Northwestern University December 2011 Music Calendar

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Holiday music will fill the concert halls on Northwestern University’s Evanston campus in early December.

Highlights include a program by the Chamber Orchestra, two performances of the 72nd Annual Christmas Concert, and the story of Christmas set to choral music, brass and strings.

Presented by the Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music, all programs listed below are open to the public. They take place on Northwestern’s Evanston campus at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive; Lutkin Hall, 700 University Place; Regenstein Recital Hall, 60 Arts Circle Drive; and Alice Millar Chapel, 1870 Sheridan Road, as noted.

Ticket prices are indicated in two ranges: the first for the general public and the second for full-time students with IDs. Northwestern faculty and staff with a valid WildCARD ID receive a 15 percent discount off the general public ticket price.

For more information, call the Pick-Staiger Concert Office at (847) 491-5441 or visit the Pick-Staiger website at www.pickstaiger.org. To order tickets, call the Pick-Staiger Ticket Office at (847) 467-4000 or visit www.pickstaiger.org.

DECEMBER 2011

Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra: Holiday Concert, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. The Chamber Orchestra will perform holiday classics, including Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Fanstasia on Greensleeves,” Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in G Minor (“Christmas Concerto”), Respighi’s “Trittico Botticelliano” and Tchaikovsky’s Suite No. 1 from “The Nutcracker.” Admission is $8 for the general public and $5 for full-time students with IDs.

Symphonic Band: “Views of Winter,” 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Timothy J. Robblee will conduct Northwestern’s Symphonic Band in an evening of winter-evoking music. The program includes Ron Nelson’s “Morning Alleluias for the Winter Solstice,” Carter Pann’s “Slalom,” Steven Bryant’s “The Marbled Midnight Mile” and Michael Colgrass’ “Arctic Dreams.” Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

72nd Annual Christmas Concert, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Faculty member Robert A. Harris will conduct Bienen School choral ensembles and the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra in the school’s annual Christmas concert. Program highlights include Bach’s “Magnificat” and Harris’ “Gloria.” Tickets are $12 for the general public and $6 for full-time students with IDs.

Lisztomania, Liszt’s “Annees de pelerinage,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, Lutkin Hall. At the final event of the Bienen School’s celebration of Franz Liszt, audiences will experience a complete performance of Liszt’s “Annees de pelerinage” (“Years of Pilgrimage”) performed by piano students of faculty member James Giles. Ranging from fiery virtuosity to poignant expressiveness, this magnum opus reflects the composer’s musical development. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

A Festival of Lessons and Carols, 10:40 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, Alice Millar Chapel. In this holiday tradition, readings and music combine to tell the Christmas story. Conducted by Stephen Alltop, the performance will feature the Alice Millar Chapel Choir, Philharmonia, Millar Brass Ensemble and faculty oboist Michael Henoch in music for oboe and orchestra by Handel. The festival also offers Vaclav Nelhybel’s “Estampie natalis,” Giovanni Gabrieli’s “Magnificat a 14” for three choirs, Paul Carey’s arrangement of “I Saw Three Ships,” Jeffrey Rickard’s “When Christ Was Born” and music from South Africa. Admission is free but a free will offering is encouraged.

Spektral Quartet, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5, Lutkin Hall. The quartet’s performance will feature compositions by Bienen School faculty members Lee Hyla, Hans Thomalla and Jay Alan Yim, as well as Hyla and Thomalla’s students Chris Fisher-Lochhead and Eliza Brown. The program includes Hyla’s Quartet No. 4; Thomalla’s “Albumblatt”; Fisher-Lochhead’s “Dig Absolutely,” Yim’s “The Blue Voice of Air” and Brown’s String Quartet No. 1. The quartet is comprised of violinists Aurelien Fort Penderzoli and J. Austin Wulliman, violist Doyle Armbrust and cellist Russell Rolen. Admission is free.

Northwestern University Saxophone Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, Regenstien Recital Hall. Frederick L. Hemke conducts an evening of saxophone works including the U.S. premiere of Robert Lemay’s “Tentation d’exil” and Eriks Esenvalds’ “Genesis.” Alex Magg’s arrangement of Elgar’s “Enigma Variations” and Gary Bricault’s arrangement of Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain” also are on the program. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

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