Choir members at the Bigfork Community United Methodist Church will perform the “What Sweeter Music” Christmas cantata on Dec. 14.  

The group is an expansion of the regular church choir and has been putting on cantata’s during Easter and Christmas over the last few years, according to Church Music Director Jordan Neiman, who also teaches piano and oral perception at Flathead Valley Community College.  

He said their composition this year is from 2016 and provides a nice mix of contemporary music and traditional songs.  

“It mixes in some Latin, so it has a kind of traditional feel to it. ‘We Three Kings’ is in there ... ‘O Come Emmanuel’ we sing in Latin. And then there's some new compositions, one of my favorites is ‘What Sweeter Music,’” Neiman said.  

The choir project started about three years ago, and every time they meet to prepare for their next cantata, the group grows, Neiman said. They hover between 20 and 25 members, and start practicing about 10 weeks before a performance. 

Pastor Wendy Ochs said that even though she’s not a “spectacular singer,” she can carry a tune and has fun alongside other community members.  

“We are happy that we've got several community folks who love to sing. There aren't a lot of opportunities to sing in a choir and so this just gives them that opportunity,” she said.  

Erik Heuchert, the choir director for the group, said he was asked to come help direct the Christmas cantata last year and has continued to work with them since. Heuchert is also the choir director for Bigfork High School. 

He’s directed church choirs in the past and said that it’s nice to work with adults who go out of their way to find ways to sing in their spare time.  

“Students at school do that as well. But it's interesting with extracurricular stuff ... for adults to be able to put in that time, I really appreciate their devotion to it and passion for wanting to do it as much as they can,” Heuchert said.  

Neiman said Heuchert’s musicianship has been a valuable addition to the group. He can offer direction on vocal technique, which helps the choir members.  

Like Heuchert, Neiman said he enjoys getting to direct the choir at the church — for both regular Sunday service and their special cantatas.  

There are many aspects of teaching students that he finds enjoyable and interesting, but it’s rewarding to work with community members who want to find opportunities to go sing. 

“It’s a community feel as opposed to an educational environment ... They come because they want to sing. We have several members from the Glacier Chorale and lots of people who have just sang in this choir for decades. It's a mix of different community members,” he said. 

Community choirs are waning in popularity, he added, so having one as robust as the choir at the Bigfork Community United Methodist Church is special.  

Catch “What Sweeter Music” on Dec. 14, starting at 10 a.m. The performance takes place at the Bigfork Community United Methodist Church, located at 750 Electric Ave. in Bigfork. 

In addition to the Christmas cantata, Ochs said the children’s Christmas program will be performed Dec. 21 during service, followed by a candlelight service on Christmas Eve, starting at 5 p.m. The Sunday service after Christmas on Dec. 28 is titled “Lessons and Carols,” where attendees will get a chance to sing Christmastime hymns.  

For more information about the Bigfork Community United Methodist Church, visit bigforkumc.org. 

Taylor Inman may be reached at 758-4440 or [email protected].