Tech’s music department is gearing up for the holiday season with the annual candlelight Christmas concert.This semester has been eventful for the music department as they try
to draw students in by having more concerts and recitals. From the Festival of Voices to the fall concert, students have had plenty of opportunity to enjoy performances, and there is more yet to come.
“The fall concert was very impressive,” Tina Davis, a parent of a chorale student, said. “But I’m really looking forward to the Christmas concert, because the students always do such a great job.”
This concert will be filled with pieces from different genres and languages. One of the songs, “Noel” by Todd Smith, is an African spiritual, uncommon to many Christmas singings. Another song that will be performed is “Glory, Glory, Glory to the New Born King,” a spiritual by well-known composer Moses Hogan.
Chorale is an audition only, advanced choir conducted by Craig Zamer, director of choral activities. This choir is expected to perform on a more advanced and challenging level than concert choir. Instead of meeting for three hours a week, chorale meets for six hours a week. According to Chorale member Tim Keyt, it can be hard work, but it always pays off.
“I thought Chorale was going to be like every other choir. I was wrong. It’s very challenging. But it is definitely worth it because in the end, we sound really great,”Keyt said.
Concert choir is an ensemble that is open to any student or faculty member. In fact, a large number of these singers are not music majors. They are students from all over the university who enjoy coming together to make good music, according to Nathan Allen, chorale member.
“Last semester I was in concert choir, and I was really surprised by how good it was. I thought since anyone could join, it would be interesting. But, I was impressed,” Allen said.
Both choirs will perform at the Christmas concert, along with Siegel High School and Cookeville High School. There will be two nighttime performances of this concert: one at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 4 featuring Sigel High School and the other at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 featuring Cookeville High School. Admission is free for Tech students.
