Alma College Choirs to Perform at Midland Center for the Arts
The
Alma College Choirs expand their popular Festival of Carols
performances with an off-campus offering November 30 at the prestigious
Midland Center for the Arts.
"We are pleased to bring the Festival of Carols to the Midland Center for the Arts. It is one of the finest community arts facilities in Michigan. It has a beautiful 1,200-seat concert hall with wonderful acoustics," Choir Director Will Nichols, Secrest Professor of Music, said.
Traditionally conducted on campus in December, Nichols said adding a public performance in Midland made great sense. Besides area residents' great interest in the arts, there are approximately 500 alumni within Midland and many more in the Tri-city area of Midland, Saginaw and Bay City.
"The Tri-city area has a large and sophisticated audience base," he said. "We know that people in Midland, Bay City and Saginaw will respond to the Festival of Carols for the same reasons that the Alma audience has embraced these concerts. And I know our choirs will love performing in this magnificent concert hall."
Marking the beginning of the Advent and Christmas seasons for many mid Michigan families, the Festival of Carols has played to standing-room-only crowds for all performances for many years. The concerts attract a family audience and some Alma families attend every year.
The seasonal choir offering is not a worship service; rather "it is a community celebration welcoming people of all faiths for a concert of familiar carols and sacred masterpieces that are part of our shared heritage," Nichols said. "The concert attracts an audience that is looking for a chance to slow down and be reminded of the peace and wonder of Christmas."
The audience knows the popular carols sung by the three Alma choirs, such as "O Holy Night," "What Child is This" and "Ding Dong, Merrily on High" while other pieces may be an introduction to more non-traditional celebratory music. The 155 members of the Women's Glee Club, College Chorale and Alma College Choir share the stage to perform collectively and independently.
Choral singing is the centerpiece of the Festival of Carols and the familiar carols are sung a cappella, but others have instrumental accompaniment. Members of the College's Percussion Ensemble and the Alma Symphony Orchestra accompany the choirs on harp, strings, brass and percussion.
The performance at Midland Center for the Arts is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and children. Tickets can be purchased at the door the evening of the concert beginning at 6:30 p.m. or in advance at The Midland Center for the Arts Box Office, 1801 W. St. Andrews Rd., Midland. Box Office hours are weekdays 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Saturdays noon-5:00 p.m. Tickets are available on the Alma College campus at the Smith Alumni House (989) 463-7245.
Tickets for the Midland performance also can be purchased at Alma College's Remick Heritage Center Box Office, 614 W. Superior St., Alma, or by calling Alma College at 1-800-291-1312. The Heritage Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Festival of Carols performances in the Remick Heritage Center are scheduled for Dec. 3 and 4 at 8:00 p.m. and Dec. 5 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets for the Alma College performances can be purchased at the Alma College Remick Heritage Center Box Office or by calling the Box Office at (989) 463-7304.
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Contact Skip Traynor
Media Relations Editor
(989) 463-7232 or traynor@alma.edu
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Posted: Tue, November 16th, 2004 at 2:52PM
