The North Carolina Symphony pays tribute next week to the men and women who have kept America safe for generations. Music Director Grant Llewellyn leads the orchestra in the five-stop Red, White and Blue Tour, presented by First Citizens Bank and made up of free concerts at multiple North Carolina military bases and a grand finale as part of the Symphony’s Summerfest performances in Cary.

The tour begins on June 1 at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, where Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton will serve as the Symphony’s special guest narrator. The tour continues at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock on June 2; Riverwalk Crossing Park in Jacksonville for troops at Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station on June 3; Fort Bragg on June 4; and at Summerfest in Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre on June 5. All concerts take place at 7:30 p.m.

U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Christal Sanders Rheams, a North Carolina native, joins the Symphony for patriotic favorites and classic showstoppers including World War II hits “Rosie the Riveter” and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” Other program highlights include Sousa’s Liberty Bell March, Copland’s commanding Fanfare for the Common Man, the finale from Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony and the local flavor of The Battleship North Carolina March.

“The Symphony is enormously proud to partner with our men and women in uniform and to present these patriotic concerts at military bases around our great state,” says North Carolina Symphony President and CEO David Chambless Worters. “In keeping with the Symphony’s long tradition of statewide service, this is a perfect opportunity to bring the state of North Carolina’s orchestra to our active duty personnel, their families and their host communities.”

Llewellyn, a native of Tenby, South Wales, adds, “The British flag is made from the same red, white and blue as the Stars and Stripes, and I feel the same allegiance toward the American armed forces as I feel toward my own British troops, amongst whom my grandfather, father and uncles served in the First and Second World Wars. It’s an honor to entertain the brave men and women of these military bases, here in our orchestra’s home state of North Carolina.”

The Red, White and Blue Tour is presented by First Citizens Bank, along with media partner Our State magazine. For venue details, visit ncsymphony.org/redwhiteblue.

The June 2-4 concerts are free and open to the public. Advance tickets are required to attend the Cherry Point concert on June 2. They can be picked up for free at Cherry Point ITT, the New Bern Sun Journal, the Havelock News and the Carteret News-Times.

The Seymour Johnson Air Force Base concert on June 1 is free and open to those with military ID.

June 1-4 concerts are free. The June 5 concert is ticketed as part of Summerfest, with lawn seats $20 in advance.

For tickets to the June 5 concert in Cary or other information, visit the North Carolina Symphony Web site at ncsymphony.org or call 919.733.2750.

Concert/Event Listings

North Carolina Symphony
Red, White and Blue Tour
Grant Llewellyn, Music Director
Sgt. Christal Sanders Rheams, vocalist
June 1, 2010- FREE
Fitness Center Track and Field, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

June 2, 2010- FREE
Station Theater, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

June 3, 2010- FREE
Riverwalk Crossing Park, Jacksonville

June 4, 2010- FREE
Main Post Parade Field, Fort Bragg

June 5, 2010- Lawn seats $20
Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Regency Park, Cary

Program Listing:

North Carolina Symphony
Red, White and Blue Tour
June 1-5, 2010
Grant Llewellyn, Music Director

The Star-Spangled Banner
John Stafford Smith/Sousa

The Air Force Hymn*
Robert Crawford/arr. Seredy

The Army Song**
John Philip Sousa

The Marines Hymn***
Traditional

Fanfare for the Common Man
Aaron Copland

American Salute
Morton Gould

“Rosie the Riveter”
Redd Evans & John Jacob Loeb/arr. Kessler
Sgt. Christal Sanders Rheams, vocalist

“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”
Ron Raye & Hughie Prince/arr. Kessler
Sgt. Christal Sanders Rheams, vocalist

Pomp and Circumstance, Military March Op. 39, No. 1 in D Major
Sir Edward Elgar

“(There’ll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover”
Walter Kent & Nat Burton/arr. Haring
Sgt. Christal Sanders Rheams, vocalist

