The Christmas season upon us, and area alumni are invited to celebrate the holidays by attending special concerts and events on campus.
Upcoming events include the Christmas Concert by the Band Program on Dec. 4, Lessons and Carols on Dec. 5, a holiday open house at the Doak House Museum on Dec. 8 and the annual Christmas Concert by the College’s Community Chorus.
Band Program Concert
The Tusculum College band program will welcome the Christmas season in its annual holiday concert on Tuesday, Dec. 4.
Tusculum’s Concert Band, Jazz Band and Handbell Choir will be joined by some special guests providing narration and vocals during the concert, which is free and open to the public. The performance will be at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building.
Visuals and a few surprises are planned for the concert that will feature Christmas standards and contemporary carols. The Concert Band will be performing “We Three Kings,” and it will be joined by the Handbell Choir for “American Bell Carol” by Robert W. Smith, “Away in a Manager,” “Carol of the Bells” and “All I Want for Christmas is You.”
The holidays will take on a swing step as the Jazz Band performs “Christmas Time is Here,” “Rest Ye Merry Samba,” “Doctor No-el,” “Santa Baby” and “Holiday Joy,” based on Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” with arrangement by Victor Lopez.
The Handbell Choir will perform “Welcome Christmas” from Dr. Seuss’s “Grinch” and “A Midnight Clear.”
The band program began in 2010 with the formation of a pep band and has grown to include a Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Handbell Choir and various small ensembles.
The Tusculum College band program is already in the Christmas spirit as it prepares for its holiday concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4, in the Annie Hogan Byrd Auditorium on campus. From left are band members Kojo Abakah, Kayla Tipton, Oliver Hancock, Mark Ludvick and Chris Weems.
Lessons and Carols
The annual Christmas chapel service, Lessons and Carols, will be at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, in the lobby of the Thomas J. Garland Library. The service will featuring scripture readings, hymns and vocal and musical performances by Tusculum students and staff.
Doak House Museum Holiday Open House
Celebrate the holidays 19th century style at the Doak House Museum Saturday, Dec. 8, during its annual Christmas open house.
The museum on the Tusculum College campus (690 Erwin Hwy.) will be open from 5 -7 p.m.
Free tours will be given at the museum between 5 and 6 p.m. The museum, which was the early 19th century home of Tusculum College co-founder Rev. Samuel Witherspoon Doak, will be decorated for the holidays as it would have been during the 1800s.
Crafts and games for children will be featured during the open house along with a few surprises. Refreshments will be available.
Visitors will be able to explore the Doak House Gift Shop and browse through holiday goodies, period toys and other gift ideas. Special discounts will be given during the open house. Proceeds from sales in the gift shop support the museum’s events and programs.
For more information, call 423-636-8554 or email lwalker@tusculum.edu.
The Doak House Museum and the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library are operated by the Department of Museum Program and Studies of Tusculum College. In addition to the museums, the department is responsible for the College Archives and offers one of the few undergraduate Museum Studies degree programs in the country. The two museums are also part of the National Historic District on the Tusculum College campus. Follow the museums on Facebook and Twitter to learn the latest news and upcoming events or visit its Web site at www.tusculum.edu/museums to learn more about the variety of programs offered at the museums.
Community Chorus Christmas Concert
The Tusculum College Community Chorus will present its annual Christmas concert on Monday, Dec. 10.
The chorus will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building on the Tusculum College campus. David Hendricksen is the conductor for the group; James Winfree is accompanist. There is no admission charge for the concert.
The chorus will be joined by the Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra in performing “Magnificat” by John Rutter. This is a large-scale setting of Mary’s song from the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel, scored in seven movements for soloist, chorus and orchestra. Soloists are Jill Jones and Beth Brimer.
Other works on the program are Mel Tormé’s popular “Christmas Song,” André Thomas’ setting of “African Noel,” “Still, Still, Still,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” and a motet by Renaissance composer Giovanni Gabrieli for choir and brass ensemble, featuring players from the Tusculum College band program.
Founded in 1996 as a way to involve singers from throughout the community in a broad range of sacred and secular repertoire, the Tusculum College Community Chorus has grown to over 50 singers. For further information, please contact conductor David Hendricksen by phone at 638-0409 or email: conductordavid@embarqmail.com.