THIS has been a very special year for the Chorus Urbanus which has celebrated the 30th anniversary of its foundation at St George's Basilica, Victoria, Gozo. To mark this very special year, the choir's anniversary celebrations committee held various cultural events.

Celebrations kicked off last year with the Grand Christmas Concert in which the Chorus Urbanus, its Junior Section and the National Orchestra were conducted by John Galea. There was a capacity audi­ence for this concert, held in collab­oration with the Chapter of St George's Basilica and the Victoria Council. It featured John Galea's Missa Ignes Charitatis and traditional Maltese, Latin, Austrian, French and Ukrainian carols, end­ing with a rousing rendition of the Hallelujah chorus from Handel's Messiah.

Earlier this year John Galea's oratorio Il-Qalb tu' Kristu was recorded in Sofia, Bulgaria, with various soloists, the Chorus Urbanus and the Sofia Collegium Symphony Orchestra conducted by the composer. The oratorio was recorded in both the Maltese and Italian versions and published by EMI of Milan. It was later per­formed locally in conjunction with the Fontana parish church centenary celebrations followed by perfor­mances at St Paul's Cathedral in Mdina. The lyrics of both versions are by Bishop Nicholas Cauchi.

John Galea this year is celebrat­ing his 25th anniversary as the choir's musical director.

Celebrations this month resume with the eighth Christmas concert featuring the Chorus Urbanus and the National Orchestra, to be held in collaboration with the Victoria Council and the Cathedral Chapter on Wednesday at 7.30 p.m. at the Gozo Cathedral.

Soloists Yvonne Galea (soprano). Pamela Bezzina (mezzo soprano), Joseph Aquilina and Mario Portelli (tenors) and Noel Galea (bass) will team up with the Chorus Urbanus to interpret the Kyrie from Nicolo Isouard's Messa Leggiera, John Galea's Psalmus CL, a rousing set­ting of the I50th Psalm for soprano and tenor, SATB, choir and sym­phony orchestra, the Offertorio and Credo from Gounod's Messe Solennelle de Sainte Cecile and international Christmas carols by the Junior Section and the Chorus Urbanus. The concert ends with the traditional Hallelujah chorus.

The concert is free but a collec­tion will be held in aid of the Arka Respite Centre.

On December 27, liturgical solemnity of St John the Evangelist, the Chorus Urbanus will sing dur­ing a Pontifical Thanksgiving Mass held in the basilica to mark the 30th anniversary of the choir's founda­tion on Christmas Eve 1975.

This thanksgiving Mass will be concelebrated by Bishop Cauchi, the archpriest of St George's, Mgr Joseph Farrugia, Canon Joseph Gauci, the choir's founder, Canon George Bezzina, the parish priest of Fontana. one of the choir's first members, members of the collegiate chapter and clergy. The Choir will be singing Abbe Boyer's Missa Brevis for soloists, SATB choir and organ and Christmas car­ols.

Other major events are planned to take place during the coming months.