The Battleship North Carolina March
Steven Errante

Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, “From the New World”^
Antonín Dvořák
IV. Allegro con fuoco

The Liberty Bell March
John Philip Sousa

St. Louis Blues
W.C. Handy/arr. Holcombe

“Shenandoah”
Traditional/arr. Bates
Sgt. Christal Sanders Rheams, vocalist

Mississippi Suite
Ferde Grofé
IV. Mardi Gras

From Sea to Shining Sea
arr. Robert Wendel

* Performed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base only
** Performed at Fort Bragg only
*** Performed at Cherry Point and Jacksonville only
^ Performed at Cherry Point, Jacksonville and Cary only

Patty Goble

Love is in the air at the North Carolina Symphony. Solve your Valentine’s Day entertainment puzzle with “A Broadway Romance” at Meymandi Concert Hall in downtown Raleigh’s Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Sunday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. Broadway veterans Patty Goble and Stephen Bogardus perform 37 great love songs from more than a dozen of your favorite Broadway hits.

Bring your special Valentine to this one-night-only event, and listen as our love story unfolds on stage. You’ll be thoroughly entertained as Associate Conductor Sarah Hicks leads the orchestra in popular songs from West Side Story, My Fair Lady, Chicago, South Pacific and many more. Ah! Romance!

Start your romantic night out at Gravy, Sitti or Duck and Dumpling in downtown Raleigh with a package including dinner and a ticket to “A Broadway Romance” for $50 per person (tax and gratuity not included). Hotel packages are also offered.

Stephen Bogardus

Regular tickets to “A Broadway Romance” begin at $35. Meymandi Concert Hall is located in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St., Raleigh, N.C., 27601. For tickets, visit the North Carolina Symphony Web site at ncsymphony.org or call the box office at 919.733.2750. For information about dinner and hotel packages, call the box office.

Concert/Event Listing:

North Carolina Symphony
A Broadway Romance
Sarah Hicks, Associate Conductor
Stephen Bogardus, tenor
Patty Goble, soprano
Feb. 14, 2010, 7:30 p.m.
Meymandi Concert Hall, Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh, N.C.

AMRA’S

www.amrasraleigh.com
[MON 9:30pm WED THU SUN 9pm - 1am FRI SAT 10 - 2am]
mo     02/01    chris suiter
WE     02/03    ERIk SMALLWOOD
th    02/04    dj biz
FR    02/05    party nuts
SA     02/06    the remedy
SU     02/07    kevin wing
mo     02/08    chris suiter
WE     02/10    john briggs
th    02/11    dj biz
FR    02/12    magic pipers
sa    02/13    stoneage romeos
SU     02/14    tom rhodes
mo     02/15    chris suiter
WE     02/17    shane bullis
th    02/18    dj biz
FR    02/19    eg peters band
sa    02/20    rich emily
SU     02/21    tom rhodes
mo     02/22    chris suiter
WE     02/24    currie clayton
th    02/25    dj biz
FR    02/26    Soul Psychedelique
sa    02/27    crush
SU     02/28    tom rhodes

BRASA’S BRAZILIAN STEAK HOUSE

www.brasasteakhouse.com
[WED THU 6– 9:30pm] [FRI/SAT 6:30 – 10:30pm]
WE     02/03    richard tazewell
th    02/04    bill fox
FR    02/05    Jeanne Jolly DUO
SA     02/06    carol ingbretsen trio
WE     02/10    THOMAS TUMULTY
th    02/11    ken parr
FR    02/12    peter lamb/mark wells
sa    02/13    kurt melges/Leslie land trio
WE     02/17    EDDIE THIGPEN
th    02/18    ELMER GIBSON
FR    02/19    peter lamb/mark wells
sa    02/20    maggie pate duffey Trio
WE     02/24    gary brunotte
th    02/25    Bruce smith
FR    02/26    Lady Jaisun Duo
sa    02/27    enroute jazz trio featuring janet clarke

