By JACLYN BURKE
Student Writer
Northwestern’s department of fine arts presents the Holiday Gala and Lighting Ceremony Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Herod Hall Auditorium.
Director of Choral Studies Karsten Longhurst, said it has been a tradition that the band and choir does a joint concert. He said the two groups are trying to establish this joint concert as an ongoing tradition for the coming years.
Two choirs will be performing at the holiday concert, Longhurst said. The two groups are University Chorale and University Singers. Both of the groups are auditioned, but University Chorale is the larger of the two groups with 40 singers. The University Singers is the top choir group at Northwestern and has 20 members.
He said the choirs will be performing numerous holiday and Christmas songs such as “Santa Baby,” “Baby it’s Cold Outside,” “Halleluiah” from Brazillian Psalm, “First Noel,” “Cradle Carol” and a Christmas medley including “Santa Clause is Coming to Town,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas.”
There will be a surprise soloist for Santa Baby.
Longhurst said there will be choreography and caroling to keep the audience fully entertained. There will also be tunes that the audience can sing along to such as “Deck the Halls,” “Jingle Bells” and “O Christmas Tree.”
Marc Decker, director of bands, said there will be two band groups performing at the concert. The Northwestern Jazz Ensemble, which has around 12 members, will perform “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch,” “Nutcracker Rock” and “We Three Kings.”
The Symphony Band, made up of about 25 people, will perform a Christmas Medley, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “The Chipmunk Song.”
Decker said the concert will conclude with a holiday sing along for the entire audience to enjoy. He said the program is diverse, so there won’t be any overlapping songs.
He said the program is much shorter than usual. It is a brief, entertaining and concise program that is expected to last about an hour.
Tracy Meza, a senior majoring in theater, said the Northwestern theater program will be running the lights and audio for the concert.
After the concert, there will be a tree lighting ceremony outside. Northwestern Oklahoma State University President Janet Cunningham will light the tree.
Admission for the Gala is free.