With the release of her new CD, Unstoppable, local musician Marika Siewert [Marika aspires to be 'unstoppable', Nov. 8, Langley Advance] jumped at the chance to be part of a fun charity event for RC Garnett Demonstration Elementary School.

The mother of three and Top 40 recording artist will be joined by fellow Langley musician Amy Sicolo at the school's shopping and music event set for Thursday, Nov. 29.

The event, dubbed Holiday Helper Cafe & Live Music, is a fundraiser to support the school's sponsorship of a family through the Langley Christmas Bureau, as well as to replace expired supplies in the school's earthquake emergency kids.

Shoppers can browse the tables of more than 25 local vendors who have committed to participating in the event, while listening to the music.

There will also be holiday baking for sale, donated by RC Garnett parents.

The elementary school is at 7096 201st St., in Willoughby. The sale runs 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Handmade holiday

There's something to be said for giving and receiving handmade, unique gifts.

While not everyone has the talent or time to make distinct holiday gifts, a local art market is aiming to fill that bill next weekend.

Bloom Market, which runs its quarterly events in the historic Fort Langley Community Hall. The holiday event is set for two days, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 2 and 3, with indoor and outdoor artisans displaying their works amid a festive atmosphere also featuring live holiday music and foods.

It resembles a European Christmas market, with jewelry, fashion, fine arts, crafts, and homemade goodies scattered throughout, said organizer Sarah Barrett.

Admission is $3/adult. Children 12 and younger get in free.

Chorus in the spirit

Langley Community Chorus is anxious to put even the biggest humbugs into the Christmas spirit.

And they're offering to do that at any of three Christmas concerts that kick off this weekend.

Celebrating 20 years of music in Langley, the community chorus will present this year's show, Everything from A to Z (from Ave Maria to 'Zat You Santa Claus?).

The first concert is being held at the Willoughby Christian Reformed Church, 20525 72nd Ave. on Saturday, Nov. 24, starting at 7:30 p.m.

The next two concerts will be matinees, the first on Sunday, Dec. 2 at Sharon United Church in Murrayville, 21562 Old Yale Rd., and the next on Sunday, Dec. 9 at the St. Dunstan's Anglican Church in Aldergrove, 3025 264th St. Both the matinees start at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $15/adults, $10/students, and free for children five and younger.

TWU offers feast

Trinity Western University's semi-annual Chamber Music Night next week will feature a piano trio, woodwind quintet, saxophone quartet, guitar ensemble, and Renaissance singers.

Five varied ensembles from SAMC Music at TWU serve up an evening of chamber music, ranging from the Renaissance to Danzi and Shostakovich, and from Bach to Bon Jovi and the blues, on Wednesday, Nov. 28, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The guitar quartet will kickoff the evening with a varied set, including Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. The piano trio (piano, violin, and cello) follows with a portion of Shostakovich's dramatic Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67, written in 1944 in the shadow of the Holocaust.

After the woodwind quintet delivers Danzi's G minor quintet from 1821, watch them switch things up-literally-as they pick up saxophones for some fun with a Bach fugue, and an arrangement of the St. Louis Blues.

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Then it's back in time as the eight-member Renaissance singers give a taste of the smooth choral polyphony of Tomas de Luis de Victoria with his motet and mass on the Christmas text O Magnum Mysterium.

The concert is beng hosted in the TWU instrumental music hall. Admission is donation, with the suggestion of $5.