CASHMERE

www.cashmereraleigh.com
Wed 8 – 11pm  Thus 8:30 – 11:30pm
WE     02/03    jason adamo
th    02/04    travis proctor
WE     02/10    erik smallwood
th    02/11    travis proctor
WE     02/17    jason adamo
th    02/18    travis proctor
WE     02/24    jason adamo
th    02/25    travis proctor

CROWLEY’S

www.crowleysofstonehenge.com
[FRI 10 - 2am]
fr     02/05    Simplified
FR     02/12    effigy
FR     02/19    soul pSYCHEDELIQUE
FR     02/26    santa monica 72

HIBERNIAN PUB ~ CARY

www.hibernianpub.com
[FRI/SAT 10pm – 1:30]
02/05    fr    tino
02/06    sa    jason adamo
02/12    fr    brad benson
02/13    sa
02/19    fr    adam pitts
02/20    sa    chris suiter
02/26    fr    ron ross of the magic pipers
02/27    sa    erik smallwood

NAPPER TANDY’S IRISH PUB

www.nappertandys.com
[SUN 5 – 7pm]
su    02/14    2112 kids school of rock concert www.2112rockschool.com

OLIVER TWIST

www.theolivertwistlounge.com
[MON 9:30 – 2am TUES 8 – 11pm WED/THUR 9pm - 12am FRI SAT 10 - 2am]
mo     02/01 Acoustic Open Jam
WE     02/03    Shane Bullis
Th    02/04    jason adamo
FR    02/05    DJ mix
SA     02/06    DJ mix
mo     02/08    Acoustic Open Jam
WE     02/10    ron ross
Th    02/11    jason adamo
FR    02/12    DJ mix
Sa    02/13    DJ mix
Mo     02/15    Acoustic Open Jam
WE     02/17    julie mcknight
Th    02/18    jason adamo
FR    02/19    DJ mix
Sa    02/20    funkuponya
Mo     02/22    Acoustic Open Jam
WE     02/24    john briggs
th    02/25j    ason adamo
FR    02/26    DJ mix
Sa    02/27    DJ mix

SPIRITS PUB

701 E Chatham Street, Cary
(919) 462-7001
www.spiritscary.com
[8– 11pm]
fr    02/05    ron ross of the magic pipers
fr    02/12    todd proctor Band Mardi Gras Party!
fr    02/19    shane bullis
fr    02/26    EG PETERS

SULLIVAN’S

www.sullivansteakhouse.com/raleigh
[TUN – THU 7 – 11pm WED, FRI & SAT 8 – 12am]
tu     02/02    al strong duo
WE     02/03    Guillo carias
th    02/04    adrian duke duo
FR    02/05    Jimmy Weaver “Request night”
SA     02/06    peter lamb DUO
TU     02/09    f.o. finch duo
WE     02/10    Guillo carias
th    02/11    steve anderson duo
FR    02/12    kurt melges “Request night”
sa    02/13    peter lamb DUO
TU     02/16    richard tazewell duo
WE     02/17    Guillo carias
th    02/18    peter lamb DUO
FR    02/19    kurt melges “Request night”
sa    02/20    chris boerner DUO
TU     02/23    f.o. finch duo
WE     02/24    Guillo carias
th    02/25    richard tazewell duo
FR    02/26    Jimmy Weaver “Request night”
sa    02/27    Guillo carias

WOODY’S ~ Raleigh City Market

www.woodyscitymarket.com
Fridays [6 - 9pm & 10 – 1:30am] Saturday [10pm – 1:30am]
FR    02/05    brian & jeff 6pm
FR    02/05    the strays
SA     02/06    DJ JW
FR    02/12    the wait
sa    02/13    todd proctor vacation
FR    02/19    acoustic manner
sa    02/20    DJ JW
FR    02/26    sanity station
sa    02/27    hot damn blues band

