Rose Ensemble

Choral music sounds especially good in December, although the Rose Ensemble can get even the statuary at the stodgiest of churches to prick up its ears at any time of the year. Known for its magnificent renditions of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music, the ensemble specializes in obscure and unpredictable pieces, and its holiday programs are no exception. This year, it focuses on Mexican Baroque music–fanciful and exuberant songs that express the joy of the season without getting hung up on the holiness. A new recording, Celebremos el Ni–o, collects some of the best pieces from the ensembleÕs current songbook, but no CD can capture the way a live performance–the expanse of the stage, the power of all those huge lungs–can change the properties of air and space; that’s what this holiday tour of Duluth, the Twin Cities, and Stillwater is all about. 651-225-4340; www.roseensemble.org