A Beloved Tradition Returns: West Chester University’s 102nd Annual Holiday Concert
Tickets Now on Sale for December 9 Concert
West Chester University’s 102nd Annual Holiday Concert has become a beloved winter tradition. Campus and community members are invited to jump-start the season and join in this joyous celebration on Saturday, December 9, at 3 p.m. in the 1200-seat Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall, Philips Memorial Building, 700 S. High Street, West Chester. Professor and Associate Director of Choirs Ryan Kelly directs. Tickets are $14 at http://www.wcupatix.com/schoolofmusic or 610.436.2266. This concert will not be available to view by livestream.
A time-honored tradition since its inception in 1921, the Holiday Concert features student choral, orchestral, and jazz ensembles from the University’s esteemed Wells School of Music in a 90-minute concert mix of classical, contemporary, and jazz selections. Nearly 200 students will perform in the concert that showcases the Orpheus Singers, Allegro Voices, Oriana Chorale, Concert Choir, Mastersingers, Symphony Orchestra, and the Criterions Jazz Ensemble. Greenery, lights, and poinsettias will adorn the stage.
Program highlights include recognizable Christmas and Hanukkah selections as well as selections inspired by the winter season:
- A Christmas Festival (Leroy Anderson)
- Beatus vir (Claudio Monteverdi)
- Serenity (Ola Gjeilo)
- The Christmas Song (Mel Torme)
- I Saw Three Ships (arr. Mark Riese)
- I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (arr. Brett Stewart)
Another event highlight is a rendition of “O Holy Night,” sung by the winner of the vocal honors competition, who is chosen by a faculty panel. This year’s winning vocalist is senior Music Education major Miranda Nilan (’24) who comes to West Chester University from Oxford, PA.
Nilan says, “I have known since my first semester here at West Chester University that singing ‘O Holy Night’ at the Holiday Concert was a goal I wanted to pursue. I have always had a deep love and passion for the holiday season, and I am honored to perform this beloved classic song.”
Audiences are invited to come early to hear Christmas Carols by university organist Sándor Kádár on the historic Skinner pipe organ.
Limited parking is available across and along the street just outside the Philips Memorial Building. Parking is also available in West Chester’s M Lot, just a short walk away, and also in the Sharpless Street Garage. Purchasing tickets in advance is strongly encouraged.
West Chester University’s Wells School of Music offers students an outstanding opportunity in concentrated performance and musicianship. The school’s superior performance and practice venues include 22 new Steinways, Skinner organ, tech lab, Roland piano lab, and more. Students study with renowned faculty who have dual careers as dedicated educators and professional musicians. Faculty provide private lessons for all music students and are the directors for numerous student ensembles. The school supports a wide variety of Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees, including those in music education, performance, composition, studio composition, music theory, music history, and more. Graduates pursue successful careers at major institutions and teach music education at home and abroad.