PULLMAN, Wash. — The Washington State University School of Music and Theatre Arts will present its annual Holiday Concert at 8 p.m., Dec. 6, in Bryan Hall Theatre.
Performing ensembles at the concert include the WSU Concert Choir and Symphony Orchestra.
The 60-member WSU Symphony Orchestra, conducted by WSU faculty member L. Keating Johnson, will perform the fifth symphony of Felix Mendelssohn, the “Reformation Symphony.” It was written for a celebration of the Reformation held in Augsburg, Germany. Mendelssohn wrote the music to express the Reformation in symphonic terms. The music builds to the final movement, based on Martin Luther’s chorale “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”
The WSU Concert Choir will perform a selection of winter theme songs, under the direction of WSU faculty member Lori Wiest. Seasonal favorites include an arrangement of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” by Mac Huff and a new twist on “Deck the Halls” written in seven-eight meter.
Other selections include Claude Debussy’s French “Yver, Vous N’estes Qu’un Villain” which means “Winter, You Are Nothing But a Villain” from his Trois Chansons. Also on the program are New Zealand composer David N. Childs’ “O Magnum Mysterium” and “Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind,” a setting of the text from William Shakespeare’s play “As You Like It,” composed by John Rutter. The choir will perform selections from earlier concerts, including “Rytmus” by Slovak composer Ivan Hrusovsky and Greg Knauf’s “Psalm 117.”
The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Wiest at 509/335-5647.
