Chorale and Conservatory vocalists from Central Methodist University will perform a winter concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9 in Linn Memorial Church on CMU’s Fayette campus. Everyone is invited to attend and there is no admission charge.
The concert will open with the Conservatory Singers entering with a candlelit processional and singing “Once in Royal David’s City” in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Lessons and Carols Service at King’s College, Cambridge. They are under the direction of Dr. Laura Wiebe, CMU assistant professor of music.
The Conservatory Singers will also perform “O Come, Let Us Sing Unto the Lord,” a dynamic work featuring an exciting piano accompaniment. The piece is by Missouri composer Emma Lou Diemer. The singers will also perform a jazzy version of “Carol of the Bells” arranged by Jay Rouse and “Hear my Prayer” by Moses Hogan.
Two sub-ensembles, The Wesley Singers and The Doris Akers Singers, will perform several other Christmas arrangements.
The Chorale, directed by Dr. Claude Westfall, CMU associate professor of music, will perform many melodies such as “Zigeunerlieder,” by Johannes Brahms and adapted from Hungarian folk songs, “Wearin’ of the Green,” arranged by Alice Parker, and “Will the Circle be unbroken?” arranged by Paul Rardin, a gospel hymn dating back to 1907.
Soloist Abbey Ruggles, a CMU junior, will sing “Silent Night,” arranged by Rhoda Polay on the 200th anniversary of this song.
