WMU Home > WMU News

WMU News

WMU News on Twitter

Holiday concerts feature student and faculty artists

Nov. 4, 2010

Photo of WMU Choral Christmas.KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University's School of Music is producing a series of three concerts this holiday season.

The Glorious Sounds of the Season Concert Series will showcase student and faculty artists in ticketed performances to raise money for music scholarships. General admission tickets for each concert are $15, $12 for seniors and $5 for students. They are available from the Miller Auditorium Ticket Office at (269) 387-2300 or (800) 228-9858.

Saturday, Dec. 4--"Choral Christmas"

"Choral Christmas" features three tradition-rich choirs: University Chorale, Cantus Femina and Collegiate Singers. Concerts begin at 4 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at the First Presbyterian Church, 321 W. South St., in Kalamazoo. The program includes traditional holiday favorites and features organist Karl Schrock alongside more than 150 singers.

Sunday, Dec. 5--"Christmas Pops"

The University Symphony Orchestra, Gold Company and GC II will perform a joint "Christmas Pops" concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, in Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave., in Kalamazoo.

The orchestra will play "Christmas Festival" and "Sleigh Ride" by Leroy Anderson, selections from Piotr Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite" and selections from "L'Arlessiene Suite" by Georges Bizet. Gold Company will perform a contemporary setting of "Jingle Bells" and join GC II on an updated version of Handel's "Messiah." GC II will also present several original arrangements by director Michael Wheaton. All three ensembles will come together to perform holiday classics arranged by Gary Fry, noted composer and arranger for the annual Chicago Symphony "Yule" holiday concerts.

Sunday, Dec. 19--"A Brass Celebration of Christmas"

The Western Brass Quintet will present its popular Christmas concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall.

"A Brass Celebration of Christmas" features the Western Brass Quintet and an ensemble of students from the WMU School of Music. Members of the brass quintet include faculty members Scott Thornburg and Stephen Jones, trumpet; Lin Foulk, horn; Daniel Mattson, trombone; and Deanna Swoboda, tuba. Percussionist Judy Moonert, also a WMU music professor, will join the group for this performance.

The program includes music for brass ensemble with selections from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The afternoon promises a festive mixture of traditional holiday music, brass classics and new favorites.

Share |

Media contact: Matt Jensen, (269) 387-4678, matthew.d20.jensen@wmich.edu

WMU News
Office of University Relations
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA
(269) 387-8400
www.wmich.edu/news