Christmas Music

Greetings from your long-lost blogger!
I thought I would let you know of some Christmas Concerts happening this weekend in case you need some Christmas cheer!

Christmas Chorus (Treble Choir)
Saturday 2:30 PM (kid-friendly)
Sunday 7PM (well-behaved audience members please)

--These concerts are in the chapel at the state hospital in Provo (top of Center Street). If you are facing the admin building, the chapel is the next building to the right. This choir is in its 31st year and specializes in Christmas Carols from around the world, as well as Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols. (we do the Ceremony of Carols every year). This year we have an awesome gospel piece that I suspect will be an audience favorite.

Utah Baroque Ensemble
Monday 6PM and again at 7:30PM in the Orem Public Library (same program for both performances) Some UBE-only pieces, some audience + choir pieces.

If your kids need to attend concerts as homework for their music classes at school, these are great.

I love these concerts because they are ALL Christmas music, and I do love my Christmas music. fa la la la la...la la la la!

--Holly

UBE Spring Concerts

It's one of the most wonderful times of the year -- CONCERT SEASON!

The Utah Baroque Ensemble is presenting three concerts this month:

Date: Sunday April 11th
Place: 1081 West 1060 North, Provo

Date: Saturday April 17th
Place: Assembly Hall on Temple Square, Salt Lake City

Date: Sunday April 18th
Place: 865 West 1000 North, Orem

Each performance begins at 7:30 and is suitable for audience members 8 years of age and older. All performances are free of charge.

For maps to the Provo and Orem locations, please go to the calendar on the UBE website, www.utahbaroque.org


Program:

Festival Jubilate / K. Lee Scott
Wash Me Throughly

Jubilate Deo
Psalm 114

Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150 / J.S. Bach

Psalm 100 (Jauchzet dem Herrn, Alle Welt) / Mendelssohn
Beati Quorum Via / Charles Stanford

Bless the Lord / David Sargent
Praise Ye Him / David Sargent
O Clap Your Hands / David Sargent

How Firm a Foundation
Saints Bound for Heaven (shape note)
Saints Bound for Heaven / Alice Parker

Witness

The Word was God

Hope to see you there! (My favorite one, if I can only choose one, is the "The Word was God". If I can choose two, the other one is "Wash me throughly").

Concert tonight!

Greetings fans of Christmas music and/or the Utah Baroque Ensemble!

We are performing twice in the Orem Public Library tonight -- almost all Christmas music. This is usually my favorite concert of the year.

The first performance starts at 6PM, the second at 7:30 PM. Suitable for all ages. Hope to see you there!

Upcoming performances

Where does time go? It has been forever since I've added to my blog. Sigh. But, canning is mostly done now, so I will try to start posting more regularly.

First on the agenda -- something for YOUR agenda. If you would like to hear some great music, here is the Fall schedule for the two community choirs to which I belong:

Utah Baroque Ensemble

Sunday November 15th Orem East Stake Center - 600 N 800 E Orem, 7:00 PM (Ages 8 and older)

Sunday Nov 22nd Provo Sharon East Stake Center, 2400 N 1060 East, 7:00 PM (Ages 8 and older)

Monday December 8th, Orem Public Library (Holiday concert and sing-along) (This is the one I recommend for kids) Times TBA - There are two concerts that evening because it's been a very well-attended event in years past. I will update this posting when I have the times)

Christmas Chorus
The Christmas Chorus is celebrating it's 30th year!
Saturday December 5th, 1:30 PM (a good time to bring kids)

Sunday December 6th, 7PM (Ages 8 and up)
Both performances are in the chapel at the State Hospital (top of Provo Center Street)

All of these performances are free, though both choirs love donations! There will be someone collecting donations at the Christmas Chorus concerts, but not at the UBE concerts. If you wish to donate, send it to Utah Baroque Ensemble, PO Box 1630, Orem UT 84059

Taking the plunge!

I'm taking the plunge into the world of blogging! If you've found my blog, you know that the winning entry in the "name that blog" contest is "Gathering Holly", which was submitted by my sister-in-law LH. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of submissions that came in this last week -- my family and friends are definitely more creative than I! Many heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who sent in your entries. The remaining entries are too good to discard, so watch for them to come up as titles for individual postings.

Here is today's bit of news -- I am the new choir director for my congregation. This should be really interesting because I have NO experience in choral conducting (other than observing it while singing with my community choir for the last several years!). I do lead the congregational singing, but that really is just waving one arm in time to the music. Now I have to actually be coordinated and make sure that the right hand knows what the left hand is doing -- even when they must operate independently.

I'm already reviewing possible selections for Christmas and twisting the arms of friends and neighbors to get attendance commitments from them. I think some will come just for the fun of laughing with me as I make a fool of myself. Maybe some others will come if I promise treats. Some will come for no other reason than they are my friends and wish to support me (and be glad that THEY are not the conducting) Whatever the reason, I hope lots of people come out to sing. It will be much more fun and less nerve-wracking for me. (And, yes...it's ALL about me. That's why I now have a blog. ha ha)