WOODY’S ~ Cary

www.woodysportstavern.com
Fridays & Saturday [9:30pm – 1:30am]
FR    02/05    Brian & Jeff
FR    02/12    tommy taxi
FR    02/19    three beer sally
sa    02/20    back seat confidential female ac/dc tribute
allister fiend motley crue tribute
fr    02/26    dj george

YANCY’S

www.theyancys.net
[9pm – 1am]
FR    02/05    freddy greene
sa    02/06
FR    02/12
sa    02/13
TU    02/16    liquid pleasure (fat tuesday!)
FR    02/19    mel melton & the wicked mojo’s (Mardi Gras Parte’)
sa    02/20    zydecopious
FR    02/26    big rick & the bombers
sa    02/27    risse

"Nobody does New Year's Eve like we do"

Nobody does New Year’s Eve like the North Carolina Symphony. Count down to midnight with our sure-to-be sold-out evening of fabulous music and great company! The concert begins at 7:30pm in Meymandi Concert Hall at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts on December 31.

Join Music Director Grant Llewellyn and his special guests, three prodigiously talented young musicians who will blow you away with their outrageous artistry. Still in school, soprano Jodi Burns, cellist Alan Toda-Ambaras and tenor saxophonist Corey Dundee have already made their mark by winning prestigious competitions, giving recitals here and abroad and generally wowing audiences and critics wherever they go.

Always an entertaining evening, this year’s concert features music by Strauss, Mozart, Gershwin, Porter, Lerner and Lowe and more. Llewellyn, the orchestra and guest artists will thrill you with everything from Mozart’s Exsultate jubilate to “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady. Says General Manager and Vice President for Artistic Operations Scott Freck, “It’s exactly the kind of memorable and thrilling evening that Grant likes to concoct. This one has it all—moments of celebration and of poignancy, flights of virtuosity and jaw-dropping musical feats, and pure fun.”

And if want more more more for your New Year’s Eve, we can provide that too. Our New Year’s Eve Extravaganza starts at the amazing Marriott Raleigh City Center at 6 pm for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. It’s fabulously close to Meymandi Concert Hall, and offers amenities that are not to be missed!

The concert is next, followed by a return to the Marriott for an exquisite dinner with Grant Llewellyn and guests. Transportation is provided to and from Meymandi Concert Hall so you don’t have to navigate city streets in your party clothes.

After dinner, you can dance the old year away to the Big Band Swing, Jazz, Latin, Blues, Pop and Beach Band music from the 1940s to the 1990s with the fabulous Casablanca Orchestra and their great vocalists. We’ll see the New Year in with a champagne toast at midnight, and if you think you’ll be too tired to drive home after all this fun, the Marriott is offering double occupancy rooms at a special North Carolina Symphony rate. Call the Marriott at 888.236.2427.

For details and prices for the concert alone or for the entire Extravaganza package of events, please check our website at www.ncsymphony.org or contact Audience Services, 10am-5pm, Monday-Friday at 919.733.2750.

If the phrase “male a cappella group” conjures up an image of students in blue blazers, ties, and khakis singing traditional college songs on ivied campuses… think again. If, on the other hand, it conjures up campy college ensembles singing joke versions of “Like A Virgin” in boxer shorts… think again.

Straight No Chaser are neither strait-laced nor straight-faced, but neither are they vaudeville-style kitsch. As original member Randy Stine comments, “We take the music very seriously; we just don’t take ourselves too seriously.” In the process, they are reinventing the idea of a cappella on the modern pop landscape. Originally formed a dozen years ago while students together at Indiana University, the group has reassembled and reemerged as a phenomenon – with a huge fan base, millions of viewers on YouTube… and a contract with Atlantic Records. In an era when so much pop music is the product of digital processing and vocal pro-tooling, Straight No Chaser is the real deal – the captivating sound of ten unadulterated human voices coming together to make extraordinary music that is moving people in a fundamental sense… and with a sense of humor.

Broadway Series South Presents Straight No Chaser

at Progress Energy Center Meymandi Concert Hall

Tickets via Ticketmaster

“CHRISTMAS CHEERS,” the eagerly anticipated new album from ATCO/Atlantic
recording group Straight No Chaser, has arrived at all stores and DSPs
today. The collection features a selection of holiday-themed classics,
reworked in the acclaimed a cappella group’s inventive and original
style. The compilation is led by the brand-new single “The Christmas
Can-Can” and also features a studio version of the YouTube hit “The 12
Days of Christmas.”

Straight No Chaser is currently heralding the album’s release with a major
U.S. tour (see below itinerary). The dates — presented by Southwest
Airlines — will continue through a December 23rd tour finale at Raleigh,
North Carolina’s Progress Energy Performing Arts Center. As part of the
partnership with Southwest Airlines, Straight No Chaser will treat fellow
Southwest customers to surprise performances at airports across the
country.

“CHRISTMAS CHEERS” follows Straight No Chaser’s smash debut, “HOLIDAY
SPIRITS,” which reached #1 at both iTunes and Amazon.com upon its release
last year. Songs from both collections and more are featured in the
10-member group’s upcoming PBS special, “Live In New York: Holiday
Edition.” The concert — filmed this past August at NYC’s famed Angel
Orensanz Foundation — will air throughout PBS’ annual December Pledge
Drive (check local listings). A video for “The Christmas Can-Can” from the
PBS special can now be seen on the re-launched www.sncmusic.com. The newly
updated site also features exclusive photos, audio, videos, blogs,
Twitter, tour dates and much more.

Straight No Chaser — who recently supported Barry Manilow’s sold out
Hollywood Bowl solo concert — will be appearing on QVC on November 25th,
with multiple appearances all through the day. What’s more, the group is
scheduled to appear on the Christmas Day edition of NBC’s “The Today
Show,” performing holiday favorites throughout the broadcast.

“CHRISTMAS CHEERS” highlights Straight No Chaser’s trademark vocal sound
and unique musical approach, while also incorporating much of the energy
and enthusiasm of their celebrated live show. Recorded in SNC’s home base
of Bloomington, Indiana, the album ranges from the hilarious “Christmas
Can-Can” (with lyrics by the group’s Walter Chase) to a beautifully
soulful take on “O Holy Night.” The 15-track collection also includes
such holiday classics as “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” “Rudolph The
Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Jingle Bells,” and many more. The SNC original,
“Who Spiked The Egg Nog?,” was written by member Ryan Ahlwardt and
Straight No Chaser’s producer, Deke Sharon.

“The last album was a little more traditional,” says the group’s founder,
Dan Ponce, “a little more what you might expect from an a cappella
Christmas album. With the new album, we took a few more risks, and there’s
definitely a comedic element that weaves through the album. We wanted to
capture that aspect of our stage performance in our recordings.”

Founded at Indiana University in the fall of 1996, Straight No Chaser’s
goal was to expand the boundaries of the traditional college a cappella
group. From the start, they viewed themselves more like a local band that
just happened to use their voices as their instruments. As original member
Randy Stine comments, “We take the music very seriously; we just don’t
take ourselves too seriously.” In the process, they are reinventing the
idea of a cappella on the modern pop landscape.

In 1999, the graduating members of Straight No Chaser chose their
replacements, ensuring that the new tradition they had created would
continue on with successive generations of IU undergrads. Then, in 2006,
the unexpected happened — Indiana University decided to host a reunion
concert for the original members. In honor of the event, Randy Stine
posted footage from one of their 1998 concerts online.

To the group’s surprise, Straight No Chaser’s version of “The 12 Days of
Christmas” — interpolating Toto’s “Africa” — became the hottest viral
video of the holiday season, eventually receiving more than 10 million
views online. Among those millions of viewers was Atlantic Records
Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman, who tracked the group down and promptly signed
them to the label.

The birth of Straight No Chaser’s second life is a story of talent, drive,
and some very good luck. But their goal remains the same as it was back in
their college days. As Stine says, “We want the audience to not miss the
instruments, be surprised by what we’re doing, and in the end, appreciate
the songs in a whole new way.”

Taking off from the runaway success of “The 12 Days Of Christmas,”
“HOLIDAY SPIRITS” saw Straight No Chaser re-energizing holiday classics
such as “The Christmas Song,” “Silent Night,” and “Christmas (Baby Please
Come Home)” with their captivating and powerful vocal arrangements.
Fueled by appearances on “ABC World News Tonight,” “CNN Headline News,”
and NBC’s “The Today Show,” among others, the album spent 14 days in the
#1 slot on Amazon, and 5 days at the top spot overall on iTunes. The
group’s now famous version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” peaked in the
top 10 on the Christmas radio chart and reached the top 15 at Hot AC. On
their first-ever headline tour in December 2008, Straight No Chaser sold
out shows across the country.

Help us usher in this Holiday Season! Enjoy a variety of holiday music ranging from the favorites you loved as a child, to jazzy tunes, and back to classical again. Tony Granados delights audiences with his very own tuba solo!

Date: Sunday, December 6, 2009
Time: 7:00pm – 8:20pm
Location: Meymandi Concert Hall in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts
Street: 2 E South Street
City/Town: Raleigh, NC
Tickets are $10 for general public, $5 for students.

You can buy them at the door of the concert or online at Ticketmaster.

We hope to see you all there!

Repertoire:

Dance of the Tumblers – Nicolai Rimsky Korsakov
Veni, Veni, Immanuel – Philip Sparke
Russian Christmas Music – Alfred Reed (full version)
Christmas in Europe – Ray Allen
Three Kings Swing - William Himes
A Latin Festival - David Roswell
Frosty the Snowman – Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson
Santa Claus is Comin – Fred Coots arr. Mark Freeh
Sleigh Ride – Leroy Anderson

To learn more about the Triangle Brass Band visit www.TriangleBrass.org

Anthony Kearns, Finbar Wright, Karl Scully

Since they first joined voices in 1988, The Irish Tenors have made countless traditional treasures breathe new life and have proved themselves gifted interpreters of a wide range of material. The Irish Tenors powerful vocal lineup of Finbar Wright, Anthony Kearns and Karl Scully is unquestionably the leading brand of this genre in the market. All three are classically trained singers and have performed in leading concert halls across the world and together they continue to produce a sound and concert experience that touches the heart and stirs the emotion.

This coming holiday season The Irish Tenors present us with THE IRISH TENORS CHRISTMAS (Razor & Tie), an album full of traditional carols and well known contemporary songs.   Accompanied by the Prague Philharmonic, the cd begins with a majestic orchestral introduction into the favorite church hymn “Hark the Herald,” then leads us on a  musical journey from Gospel with “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” to Pop with the quirky rhythms of “Jingle Bell Rock” to Latin with “Feliz Navidad.”  The Tenors try their hand at “Fairytale of New York,” made popular by Shane McGowan and the Pogues, and successfully pull it off by giving it a modern classical edge.  Other songs include “I Heard the Bells,” “Oh Holy Night” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”

Says Finbar Wright, “Experiencing the beauty and grace of Christmas music at our yearly Gala Concert has become an established ritual for many during the holiday season…we were delighted to spend time in the recording studio to commit these performances to a lasting medium that makes them available to you whenever you wish to hear them again.”

For one night only at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Memorial Auditorium at 8 p.m.

For tickets visit the Progress Energy Center for the Perfoming Arts or Ticketmaster

For further information about the irish Tenmors go to www.theirishtenors.com

The Irish Tenors powerful vocal line-up of Finbar Wright, Anthony Kearns and Karl Scully are unquestionably the leading brand of this genre. All classically trained singers, each having performed in leading concert halls across the world, together they combine to produce a sound and concert experience which touches hearts and stirs the emotions. Happy songs of celebration and humour, mixed with touching melodies and songs that warm the heart.

They are surely versatile, but for many, Finbar Wright, Anthony Kearns, and Karl Scully are synonymous with Irish music.  There is an aching bittersweet quality to much of Ireland’s musical heritage, a melodic loveliness and emotional intensity that brings a tingle to the spine and a tear to the eye.  The dazzling technique and depth of feeling that defines this musical genre, amplified to the third power, is the hallmark of The Irish Tenors.

The magic they’ve captured on previous releases has resulted in millions of albums sold and the upper reaches of Billboard’s music charts.  The Irish Tenors have appeared on several incredibly successful and highly rated PBS specials (Ellis Island, Live from Belfast) as well as The Today Show, Good Morning America, Regis and Kelly and A&E Breakfast with the Arts, and are one of the best selling acts to appear on QVC.

The Irish Tenors continue to tour constantly, thrilling old fans and winning new ones all around the globe.  In the United States, they are one of the most successful Irish touring acts ever, second only to U2.  Whether as the powerful vocal trio in full flight, or in their cameo solo spots, a concert performance by The Irish Tenors is an experience that never fails to excite and bear witness to the power of great music when performed by true artists.  Most concerts end with two, three, and sometimes four standing ovations, with Irish and American songs bringing audiences to their feet.

Geoffrey Bush: Christmas Cantata and English Carols
Rodney Wynkoop, conductor with orchestra

• Saturday, December 12 at 8:00 p.m.
• Sunday, December 13 at 4:00 p.m.

Duke University Chapel, with Orchestra

For more information contact Choral Society of Durham at (919) 560-2733

Christmas is surely the most tradition-bound time of year. In the celebrating with family and friends, each one of us can point to those certain ingredients that make the season special. For many music lovers in central North Carolina, one “must do” is the annual Christmas concert by the Choral Society of Durham.

“There is so much incredibly beautiful music that’s been written for Christmas,” says Rodney Wynkoop, the ensemble’s conductor and artistic director, “really high-quality music for one of the most important parts of the year.” And while the Choral Society’s concerts have been described as “the preferred Christmas concert” from among the many offered in December, there is an added bonus: these performances are given at historic Duke Chapel.

Says Wynkoop, “The Chapel  is an extra reason to come to this concert. There are tons of Christmas concerts out there, but we have this great acoustic and this magnificent building to look at while listening to the music.” This year’s concert features Geoffrey Bush’s Christmas Cantata, an exquisite collection of settings of traditional carols, mostly from medieval England. The cantata is for soprano solo and chorus, accompanied by string orchestra and oboe. To complement the cantata, a selection of English carols will be presented, some with string orchestra. The well-known Fantasia on Greensleeves, by Ralph Vaughan Williams, will also be performed by the instrumentalists.

Like prior Choral Society Christmas programs, what has been put together is a balanced program of beloved, recognized Christmas carols, plus a number of new settings of familiar texts. Wynkoop’s goal in choosing music is “to have enough identifiable tunes, so that [even] people who are completely new to choral concert going will find several things to love.”

“Most of the time, when I put together carols for our concerts, I have a sequence in mind: an opening celebration of the good news, to the annunciation (Mary being told she will bear Jesus), then coming to the manger where she is singing a lullaby to Jesus . . . followed by the presence of angels, kings, shepherds. Then moving forward to the world’s celebration of future glory and redemption.”  The audience will hear the story through the carols, among them the traditional “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen”, arranged by David Willcocks, and the best-known setting (in England) of “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day,”  by John Gardner.

Concert-goers will certainly leave filled with the Christmas spirit.

Tickets are available from Choral Society of Durham singers as well as through a number of outlets in the Triangle. They can also be ordered through Duke Box Office. Cost is $20 for adults; students are free. More information can be found on the Choral Society website at: http://www.choral-society.org.