The can’t-miss concert event of the season will be held Dec. 7 when Monmouth College hosts it annual “Christmas at Monmouth” event.
Free and open to the public, “Christmas at Monmouth” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. in the Kasch Performance Hall of Dahl Chapel and Auditorium.
Music professor Tim Pahel will direct the college’s Chorale and Chamber Choir, while 2023 graduate Kaitlyn McCullough will lead the Concert Choir. On the instrumental side, music professor Justin Swearinger will lead the college’s Wind Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra. The Jazz Ensemble, directed by Steve Jackson, will also be featured.
A world premiere
“There will be a wide variety of great music, from traditional carols to recently composed pieces,” said Pahel of the choral portion of the event. “An exciting highlight this year is that Chorale will perform the world premiere of a piece that was just written for us by young, up-and-coming composer David Caldarella, entitled ‘Gabriel’s Message.’ It is a wonderful and unique piece, and the students and I have been loving working on it.”
Another highlight for Chorale is its opening African piece with percussion and soloists as the singers process down the aisles.
Pahel said the Chamber Choir’s selections will include an arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” a fast, rhythmic arrangement of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” and a fun and dance-like arrangement of a Latvian carol with percussion.
A highlight for Concert Choir is an arrangement of the hymn “Brightest and Best” by Shawn Kirchner that features a guest violinist from Western Illinois University on what Pahel called “a rapid and difficult solo part.”
On the instrumental side
“The Wind Ensemble will perform our usual arrangement of ‘Let There Be Peace on Earth,'” said Swearinger. “Additionally, we are inviting band alumni to the stage for a performance of ‘Russian Christmas Music.’ Written by American composer Alfred Reed, it is a band standard that utilizes carols and orthodox liturgical music – in both quiet and bombastic settings.”
The Chamber Winds will perform its “Christmas at Monmouth” standard “Sleigh Ride,” as well as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”
“As usual, there will be audience sing-along carols throughout the program,” said Pahel. “At the end, all the choirs and instrumentalists will come together for a rendition of ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful,’ followed by all singing ‘Silent Night,’ with candles raised on the last verse.”
***Courtesy of Barry McNamara, Monmouth College***
