Fall Arts Holiday Celebration to feature Very English Christmas Music

A holiday gift to the community is planned for the final event of Grand Valley’s Fall Arts Celebration 2013, and will take place in downtown Grand Rapids.

Holiday Celebration:
“A Very English Christmas: Music of the Season from the British Isles”

Monday, December 9, at 8 p.m.
Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain Street NE, Grand Rapids
Open to the public with free admission

“Each year with these holiday musical events we have endeavored to perform both the more traditional Classical and Baroque Era Christmas repertoire as well as to explore lesser known music from other holiday traditions,” said Danny Phipps, Grand Valley Department of Music and Dance chair. “This December we will celebrate the British Christmas tradition with an emphasis on the music of John Rutter. Listeners will immediately recognize his beloved carols and holiday musical style.”

Musical selections will run the full gamut from the beloved “Coventry Carol,” which was first heard in the early 15th century, to the decidedly more modern parable of “Brother Heinrich’s Christmas,” a narrated short story that will be performed with bassoon and oboe. The magnificent and uplifting “Gloria” will complete this unique performance.

Music will be performed by the University Arts Chorale, Cantate and an orchestra consisting of Grand Valley Department of Music and Dance faculty, members of the Grand Rapids Symphony and student members of the GVSU Chamber Orchestra.  Ellen Pool is director of University Arts Chorale and Cantate, and Henry Duitman, GVSU orchestra director, will conduct this performance.

This family friendly concert concludes Grand Valley’s Fall Arts Celebration 2013. For more than 10 years, the celebration has featured many preeminent writers, poets, musicians, dancers, artists and scholars.

For more information call x1-2185, or visit www.gvsu.edu/fallarts.