The Morehead State Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble will present Light the Holidays: A Candlelight Carol Concert on Thursday, December 1 at 7:30 pm in Baird Music Hall on the MSU campus.
Many of the concert pieces will reference light in some way: Christmas trees, Hanukkah candles, flaming pudding dessert, fiery star, halo, and starlight. The concert opens with “All Things Bright and Beautiful” by John Rutter. Other light titles include “The Sun Never Says” by Dan Forrest, “O Christmas Tree,” arranged by Kirby Shaw, “Hanukkah!,” a medley arranged by Derric Johnson, and “The Flaming Pudding Carol” arranged by John Haberlen & James McKelvy.
The audience will participate in carol singing accompanied by William Murphy, MSU staff accompanist. These carols will be sung between the short sets of music which each ensemble will present. Audience sing-alongs include “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” “Up on the Housetop,” and “O Come All Ye Faithful.” The concert will conclude with the MSU Concert Choir and Chamber Singers surrounding the audience with candles to sing Malcolm Sargent’s lush arrangement of “Silent Night.”
Throughout the night there will be a mixture of various mood and styles. The MSU Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Stacy Baker will play “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” arranged by Gail Robertson and Pavel Tschesnokoff’s “Salvation is Created” arranged by Robby Payne.
Concert Choir will open the concert with a Thanksgiving set of music and close with Christmas pieces written by African-American composer. In the opening set they will sing a traditional South African piece entitled “Modimo” and “If I Can Help Somebody” arranged by Andre Thomas. Dr. Eric Brown, baritone, will join the choir for the latter piece. The final set includes “Christus Natus Est” by Rosephanye Powell and the spiritual “Sister Mary Had-a But One Child.” The choir has added the very moving “Ukrainian Alleluia” as a timely ending for this set.
Chamber Singers will sing share dinner music such as “Pastime with Good Company,” sacred pieces like the very moving “Bethlehem Down” by Peter Warlock, and seasonal pieces including “A Glimpse of Snow and Evergreen” and “Be Careful, Don’t Tear the Paper.”
“The concert is designed to bring the town and university community together to enjoy singing,” said Dr. Greg Detweiler, Director of Choral Studies. “We want people to leave with songs in their hearts and minds to carry them through this most wonderful season.”
Tickets are $5 for adults and students my attend free of charge. Tickets will be sold at the door.