University choirs to perform 'A Choral Christmas'

"A Choral Christmas," Kalamazoo

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—"A Choral Christmas," the beloved annual concert featuring Western Michigan University choirs, will be presented at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, in the First Presbyterian Church in Kalamazoo.

Tickets are $15 general admission, $12 for seniors and $5 for students, and are available from Miller Auditorium online or by calling (269) 387-2300 or (800) 228-9858. Doors open 25 minutes prior to each performance. First Presbyterian is wheelchair accessible.

Program

Six of the University's nine choirs will present a variety of cherished holiday classics. The concert will include performances by the University Chorale and Holiday Grand Chorus, directed by Kimberly Dunn Adams; Cantus Femina, directed by Dee Gauthier; Collegiate Singers, directed by Ken Prewitt; and Gold Company, directed by Greg Jasperse. Members of Campus Choir, directed by Kristina Riewaldt and Joel Snyder, will join the Holiday Grand Chorus for the exciting closing numbers. University organist Karl Schrock is also featured.

The concert will celebrate the love and joy of the season with familiar congregational carols, Gregorian chant, and surround-sound staging that utilizes every aspect of the beautiful First Presbyterian Church's architecture. Additional musical selections range from jubilant to contemplative and represent a variety of musical styles. From standards such as "Carol of the Bells" to newer carols like Will Todd's "My Lord has Come," this concert will feature music that satisfies every listener. Featured composers and arrangers include Zoltan Kodaly, Daniel Forrest, William Byrd, Abbie Betinis, Ralph Vaughn Williams, Jan Sandström, Shawn Kirchner, Don Macdonald, Ron Perera, John Rutter and Sir David Willcocks, among others.

'A Choral Christmas'

"A Choral Christmas" is a decades-long tradition at Western Michigan University. Almost 200 students and community members will be involved in the performances at First Presbyterian. This concert features more of the School of Music’s internationally-recognized choral ensembles together on stage than any other event.

For more news, arts and events, visit wmich.edu/news.