€" Bluevale collegiate institute and Waterlooâ€"Oxford collegiate. They will join the orchestra in a Christmas songfest and will also lead the audience in the popular Christmas Carol Singâ€"Along. Included in the program will be Vaughan Williams‘ English Folk Song Suite and Leroy Anderson‘s The concerts begin each evening at 8 p.m. Tickets are available now at The Centre in the Square box office. Last year, all three performances sold out. Concert to benefit local food bank The fifth annual Christmas Cracker Food Bank Benefit Concert will be held Dec. 13 at Phil‘s on King Street in Waterloo. This year‘s concert, presented by University of Waterâ€" loo‘s campus radio station CKMSâ€"FM 100.3, will feature Finnigan‘s Tongue, Jetson, and Rhythm Method. Admis~ sion to the all agesflicensed event is $5 and those attendâ€" ing are encouraged to bring a few nonâ€"perishable food items as well. Proceeds from the event will support the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. Doors open at 9 p.m., show starts at 10 p.m. & #2. El