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VIDEO: Sweet Adeline! Barbershop boasts 10 acts for bureau benefit

First Capital Chorus will again don their red suits for Langley Christmas Bureau concert, Dec. 14
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Gord Harris, a Murrayville resident, rattled off to the Langley Advance Times, his many roles and observations over the years with First Capital Chorus’s annual Christmas Benefit Concert.

“I’m a member of the chorus and rehearse with them every Thursday… I’m the evening’s emcee… and I’m only 80,” he assured.

The concert has become a seasonal staple over the past quarter-century, bringing together dozens of a cappella performers to raise thousands of dollars of the Langley Christmas Bureau.

“They were really having problems collecting money in the eighties and nineties,” Harris recounted, “and so we thought we could fulfill that need and go help them out.”

Harris figures $125,000 has been raised for bureau, a volunteer run organization that aims to help children and families in need during the holidays.

“We present the net proceeds of what we raised the previous year to the bureau,” Harris added, which typically includes an annual barbershop serenade at their office. “We’ll have about $1,000 for them this year.”

Following that annual gesture, the Christmas concert features a variety of holiday music sung by the chorus and a roster of musical guests.

Read More: Langley chorus hosts Remembrance concert in Surrey church

First Capital Chorus is a 45 person, mixed gender choir, that sings in the a cappella style and belongs to the Barbershop Harmony Society.

“The whole society fully opened to women just this year. It does bring a different sound, but our saying is ‘everybody in harmony’ – and we really mean everyone,” Harris added.

The group performs at multiple occasions during the season, most recently at the Newlands Festival of Trees.

The benefit concert takes place on Dec. 14 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Willoughby Christian Reformed Church, 20525 72nd Ave.

The First Capital Chorus and quartets will be joined by several special guests including the Peace Arch Chorus, Yes’m Quartet, Memory Lane, and Synchronesh to name a few.

“It’s a full slate this year – 10 acts. The Langley Children’s Choir is the feather in our cap while everyone will come on stage at the end and perform as the 2019 Christmas Community Chorus,” he continued.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for seniors and can be purchased at the door or at Auld Phillips (20500 Fraser Hwy), Beach Basket Giftware (107 8850 Walnut Grove Dr), and Westland Insurance (inside Willowbrook Mall and 4074 200 St).

More information at www.firstcapitalchorus.org.

”It’s been a great delight putting it on,” Harris assured.

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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com

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