The Cellar Singers have put together an attractive program of Christmas music to lead everyone into the holiday season.

After the beauty and intensity of the Brahms Requiem, the choir is looking forward to performing some familiar music to put people in the Christmas spirit.

There is, however, one new piece for which maestro Albert Greer will be stepping away from the podium, passing the baton to the multi-talented accompanist Blair Bailey. This is because Greer will be singing a major role.

The piece is “The Last Straw” by Ruth Watson Henderson. Greer will be singing the part of a reluctant camel, Hoshmakaka, who is trying to sleep. A group of other camels and voices of the sand try to get him to wake up and deliver some very special gifts to the Infant Jesus. In the process, Hoshmakaka’s back is broken by (you guessed it) the last straw, only to be miraculously healed in the manger.

Henderson is a very talented musician and choral composer. The Cellar Singers performed her composition “Voices of Earth” not too long ago.

Henderson has been involved as accompanist for many Toronto choirs including the Toronto Children’s Chorus, who commissioned her to write an extended Christmas work in 1991. Thus “The Last Straw” came into being. The first performance had the world-renowned tenor Ben Heppner playing the role of the old camel.

In 2002, The Oriana Singers, a ladies’ choir in Toronto, along with the Earl Haig Girls’ Choir, performed this work, with Greer singing the role of Hoshmakaka.

About a year ago, The Cellar Singers commissioned Henderson to rescore this delightful work for mixed choir (The Cellar Singers) and a youth choir. Last month, immediately following the Brahms Requiem Concert, Greer gathered together a group of 32 young voices to form a new youth choir, especially for this concert. They will sing the part of the young camels and also join the Cellar Singers in several other selections.

Please come out to enjoy this concert before the holiday rush begins!

Shows take place at Trinity United Church in Gravenhurst on Friday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. and at St James’ Anglican Church in Orillia on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 3 p.m.

For tickets call 645-4273, Penny Varney’s at 687-8078 or Readers’ World at 645-5806.