GREENEVILLE – The Tusculum University Community Chorus returns with its annual Christmas concert and a new twist – a medley of songs in which the audience will be invited to participate.
The Tusculum University Community Chorus entertains during a previous performance.
The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 29, in the Marilyn duBrisk Theatre of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center on Tusculum’s Greeneville campus. It marks the chorus’ first performance since the global coronavirus pandemic reached the region.
The concert is free, but the chorus welcomes donations.
“We are delighted to be back on stage to entertain our audience with an excellent selection of songs,” said Kathy May, the choir’s director. “As we celebrate this sacred time of year, we look forward to sharing the gift of music with the community. We encourage people to join us and feel the joy of the Christmas season.”
Among the songs the 45-member chorus is scheduled to perform are “Lay Down Your Staffs,” “O Little One Sweet,” “Masters in This Hall” and “The Christmas Song.” The group will be accompanied by Karen Miller on the piano.
In addition, the chorus will sing “Whence Comes This Rush of Wings,” which was arranged by Ben May, Kathy’s son. That song will feature Mathew Williams, the band director at West Greene High School, playing clarinet and Miller on piano.
The audience will have its turn to contribute to the beautiful sound in the theatre when it participates in the Christmas carol medley singalong. During that medley, Tim Hybarger, a chorus member, will join Miller and serve as a second pianist.
Another component of the performance will be the choir singing two movements from “Requiem” by John Rutter, a British composer. The choir will perform more of “Requiem” March 28 with Voices of the Mountains and Symphony of the Mountains at the Martin Center for the Arts at East Tennessee State University.
For more information about the choir’s concert at Tusculum, please email Jennifer Hollowell, director of the university’s Center for the Arts, at jhollowell@tusculum.edu.