Collegiate Singers Present Holiday Concert
The annual holiday concert by the Fairmont State University Collegiate Singers and
Chamber Choir will be Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 8 p.m. in the Wallman Hall Auditorium.
The concert will be conducted by Dr. Jeffrey Poland with piano accompaniment by John
Morrison.
Music for this program features a traditional English Christmas. The Collegiate Singers
repertoire includes traditional arrangements of well-known carols and newer, less
familiar carols with texts or music by British composers. Audience participation will
be encouraged in a carol sing of popular favorites that have been known in Britain
for centuries, such as "Deck the Hall," "Joy to the World" and "O Come, All Ye Faithful."
"Our ancestors from England brought their holiday traditions to this country, including
many carols frequently sung and familiar to us all," Poland said.
The less familiar category presents compositions and arrangements by several of the
leading composers and conductors in England today.
"Choir schools and cathedrals are fortunate to have Sir David Willcocks, Andrew Carter,
Bob Chilcott, Stephen Cleobury and John Rutter," Poland said. "We are fortunate to
have their music to sing, in particular the popular collection with some of their
work called "100 Carols for Choirs."
"Among those carols chosen for this concert are "In the Bleak Mid-Winter," "Tomorrow
Shall Be My Dancing Day," "Wexford Carol," "Sussex Carol," "Joys Seven," "Lord of
the Dance" and "Wassail Song."
Collegiate Singers is the choral organization with open enrollment for the student
body. Students in the ensemble include music majors, as well as many other academic
disciplines in the university. The Chamber Choir is an auditioned ensemble which,
for the holiday concert, will be leaving England to venture out into Europe and the
United States for appropriate selections of the season.
Admission to the concert is free of charge and open to the public.
