TWU Music Program: Christmas at
the Chan and Other Ways to Worship

December 8, 2024, marks the 20th anniversary of TWU’s Christmas performance at The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. The upcoming instrumental and choral performances will feature selections from Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in addition to other Christmas songs. The Pacific Voices choir will be joining them as the musical groups celebrate the birth of the King.

The tradition of TWU’s Christmas at the Chan performances started when Director Wes Janzen collaborated with sponsors Dr. Tom Chan and Mr. Chapman Chan. Together, they had a vision of honouring God through music. Since then, TWU Director Ben Ewert and Director Jon Thompson are continuing the legacy with the Chan family.

Ewert, a TWU alum, was drawn back to TWU after completing his master’s degree in choral studies at the University of Cambridge and a doctorate of choral conducting at the University of Alberta.

“I just loved all that choral experience in music-making culture at Trinity. .... And one thing that really impressed upon me was the blending together of choral music and worship,” said Ewert. The Chan Centre seats over 1,300 people and is often sold out for the Christmas at the Chan performance. The tickets are set to an affordable price to make the concert as accessible to the community as possible and will be on sale around October 14.

The TWU musical groups are preparing for the performance with Thompson conducting the Orchestra (45 members), and Ewert conducting the Chamber Choir (30 members), Concert Band (25 members), and Masterworks Chorus (55 members).

“On campus, there's a paragraph on the wall of how Trinity is an ‘Arm of the Church’ and I think it’s important to keep that connection in everything that we do,” said Ewert.

Local churches often lack the resources to have conducted choirs as part of their worship. Given his work with St. John’s Church and TWU’s music program, Ewert aims to bring believers and musicians together in praise to Jesus Christ. TWU’s music groups work to be a blessing by travelling to different churches at request and performing sacred songs.

“What I really love about Chamber Choir is that Professor Ben explains what the lyrics mean, whether that’s in Latin or German. All the songs are Christ-centred and the messages are so beautiful,” said JooEon Lee, a current TWU student.

Students, alumni, and community members are encouraged to join the TWU music programs. Chamber Choir, Concert Band, and Orchestra are courses at the university but anyone is welcome to sing with the MasterWorks Chorus which meets once a week on Tuesday from 7-9:30 p.m. Interested individuals can contact Ewert at benjamin.ewert@twu.ca. Musicians can expect to perform different genres of sacred music and a warm community to learn and laugh alongside with.

“Whether or not you are a music student, I would just encourage people to take advantage of the musical opportunities on campus. .... To be able to make friends and be part of the community is just a wonderful experience,” said Ewert.