CONCERT PROGRAMS
FALL CONCERT: A Celebration of Christmas Choral Masterpieces
Sunday, November 23, 2025 at 4:00 pm - The Elsinore Theatre, 170 High St SE, Salem
The Christmas Story (Christmas Oratorio)
by Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672)
Nicole Peldyak, soprano | Les Green, tenor | Brett Peldyak, baritone
The charming Schütz Christmas oratorio titled “The Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ” (“Die Geburt unsers Herren Jesu Christi”) was first performed in 1660, and features beautifully defined solos from a group of characters in the Christmas story. One is the angel who urges Joseph to rouse himself and take Mary to Bethlehem for safety. Another is the evil king Herod, who claims that he wants to
find the child king so he can worship him. In reality, Herod has far more evil plans. The shepherds are excited to go to Bethlehem to see the wonderous thing they have heard. The three wise men also take a bow, and sing a lively trio that asks, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews?” And the final chorus, “Now give we all thanks to God” is a masterpiece in its own right.
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So Gracious is the Time
text by William Shakespeare, from Hamlet, Act I Scene 1
Music by William Beckstrand (2002)
Katie Gerlicher, Harpist
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The New-Born King
by Gordon Percival Septimus Jacob CBE (1895-1984)
Nicole Peldyak, soprano | Les Green, tenor
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Soloists
Nicole Peldyak | Soprano
Nicole Peldyak returns as a soloist with Festival Chorale Oregon after past performances of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols. Peldyak was the featured soloist with the Columbia Gorge Sinfonietta in its performances of Mozart’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, and Fauré’s Requiem. She was also featured in Pacific University’s showcase of Dr. Tim Stephen’s music and in a performance of Mentre Dormi from Pergolesi’s L’Olimpiade with the Pacific University Orchestra.
Peldyak enjoys singing in choral ensembles. At Pacific University she sang with the Chamber Singers and directed the a cappella group Voce Femme. Peldyak has sung with The Collegium Musicum of the Proto-Cathedral of St. James the Greater in Vancouver, Washington, Festival Chorale Oregon, the Festival Carolers, and with the Salem First Presbyterian Church choir. Born and raised in the Willamette Valley, Peldyak minored in music at Pacific University where she studied voice under Konstantin Kvach and later studied with Cynthia McGladrey.
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Les Green | Tenor
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Leslie W. Green is highly praised for his seemingly effortless, expressive singing while performing a wide variety of literature ranging from Bach arias to contemporary art songs. Green has appeared throughout the Northwest including with Oregon Repertory Singers, Portland Symphonic Choir, Annas Bay Music Festival, Mount Angel Abbey, Willamette Master Chorus, Eclectic Orange Festival in Orange County California, Rose City Chamber Orchestra, Cascade Music Festival, Northwest Mahler Festival, Salem Chamber Orchestra, Festival Chorale Oregon, and Columbia Chorale.
Green’s recent engagements have included the Utrecht Early Music Festival in Holland with Cappella Romana and subsequent tours to Boston, New York and Ottawa. Green also sang in the world premiere of Maximillian Steinberg’s Passion Week with Cappella Romana. He has also had several highly praised performances of Händel’s Messiah, an enthusiastically received performance of Schubert’s landmark song cycle Winterreise, a “brilliant” recital of Beethoven and Schumann with the incomparable Jean-David Coen at the piano, the role of Victory in Hildegard von Bingen’s Ordo Virtutem, the lead role of the Stage Manager in the Northwest Premiere of Ned Rorem’s opera Our Town at Willamette University, and Haydn’s Creation with Festival Chorale Oregon, Bravo! Vancouver, and Willamette Master Chorus.
Green originally hails from the Midwest where he received a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from Ball State University, and now resides in Vancouver, Washington. He maintains a private voice studio and teaches studio voice and vocal pedagogy at Willamette University, studio voice at Pacific University, studio voice with Concordia University Portland and is sought after for master classes and adjudications.
Brett Peldyak | Baritone
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Brett Peldyak returns as a soloist with Festival Chorale Oregon after past performances of Brahms’s Requiem and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Peldyak has appeared with other Northwest groups such as Humanis Sing for Peace and The Collegium Musicum of the Proto-Cathedral of St. James the Greater in Vancouver, Washington. Past notable performances include Mozart’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Duruflé’s Requiem, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Fauré’s Requiem, and Händel’s Messiah.
Originally from Hood River, Peldyak studied voice under Konstantin Kvach at Pacific University.
