Vox Antiqua performs sacred, a cappella music Dec. 23

Vox Antiqua is a small choral ensemble formed in fall 2014. Bellingham native Suzanne Stratford had a vision to bring early sacred choral music to Bellingham, and in collaboration with longtime friend Jenny Brice, a group of 12 singers gathered.

They first performed during the 2014 holiday season and centered on “O Antiphons,” which are psalms, hymns or prayers, for Advent. A third performance came during the 2015 season of Lent.

The group is singer-directed, and its current group of nine singers — Kristen Engels, Janet Malley, Lauren Bowd, Jenny Brice, Jill Clark, Joseph Livesey, Jake Davies, Evan Ritchie and Ed Gulyas —remains committed to the original vision of bringing peace and beauty to the community through the performance of early sacred music.

The ensemble performs at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23, at Bellingham’s First Congregational Church.

“Many of the spiritual moments I have experienced throughout my life have occurred within the context of a choral performance,” says Brice, an alto who has been a choral singer for 32 years.

“Music opens the soul, and when performed with pure intention and intonation, both singer and listener can be transported into a sacred space of peace,” she says. “I would prefer to leave any audience lost in their own thoughts, drenched in awe, rather than break the spell with applause.”

Malley, who sings soprano or alto, depending on the voicing needed, heard Vox Antiqua’s “O Antiphons” concert in 2014 and joined in February 2015.

“I was just, plain filled up with the beauty of the music, and the intention was so strong I could feel it that the concert be a gift to the listeners,” she says.

All the group’s music is sung a capella (without instrumentation)..

“We choose our music together,” Malley says. “Everyone brings things they like and we try them out. Our hope is that what we sing will be uplifting and healing.”

Ritchie, who sings bass, says sacred a cappella music has moved him since he was a child.

“I have dreamed about how rewarding it must be to rehearse as a member of such groups,” he says. “When Vox Antiqua was formed last year, I was chomping at the bit to be a member, and have learned a bit more about how life-affirming singing with a small group can be.”

He says he experienced death in expected and unexpected tragic ways this year.

“My gratitude for the beauty of each day I am fortunate enough to experience grows day by day, and this music provides expression for emotions too profound for words,” Ritchie says. “The voice is an instrument that allows me intimate communion with this music, and the members with whom I am fortunate enough to create it.”

“The music is mostly very old,” he says, “but the intent of the composers to elevate the heart to realms speech alone can never attain, is as fresh today as ever it was.”

This story was originally published December 16, 2015 at 4:20 AM with the headline "Vox Antiqua performs sacred, a cappella music Dec. 23."