The Solist Choir's Christmas Concert

Verdens rose Welcome to this year's Christmas concert, a warm and atmospheric journey through Europe's rich Christmas traditions. Here different musical expressions are woven together into a living narrative about the mystery of Christmas, as it has been passed down through the centuries. The Solist Choir's Christmas concerts have in recent years become a cherished tradition for many. This year the concerts gain a character of their own with organ, Hardanger fiddle and double bass, and also mark the choir's first collaboration with the acclaimed German conductor Gregor Meyer. The well-known and beloved hymn Det hev ei rose sprunge forms a poetic starting point for the concert. An image of hope, light and new life. The programme ranges from the intimate to the grand: in the second half of the concert the gaze turns to Mary, with radiant Renaissance music, before we approach the manger with calmer and more reflective tones. Familiar Christmas melodies meet beloved folk tunes. The solemn is united with the popular in a warm and inclusive finale. Gregor Meyer has been artistic director of GewandhausChor in Leipzig since 2007 and is particularly known for his innovative programming and his ability to unite tradition with a living and contemporary expression. Performers: Det Norske Solistkor Gregor Meyer, organ and conductor

• Gregor Meyer