Mesilla Valley Chorale sets Dec. 13 holiday concert

The Mesilla Valley Chorale will perform a holiday concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, at the Rio Grande Theatre in downtown Las Cruces, according to Organ Mountain News.

Tickets cost $10. Advance purchases are encouraged.

The program, titled "A Treasured Past-A New Beginning," will feature Christmas and seasonal music. Songs on the lineup include "O Come Emmanuel," "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "One Voice," "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and "Winter's on Its Way."

The chorale is a mixed-voice ensemble performing eight-part choral arrangements under the direction of Diane Schutz. The group has about 56 singers this fall, according to a profile published in October by the Las Cruces Bulletin.

Schutz took over after the group needed another director. She arrived in Las Cruces in 1975, only a few years after the chorale began, and has spent decades teaching, conducting and performing with local musicians. She built the Las Cruces High School choir program from 19 students to 325 by the time she left in 2006, the Bulletin reported.

The chorale itself dates to the early 1970s, growing from a group of singers connected to St. Paul's Methodist Church. Schutz, who directs music at St. Paul's, had watched the ensemble for years and knew many of the people involved.

In coverage published in October, Schutz told the Bulletin she sees the role as a chance to widen the circle. "I think I bring in new energy … I have a different approach to rehearsals," she said.

Under her direction, the chorale will continue performing traditional choral works but is mixing in contemporary music, gospel and jazz. Schutz has brought in younger former students and college-age musicians to join longtime singers, aiming to make the group more multigenerational.

She told the Bulletin she wants newcomers to feel welcome. "You'll meet a great group of people. You'll sing some fun songs, and I'll help you at any level," Schutz said.

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