The Civic Chorale will present its Christmas concert, entitled “All is Still,” at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 17 in St. John’s Episcopal Church in Johnson City. There is no admission charge for the concert; donations are accepted at the door, with a $10 suggested donation. The concert will be completed in plenty of time to allow patrons to have dinner, and then also attend the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra concert that evening, if they wish. Following the Chorale’s Christmas tradition, the first half of the program is comprised of compositions spanning several centuries, while after intermission, the program features settings of familiar and unfamiliar carols and seasonal music. This year the Chorale is pleased to present the world premiere of a work by local composer Evelyn Pursley-Kopitzke. The selection, “All is Still” after which the concert itself is named, is a setting for mixed voices, flute, and piano of the composer’s own text. In addition, the Chorale presents three pairs of compositions treating the same text but from different eras of composition. The first pair uses the text “Hodie Christus Natus Est,” (Today, Christ is Born) in Gregorian chant, and in a masterful motet by the late Renaissance composer, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck. The second pair uses “O Magnum Mysterium,” (O great mystery) first with a treatment by the Spanish renaissance master, Tomas Luis da Victoria, and then in a 20th-century setting by the renowned American composer, Morton Lauridsen. Finally, there are two settings of the prologue of the Gospel of John, from the New Testament. A splendid six-part motet “Verbum Caro Factum Est,” by early baroque composer Hans Leo Hassler is filled with antiphonal effects. That work is preceded by “The Glory of the Father,” a setting in English by contemporary Norwegian composer Egil Hovland. Following intermission, the Chorale sings settings of carols from Norwegian, French, Swedish, Austrian, English, American, and African-American traditions, concluding with our traditional presentation of “Still, Still, Still” in Norman Luboff’s arrangement. The Civic Chorale was founded in 1973 by Robert LaPella with a small group of invited singers and Jane LaPella as the gifted accompanist. Over the years, the group has grown to become the region’s premiere auditioned volunteer chorus. In addition to singing the standard choral repertoire from Gregorian chant to modern compositions, the Chorale has presented numerous world and regional premieres and frequently collaborated with other music organizations in the region, including the Symphony of the Mountains, the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra, and the East Tennessee Children’s Choir. Since 1998, the Chorale has been led by conductor David Hendricksen. Accompanists are Lisa Runner, piano, and David Runner, organ. For additional information, visit the Chorale web site at www.thecivicchorale.org or contact the conductor by phone at 423-638-0409 or by email at conductordavid@embarqmail.com