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p24 weekender december 181993 st arts entertainment latcham famous people benefit was big hit kate gilderdale correspondent it was an exciting and at times scary project but the vol unteers at the latcham gallery pulled it off the gallerys presentation of famous people players at markham theatre last week end was an unqualified success filling 95 per cent of the seats friday night and 71 per cent saturday afternoon thats really high for a mati nee said organizer lynda giles i think its the highest theyve had at the theatre giles said that it was definite ly worth the effort although there were some anxious moments for everyone involved i was asked if i would do it again and my answer was ask me six months from now while she was delighted with the number of people who attended giles cautioned that the gallery did not expect to make a large amount of money from the event we did make money but without corporate sponsorships the high costs involved take away a lot of the profit she noted a major benefit for the gallery however was increased public awareness generated by the show maintaining the gallery at its present level is going to be an uphill battle conceded giles but one that she and many oth ers believe is essential for our communitys cultural future residents can ring in new year at two local events ring in the new year in your own community and walk or take a cab home if youre drinking the stouffville legion and the good wood lions club are each hosting new years eve celebrations dec 31 the hall on ninth line north is the venue for the legions gala which begins at 9 pm tickets are 40 a couple or 25 each and include hot and cold buffet guests can dance to the music of a disc jockey and a cash bar will be open dur ing the evening for more information call 6401714 goodwood community centre will open its doors to revellers at 8 pm for the lions clubs new years eve dance the evening will feature the music of smak dabb and the ticket price of 75 a couple or 3750 a single includes all you can eat and drink for tickets and information call frank campbell at 6407049 photolobi bmmerson choirs sing school concerts are as much a part of christmas as mistletoe and holly above left church at right students from the stouffville christian school perform at the students at the mother goose preschool entertain at stouffville pentecostal maples of ballantrae in review christmas yso concert left audience singing mary jean oliver correspondent on the first weekend in december the york sympho ny orchestra traditionally performs its holiday concerts at mary lake shrine in king and at the markham theatre these are special events cele brating the season and in king in a special setting alexa wing a native of sar- nia opened the concert with the very demanding mozart exsultate jubilate she sang with lovely ease a delightful opener alexa has quite a list of cre dentials for so young a singer including studying at the royal conservatory in toron to in new york and singing with the elmer iseler singers at present she is pursuing a solo career the orchestra continued the programme with a cheerful reading of haydns surprise symphony the first move ment played with life and energy the second with prop er subtlety leading up to the surprise one of the highlights of this celebratory concert was in dulci jubilo for double brass choir the chorale tune good christian men rejoice antiphonal playing the brass instruments divided separat ed responding to each other brilling and wonderful in the setting of the shrine alexa returned to sing gesu bambino she could have kept right on singing her breath control the beauty of the long phrases the sensitivity of the interpre tation left us weak it was sublime marred only some what by the difficulty of bal ance with the orchestra but the cantabile chorale of york region was waiting in the wings with rutters shep herds pipe carol and star carol rutter is well respect ed in current musical circles particularly in his beautiful church music compositions and arrangements with unexpected rhythms and har monies the choir also sang several excerpts from the messiah for unto us a boy is born was excellent the cantahile chorale is directediby robert richard son is an award winning group and has toured across canada and to holland and england robert richardson is an organist with oriole- york mills united church and a music consultant for the york region board of educa tion this christmas concert always includes a singalong which was sadly foreshort ened by the length of the pro gramme however the audience left with carols ringing in their heads to return in the very unseasonal weather outside