Choirs present 'A Christmas Celebration'

Cal Poly Choirs to Present ‘A Christmas Celebration’ Dec. 3
Event will be music Professor Thomas Davies 34th and final holiday concert

The Cal Poly Choirs will present the annual holiday spectacular “A Christmas Celebration” at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, in Harman Hall of the
Performing Arts Center.

PolyPhonics, the University Singers and the Cal Poly Early Music Ensemble will perform holiday favorites and new works under the direction of music Professor Thomas Davies at the popular yearly event. The Cal Poly Brass Ensemble, conducted by Christopher J. Woodruff, will add to the festive performances.

Cal Poly staff members Susan Azaret Davies and Paul Woodring will accompany the choirs and perform solo works for piano and organ.

Repertoire will include Healey Willan’s “Hodie, Christus natus est” (“Today Christ Is Born”), Hans Leo Hassler’s “Dixit Maria” (“Mary Said”), and William Mathias’ “Sir Christèmas,” along with the popular carols “Carol of the Bells” and “Carol of the Drum.” Two newer works to be performed include Meredith Brammeier’s “Where Shepherds Lately Knelt” and Ron Kean’s “There is No Rose.” Brammeier is a
professor of music at Cal Poly, and Kean is emeritus instructor from Bakersfield College.

The always-popular “Christmas Cameos” and the choirs’ traditional “Silent Night” arranged by Sir Malcolm Sargent will round out the program. Audience members can participate in a carol sing-along.

This will be the 34th and final holiday concert led by Davies, the university’s director of choral and vocal studies. An alumni choir of Davies’ former choir students will also perform.

Tickets are $14 and $18 for the public, and $9 and $14 for students. Event parking is sponsored by the PAC. Tickets are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. To order by phone, call SLO-4TIX (756-4849).

The Music Department offers a 10 percent discount to patrons who buy season tickets to four of its events through the Cal Poly Ticket Office; a 15 percent discount is given on tickets to five or more events.

The holiday concert is sponsored by Cal Poly’s Music Department, College of Liberal Arts, and Instructionally Related Activities program. For more information, call the Music Department at 805-756-2406 or visit the calendar.