School of Music - Course Materials
Popular Christmas concert is Dec. 6
Who
University Chorale, Cantus Femina, Collegiate Singers, and
University Symphony Orchestra
What
Annual Christmas Concert — "Messiah and More!"
Tickets $12 in advance ($15 at the door) available from the
Miller Auditorium Ticket Office at (269) 387-2300 or (800) 228-9858
When
Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009
3 p.m.
Where
Miller Auditorium
Western Michigan University
KALAMAZOO—The Western Michigan University School of Music will present its annual Christmas card to the community at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6, in Miller Auditorium. Titled "Messiah and More!" this year's program will involve over 200 singers and instrumentalists from the University Chorale, Cantus Femina, Collegiate Singers, and University Symphony Orchestra. Bruce Uchimura conducts the University Symphony; Dr. James Bass the University Chorale and Collegiate Singers; Dr. Dee Gauthier Cantus Femina.
The holiday extravaganza will feature excerpts from Handel's classic oratorio "Messiah." Other orchestra and chorus selections will include the popular "Many Moods of Christmas" medley by Robert Russell-Bennett, the chorus "Ring out ye Christmas" from Ralph Vaughn Williams' cantata "Hodie," John Rutter's arrangement of "O Holy Night," and the David Wilcox arrangement of "O Come All ye Faithful."
The University Symphony Orchestra will add to the list of seasonal fare with selections from Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite." The music of Leroy Anderson will brighten the holiday spirit via "Christmas Festival" and the popular whip cracking, trumpet braying "Sleigh Ride." The audience will also contribute by singing some of the Christmas classics.
Harper C. Maybee began the Christmas concert tradition at Western in the 1930s with annual presentations of Handel's "Messiah." When Miller Auditorium opened in 1968, this Christmas program had a beautiful new home, and the presentations continued without interruption. Most of these events have been open to the public free of charge; admission fees have been used only when the programs involved extra production expenses, such as for fully-staged opera.
The current economy, however, has undercut music scholarship resources, many of which depend on income from endowment funds. As a response, School of Music officials have decided to use this popular program as a scholarship benefit concert. General admission tickets are now available at the Miller Auditorium ticket office; $12 in advance and $15 at the door the day of the performance (269/387-2300 or 800/228-9858).
You are invited to enjoy music of the season as well as the gift of giving by attending this heart-warming holiday concert. All proceeds from the concert will help fund WMU music student scholarships.
