Latin Christmas music will blend with English holiday tradition in this Kennewick concert

The Mid-Columbia Mastersingers will pay homage to the English holiday Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, as well as Mexico’s Las Posadas in its annual concert celebrating the music of Latin America.

Noche de Paz or Night of Peace featuring the Mastersingers Youth Choirs and the MCM Chamber Choir is at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13-14.

The concert will highlight the tradition of nine Bible readings and singing during the Festival of Nine Lessons, the English Christmas Eve service, to mark the birth of Jesus.

The performance also is influenced by Los Posadas, a nine-day festival that includes a nightly procession representing Joseph and Mary searching for lodging for Jesus’ birth followed by carols, piñatas and a feast.

Local spoken word poet Jordan Chaney will give readings at the Dec. 13 concert, and Washington State Poet Laureate Claudia Castro Luna will be the featured reader Dec. 14.

Doors open 30 minutes before each show for a free talk about the program.

Admission is $25 for adults and free for youths through 12th grade. Groups of ten or more are eligible for a $10 group rate. To buy tickets, go to mcmastersingers.org or call 509-460-1766.

The performance is at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 640 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick.

The Mid-Columbia Mastersingers was founded in 1986 as “Consort Columbia.”

The Eastern Washington’s choir now is directed by Justin Raffa, who took the reins in 2008. The choir is composed of auditioned singers.

Upcoming concerts

In January, Mid-Columbia Mastersingers will be showcasing American Dreamers, a joint program with Tri-Cities Immigrant Coalition that will explore immigration issues on the following dates:

▪ 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10, St. Patrick Catholic Parish, 1320 W. Henry St., Pasco

▪ 7:30 p.m. Jan. 11 at St Joseph’s Church, 505 S. Garfield St., Kennewick

▪ 4 p.m. St. Joesph Parish, 907 S. Sixth St., Sunnyside

Tickets are $25 adults and free for students through 12th grade. All tickets are free for the Sunnyside performance with donations being accepted.

In February, the Mid-Columbia Mastersingers are joining the League of Women Voters of Benton and Franklin counties to celebrate the centennial anniversary of women’s suffrage in the U.S. with music by featuring the MCM treble choir and the Rolling Hills Chorus of Sweet Adelines.

Performances are on the following:

▪ 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21-22, Richland Players Theater, 608 The Parkway, Richland

▪ 3 p. m. Feb. 23, Princess Theater, 1228 Meade Ave., Prosser

Tickets are $25 adults and free for students through 12th grade.