November 20, 2003

University Singers, Women’s Choir kick off holidays

The seven holiday concerts scheduled for late November and early December in Evanston will be a relaxing and welcome break from stressful seasonal shopping, wrapping and card writing.

The University Singers and Women’s Choir will launch the holiday season at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Faculty members Judith Willoughby and Julia Davids will conduct William Billings’ “An Anthem for Thanksgiving,” Benjamin Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols” for women’s chorus and harp, J. S. Bach’s motet “Lobet den Hern, alle Heiden,” and Richard Wargo’s cantata “Voices in the Mist” for mixed chorus, winds, harp and percussion. Single tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for full-time students.

The Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra will celebrate the season with the “Heralding the Holidays” concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, at Pick-Staiger. Robert G. Hasty will conduct the program that includes Gossec’s “Suite de Noëls,” Vaughan Williams’ “Fantasia on Greensleeves” and Tchaikovsky’s Suite No. 1. Music faculty soloist Barbara Butler will be featured during a performance of Bloch’s “Proclamation” for trumpet and orchestra. Single tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for full-time students.

Winds and voices will join forces during the annual “Holiday for Winds and Voices” concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at Pick-Staiger. Stephen Alltop and Ryan Nelson will conduct this performance, which will mix the old with the new. Works on the program include Ron Nelson’s “Morning Alleluias for the Winter Solstice,” J. S. Bach’s Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor, and Kenneth Hesketh’s “Danceries.” The program will conclude with two Leroy Anderson classics — “A Christmas Festival” and “Sleigh Ride,” followed by a sing-along. Single tickets are $8.50 for the general public; $7 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $4 for full-time students and children.

Children aged 3 to 8 will be entertained during the Kids Fare concert “Story Time: Tales in Music and Art” at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. The performance of stories, music and multimedia art at Pick-Staiger will include “Father Fox’s Christmas Rhymes,” “Carnival of the Animals” and other fun tales as told by special guest storytellers. Kids Fare Concerts are generously supported by Target stores and Marshall Field’s GIVES. Single tickets are $5 for the general public; $4 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3 for full-time students and children.

The “Christmas Concert” will celebrate the season at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, and will be repeated at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, in Pick-Staiger. Faculty members Robert A. Harris and Judith Willoughby will conduct the Northwestern choral ensembles and Symphony Orchestra during a performance heralding Advent and Christmas. Program highlights include Respighi’s “Laud to the Nativity” for choir and instrumental ensemble with the University Chorale, and Honegger’s “Christmas Cantata” with the University Symphony Choir and Orchestra. Single tickets are $8.50 for the general public; $7 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $4 for full-time students and children.

The annual observance of “Lessons and Carols” will be at 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, in Alice Millar Chapel. This program brings together members of the Millar Brass Ensemble, Alice Millar Chapel Choir and Philharmonia. The choral selections will include Monteverdi’s “Magnificat in Eight Parts” and Eric Whitacre’s “Lux Aurumque.” Prelude music begins at 10:35 a.m.

To order advance holiday concert tickets by phone, call (847) 467-4000.