A Rose in the Middle of Winter

December 20 at Pacific Spirit United Church

Finland-born artistic director Kari Turunen has come up with a glistening mix for Vancouver Chamber Choir’s holiday concert: Eastern European choral traditions (Mykola Leontovych and Vasyl Barvinsky) and glittering Nordic jewels (Otto Olsson, Ēriks Ešenvalds, and Einojuhani Rautavaara), all brought to life by some of the most transcendant voices in the city.

Festive Cantatas: Christmas in Gabrieli’s Venice

December 22 at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts

Celebrated early-music master and cornetto virtuoso Bruce Dickey leads period instrumentalists and eight smashing vocalists in the songs of 17th-century Venice. Close your eyes at this Early Music Vancouver afternoon concert, and you’ll easily picture yourself amid the pomp and splendour of the High Renaissance, perhaps wandering by the doge’s palace and along picturesque canals.