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End of season Old-fashioned Christmas Erchless Estate will be the home of the Old Fashioned Christmas with tours, story time, snacks and much more on Sunday, Dec. 4. The event is put on by Oakville Museum and Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre. It runs from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. People will be able to see early 20th century Canadian Christmas traditions at the old Chisholm family home. There will be a tour of the decorated home, gingerbread ornament and storytime crafts, a Twelve Days of Christmas scavenger hunt, a visit from Santa Claus plus Christmas cookies and refreshments. Admission is $8 per person. Children under 18-months get in free. For tickets, call 905-257-6029. Space is limited so people are asked to call early. Proceeds from the event will go to the neighbourhood centre. The museum is located at 8 Navy St. 25 · Wednesday, November 23, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com Music, food event at museum Halton Region Museum is bringing back its popular Hearthside event for the museum's ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations. The evening of live music and hot food will take place on Saturday. The event is hosted by the Halton Museum Foundation, the museum's independent fundraising arm. "A leader in heritage stewardship, the museum is always looking for new ways to reach out to the community," said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr, in a news release. "With the return of Hearthside, not only will attendees enjoy some of the best talent of this genre, they'll do so in an unforgettable setting, perfect for jazz." The night will include performances by the Vickie van Dyke Trio, James Brown, and the Chris Platt Assemblage. Van Dyke has won the Canadian Smooth Jazz Broadcaster of the Year award in 2005. Brown has appeared with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Philharmonia and Sound Streams Canada. The Assemblage consists of top students at Mohawk College and performs original compositions and old standards. The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with a scotch tasting by the fireplace in the Loft Room of the museum, followed by a buffet with foods of the world in the Hearth Room. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets cost $75, which includes dinner, music and the scotch tasting. No tickets will be sold at the door. Call 905-875-2200, ext. 27. The museum is located in Kelso Conservation Area in Milton. GRAHAM PAINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER AT CHOIR: My Pop Choir celebrated completion of its first 10-week term in Oakville, with a open house session last week. Here, choir director Doug Price leads the group through a rehearsal song. The organization provides a non-performance choral setting for anyone who wants to sing, regardless of f talent. The next session begins in early 2012. Handel's Messiah in concert generous conductor ­ and the orchestra. He gets some really great players from the GTA to support the group," Semkiw said. Her family members still reside in Oakville Masterworks of Oakville is kicking off the first Sunday of Advent with the famed and they will be able to see her in concert Baroque music piece known for getting locally. "My grandma, my mom and all her people into the spirit of Christmas. The chorus and orchestra will perform friends can come," she said. "It's really nice for the people I grew up George Frideric Handel's with to be able to walk Messiah at three concerts "It's a beloved Christmas down the street and come this weekend, opening piece and, for many people, a see me sing and not have Friday. very important part of the to fly down to San "It's a beloved Francisco or wherever Christmas piece and, for holiday season." I'm singing." many people, a very imporShe admits that singtant part of the holiday Charles Demuynck, artistic director ing an oratorio is differseason," said Charles Masterworks of Oakville ent from her usual opera Demuynck, artistic direcperformance, but the tor and conductor. The concert will also mark the return to experience is just as pleasant. "I actually do believe what we're singing. Oakville for soprano Ashleigh Semkiw as one of four soloists. Joining her will be Grammy It's exciting to be singing the words from the Award-winning baritone Kevin McMillan, as Bible. They have so much weight and meanwell as tenor Christopher Fischer and mez- ing. This piece has endured for so many years and is still just as relevant right now," zo-soprano Mia Lennox-Williams. she said. Demuynck spoke highly of his soloists. "I think everyone will leave totally inspired "(McMillan) is an internationally-known, baritone-soloist. His recording of Carmina and that's the perfect way to usher in the Burana with the San Francisco Symphony is Christmas season and to remember what regarded to be the best one that there is. Christmas is all about." All three concerts are being performed at We're very lucky to have him," he said. "(Semkiw) has sung quite a lot in the St. Andrew Catholic Church, located at 47 United States. She's now pursuing a kind of Reynolds St. The Friday and Saturday shows crossover or more pop CD, as well as con- begin at 8 p.m. and the Sunday concert is at 3 p.m. tinuing to perform classical music." Tickets cost $25 for general admission or The Oakville born and raised Semkiw is an opera singer who studied opera performance $20 for students and children. Tickets are at the University of Toronto and completed available online at www.masterworksoher master's degree at North Western foakville.ca. Dominik Kurek can be reached at University in Chicago. She's performed with dkurek@oakvillebeaver.com or followed on Masterworks on a number of occasions. "I love singing with Charles ­ he's such a Twitter at @Dominik Kurek. By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF