Photo by Howard Owens
With just a week to go before Christmas, the folks at St. James Episcopal want to throw one last musical get-together to feature the church’s grand organ and three pianos, plus vocalists, during a concert this week.
Carols and Keyboards will be at 7 p.m. Friday at the church, 405 E. Main St., Batavia.
Led by choir director John Novak, the one-hour concert includes four musicians performing “mostly familiar Christmas carols,” with piano duets, piano and organ duets and vocal solos, Novak said.
Church musicians Peter Geise, Jeff Thompson, and Tim Smith, all from the Western New York area, will join Novak to perform and lead some songs and sing-alongs with the audience.
The line-up includes “O Holy Night,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Go Tell it on The Mountain,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “and other seasonal favorites,” Novak said.
“There will be a piece with all four musicians playing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas,’” he said. “It’s a fun closing piece.”
Novak, the business administrator at Letchworth Central School District, has been the choir director at St. James for about three years. He had been commuting to a church in Buffalo, and when he moved to Silver Lake, he found a job and a closer location in Batavia.
“It’s a great fit,” he said. “There are a lot of wonderful people.”
Church member Maureen Scoville added that, in addition to carols and keyboards, cookies will be served in the parish hall after the concert.
She and Novak hope to see community members there to enjoy some festive music and sweet treats as the calendar draws closer to a busy Christmas week.
There is no admission to the concert. A free will offering will be taken.
