Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music will present its annual Holiday Concert Thursday, Dec. 2 and Friday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall of the Performing Arts Center. The performance will feature the combined talents of the UGA Concert Choir, the UGA Symphony Orchestra, the Georgia String Project, Classic City Jazz and the Georgia Children’s Chorus, along with faculty soloists.
The evening’s program will open with the UGA Concert Choir singing a uniquely updated arrangement of Praetorius’ German baroque carol, Es ist ein Ros entsprungen, re-composed for double a cappella choir by Sändstrom. Immediately following the opening will be an orchestra fanfare, choral processional into the loft and an audience sing-along of Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful, conducted by orchestra director Mark Cedel. Daniel Bara, UGA director of choral activities and professor of music, will conduct two neo-romantic British choral-orchestral pieces: In Terra Pax, by Gerald Finzi, which will feature faculty soloists Frederick Burchinal, baritone, and Stephanie Pierce, soprano, and Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Vaughn Williams, also featuring Burchinal.
After intermission, the symphony orchestra, conducted by Cedel, will perform three settings of orchestral sleigh rides. Christmas favorites by the Georgia Children’s Chorus, the Georgia String Project and Classic City Jazz will follow. The program will conclude with Mitos Andaya, professor of music and associate director of choirs, conducting A Feast of Carols by Randol Alan Bass.
“This is the first time I’ll have the opportunity to perform in such a wonderful concert hall and work with the marvelous UGA symphony orchestra, while combining all the UGA choirs into one big symphonic chorus,” said Bara, who joined the UGA faculty in August. “There’s a certain reassuring familiarity about coming back to so many of these carols at this time of year. The spirit and character of the melodies, the themes within the poetry, and the power and intimacy of choral music are bound to inspire a sense of comfort and seasonal excitement for the audience and performers alike.”
Hodgson Concert Hall will be decorated for the concerts with poinsettias from the UGA Choral Association poinsettia sale. Audience members who have pre-purchased poinsettias may take them home after the concert.
Tickets for the concert are $20 for general admission, $5 for students and are available through the Performing Arts Center box office at 706-542-4400 or online at www.uga.edu/pac/. Proceeds will benefit the school of music’s 2nd Thursday Scholarship fund
