Kellogg Community College’s Vocal Arts Area will wrap up its holiday season next month with a choral spectacular featuring three of the College’s choral ensembles in one show.
KCC’s Branch County Community Chorus will be the hosting ensemble for the College’s 12th annual Sounds of the Season holiday concert, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” which will also include performances from the Kellogg Singers and the KCC Choral Union. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 27 E. Chicago St., Coldwater.
A freewill offering to support KCC music initiatives will be collected during the event.
The concert program will be performed under the artistic direction of Dr. Gerald J. Blanchard, professor of vocal music at KCC, and guest musical artist the Bel Canto Singers, a six-voiced vocal ensemble led by Gay Shaw. The concert will begin with an audience singalong of traditional holiday carols, accompanied by Kathy Cary and Nancy Brown on a historic Johnson Tracker organ.
The program will feature a wide variety of seasonal classics, including:
- “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Let It Snow,” arranged by Hawley Ades
- “Wolcum Yole,” from “A Ceremony of Carols,” by Benjamin Britten
- A vocal jazz arrangement of “We Wish You the Merriest,” by Les Brown
- “Believe,” from the modern Christmas classic movie “The Polar Express,” arranged by Teena Chinn
- “Hallelujah Chorus,” by G.F. Handel
- “Three Festive Carols for Christmas,” arranged by Mark Hayes
- “The Peace Carol,” arranged by Don McAfee and Richard Lamb
- Mendelssohn’s “Heilig” for double choir
- “Over the Rainbow,” from the classic film “The Wizard of Oz,” as arranged by Audrey Snyder
- “Carol of the Bells,” arranged by Peter Wilhousky
- And more!
Blanchard said the centerpiece composition will be a musical telling of the classic children’s holiday story, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” as arranged by Harry Simeone.
“It has also been rumored that the jolly old elf himself, Santa Clause, may make a surprise appearance,” Blanchard said. “This concert is one not to be missed!”
For more information about this concert or other musical events and initiatives at KCC, call 269-565-7859 or visit www.kellogg.edu/music.
About the Branch County Community Chorus
The Branch County Community Chorus is a 20-member mixed choir made up of community members and students who perform choral works from various periods and genres. The BCCC celebrates its 15th anniversary during the 2016-17 concert season.
About Vocal Arts at KCC
The Vocal Arts Area at KCC offers four choral opportunities including the Branch County Community Chorus, the Concentus Vocal Ensemble, the Choral Union Touring Choir and the Kellogg Singers, as well as an Opera Workshop, individualized voice lessons, master classes and student recitals.
For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at https://daily.kellogg.edu/category/news-releases.