Nov. 20, 2007

Christmas at Morningside concert will be Nov. 30 at Eppley Auditorium

Morningside College will host its 12th annual Christmas at Morningside concert on Friday, Nov. 30, at 7:30 p.m. in Eppley Auditorium, 3625 Garretson Avenue.

An encore performance will be held on Saturday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, 3700 Cottage Grove, Des Moines, Iowa.

The public is invited to both events free of charge. The performance on Nov. 30 is sponsored by Morningside’s Academic and Cultural Arts Series (ACAS).

Christmas at Morningside is a unique musical tradition held each year at Morningside College. The celebration includes sights and sounds of the holiday season and is a gift from Morningside College to the community. The theme of this year’s concert is “And the Whole World Rejoiced” as the Christmas story is retold with new and traditional music performed by vocalists and instrumentalists.

No applause is given during the concert to allow the emotion and meaning of the music to flow from one piece to the next without pause.

The concert will feature several choral and instrumental ensembles, including the Morningside College Choir, Bell Canto Women’s Chorale, Singing Men of Morningside, Choral Union, and Morningside Piano Trio. The concert will also feature a trumpet solo of the Alan Hovahness composition “Prayer to St. Francis” performed by Cliff  Towner, assistant professor of music at Morningside, and a vocal solo of Peter Cornelius’ “The Christmas Tree” performed by soprano Dr. Gail Dooley, associate professor of music. Dooley will be accompanied by pianist Dr. Jim March, professor of music.

The Morningside Piano Trio is comprised of Joe Shufro, associate professor of music, along with Michele Grossman of the Leo Kucinski Academy of Music, and Eunho Kim.

Tim Watson, assistant professor of music, will direct the College Choir and Singing Men of Morningside and co-direct the Choral Union with Jill Wilson, director of the Leo Kucinski Academy of Music. Wilson will also direct the Bell Canto Women’s Chorale. Steve Lundberg will serve as narrator, Carolyn Price will serve as organist, and Grossman and March will serve as pianists.

For more information, contact the Morningside College music department at (712) 274-5210.