This Christmas Cover by Revv52

Merry Christmas! In 1970 Donny Hathaway wrote a song about the anticipation, joy, and love shared at this special time of the year. This Christmas became a popular modern carol, and we chose an arrangement by The Real Group - with its tight harmonies and lead solos. We filmed in front of the new and beautiful central Calgary Library, one of our city’s most breathtaking landmarks.
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Music and Lyrics: Donny Hathaway and Nadine McKinnor
Arrangement: Jon Smith
Transcription: Jon Day
Artistic Director: John Morgan
Project Manager: Jennifer Matthias
Soloists: Dave Kletke, Dallas Hayes-Sparks, Kate Heney
Bass Guitar: Kit Johnson
Keys: Jon Day
Recording and Audio Mix: Morgan Music
Video: Mediapop Films
Rehearsal Technical Production: John Nairn
Movement: Kyrsten Blair
Wardrobe: Kate Heney
Group Members:
• Alec Blair • Barb Fabijan-Waddell • Chris Hope • Christian Morneau • Dallas Hayes-Sparks • Dave Kletke • Dave MacLeod • Janet Boswell •
Jasmin Ogroske • Kate Heney • Kelli Northrup • Mallorie Miller •
Michael Birnie • Stephanie Brugos
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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.

[@JordanTravis]

Love this!

[@Revv52]

Thanks for watching :)

[@banditoo00]

Absolutely Wonderful! Merry Christmas!

[@Revv52]

Happy holidays!

[@coyoteserranoband]

Christmas is a time when you look at your life through a magnifying glass, and whatever you don’t have feels overwhelming

[@manuellascotton3010]

WOOOOOO SO AMAZING

[@Revv52]

Thanks for listening!

[@ucdaart]

So fun and beautiful!🎄❤️

[@Revv52]

Thank you! 🤗

[@mynameisakina]

You guysssss! This is so wonderful 🥺🎄

[@Revv52]

Thanks for listening.

[@DanTheOneManBand]

Wonderful singing and sweaters!

[@Revv52]

We think so too!