Where Are You Christmas Cover by Revv52
Where Are You Christmas is one of our Christmas favourites. In a year like 2020, we all wonder if life will ever be normal again. We long for the connection that gathering together brings, as family, as friends, as musicians and as performers. This song, originally recorded by Faith Hill, reminds us of the strength and beauty of Christmas and that it brings us together even if it looks different than we’re used to. It has been covered dozens of times since its first release in 2000, and we chose an arrangement by Pentatonix. The video was shot on location at Calgary’s Rundle Ruins, one of our city’s original hospitals. Enjoy!
*******************************************************
Music and Lyrics: Mariah Carey, James Horner and Will Jennings
Arrangement: Pentatonix
Artistic Director: John Morgan
Project Manager: Jennifer Matthias
Soloists: Krista Willott, Heather Cole, Jennifer Matthias, Brandon Wood
Bass Guitar: Kit Johnson
Keys: Jon Day
Recording and Audio Mix: Morgan Music
Rehearsal Technical Production: John Nairn
Movement: Kyrsten Blair
Wardrobe: Jennifer Matthias
Group Members: • Athena Celis • Barbara Mitchell • Bekah Peterson • Brandon Wood • Brendan Rosenow • Brian Lalonde • Chris Willott • Heather Cole • Jennifer Matthias • Joe Moreau • Ken Wilson • Krista Willott • Rachel Thorne • Stuart Quinn • Viccy Grace
********************************************************
Getting to “the most wonderful time of the year” in 2020 has certainly been an adventure!
Like many other arts organizations, Revv52 had to put in-person rehearsals on hold early in the year when choral singing was linked to a number of severe COVID-19 outbreaks worldwide.
But necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention—and to Revv52’s performers, making music together is definitely a necessity.
In March, we shifted to online rehearsals through Zoom. Over the spring, Revv52 produced a number of creative and engaging virtual performances by having members record their individual audio tracks and videos from home, which were then carefully assembled by a video editor.
That got us through to summer, but it was a long way from our usual sold-out performances in large concert halls. We needed to find a way to get back together safely for the fall semester.
Following the guidelines of Alberta Health Services, Revv52’s Artistic Director, John Morgan, split the ensemble into four groups of 12 people. He then moved us into a new, private rehearsal space which provided better air flow and room for our singers to spread out.
During rehearsals, our singers stayed physically distant from one another, wore masks at all times, used their own personal microphones, and sanitized their chairs and stands between groups. It was a logistical challenge and a lot of extra work, but these changes allowed us to get back to making music together again, safely.
In November, John asked each small group to choose a Christmas song that was meaningful to them.
After a few weeks of rehearsal, the guidelines for gatherings changed once again. Instead of recording as a small group, the singers went into the studio—one at a time—to record their part, singing along to tracks provided by Revv52’s band members.
Once the audio was complete, our singers once again turned to Zoom to hold staging and choreography workshops.
Then, on a chilly weekend in early December, our small groups got together in even smaller divisions (to align with the latest guidelines) to film videos for their recordings at some of Calgary’s most iconic landmarks.
The five holiday-themed videos we produced are your first opportunity to see and hear the results of Revv52’s work over the past few months. They’re our gift to you this Christmas, and we hope they bring you a little burst of joy this holiday season. Stay healthy, stay warm, and keep singing… we promise to do the same.
MEDIA – For interview requests, photos, or broadcast-quality video, please contact info@revv52.com.