Missouri Valley College to Host Annual Christmas Show
The Missouri Valley College Division of Fine Arts presents its annual Celebration of Christmas Holiday Music Concert on November 29 and 30 at 7:30 p.m. and December 1 at 8:00 p.m. in Eckilson-Mabee Theatre.
On November 29 and 30, the concert will feature the MVC Bands, MVC Concert Choir, Valley Connection Show Choir and the MVC Repertory Dance Ensemble. The December 1 show will feature the MVC Jazz Band, Valley Connection Show Choir, the MVC Repertory Dance Ensemble and their special guests, which include Bathsheba Marie Love, the Morton Sisters, and a group of MVC choir alumni. A visit from Santa Claus is also expected.
“The Celebration of Christmas Holiday Concert has been a tradition at Missouri Valley College for many years and is something that the Division of Fine Arts enjoys doing for the College and Marshall communities,” said Diana Malan, adjunct instructor of music. “This is a musical evening that the whole family can enjoy together. There is something for all ages and all interests.”
Valley Connection Show Choir, under the direction of Diana Malan, and Repertory Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Janie Morgan, will focus their part of the evening on music that represents some of the traditional things about the holiday season. Music that will appeal to children and the “young at heart” will include the popular Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, performed by the Repertory Dance Ensemble and made famous by the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, followed by a medley from Elf the musical, which is becoming one of the season’s favorite stories. The ladies will perform Madonna’s Santa Baby and Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You, and Valley Connection will also share the music of Irving Berlin’s classic holiday musical, White Christmas. Sing Noel (including African Noeland Go, Tell It On The Mountain), Alfred Burt’s Some Children See Him and This Is My Wish are other musical selections that will be performed during the evening.
The MVC Concert Band, under the direction of Dr. Aaron Wacker, will perform A Charlie Brown Christmas, by Paul Murtha and Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride, conducted by Mrs. Sara Summers. Jazz Band will perform a variety of traditional holiday selections arranged by Paul Clark including Up On the Housetop, Silent Night, Away in A Manger, Joy to the World, O Little Town of Bethlehem, and Angels We Have heard On High (arranged by Andy Clark).
Concert Choir, under the direction of Ryan Hampton, will be featuring music by some of today’s contemporary composers including Eric Whitacre (Glow), Rene Clausen (In The Bleak Midwinter), Greg Gilpin (Ding-A-Ding-A-Ding), Kim Andre Arnesen (His Light In Us) and Ola Gjello (Spotless Rose). Concert Band and Concert Choir will join together to perform Dan Forrest’s arrangement of Hark the Herald Angels Sing.
Rosemarie Bennett, MVC senior and Janie Morgan, associate professor of dance, are the show’s choreographers. Jay Rozema, fine arts division chair, is the show’s technical director and Dyann Rozema is the show’s costume designer.
Doors will open 30 minutes prior to each performance for first come, first served seating. No tickets are needed. Admission is free, however the division of fine arts will accept donations at the door.