Bearcat bands offer fanfares for festive holidays

Two notable holiday musical events involving Northwest ensembles or individual student musicians will take place during the first week of December.

At 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, in the University's Performing Arts Center, the Wind Symphony under the direction of Carl Kling, director of bands, and the Northwest Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Dr. William Richardson, will present a free concert titled, "Celebrating the London Performances and the Holiday Season."

Then, at noon Wednesday, Dec. 5, on the courthouse square in Maryville, University brass players will join area student musicians and other low-brass fans for TubaChristmas 2007.

In addition to ushering in the holiday season at Northwest, the Wind Symphony/Jazz Ensemble performance on Dec. 2 is intended to raise awareness about the Bearcat Marching Band's scheduled appearance in London's New Year's Day Parade, thought to be the largest event of its kind in the world.

The "Musical Pride" of Northwest will be joined in England by the Wind Symphony and Jazz Ensemble, which will perform during a gala concert on Sunday, Dec. 30, in the City of Westminster.

Program selections for the Jazz Ensemble during the Dec. 2 concert will include works by Pat Metheny, Dizzy Gillespie and others. The band will also perform "Adeste Fidelis" as arranged by Dr. David Aaberg, a noted Missouri jazz trumpeter and music educator.

During the second portion of the program, the Wind Symphony will perform a number of holiday-themed classics, including "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Newell Long, which will feature the famous Clement C. Moore poem as read by Dr. Doug Sudhoff, assistant professor of mass communication.

The concert will conclude with a Christmas "pops" sing-a-long of familiar holiday melodies together with an appearance by an extra-special mystery guest.

TubaChristmas

2007 is the first year for TubaChristmas in Nodaway County, though similar concerts have taken place in more than 200 cities both in the United States and abroad.

The concerts, featuring traditional carols arranged for low brass, honor the late tubist and teacher William J. Bell, who was born on Christmas Day 1902.

Musicians wishing to participate in TubaChristmas should register between 8 and 9 a.m. at Charles Johnson Theater on the Northwest campus. Rehearsal begins at 9 a.m. in Charles Johnson for the noon performance under the direction of Kling and guest conductor Dr. Charles McAdams, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The registration fee for TubaChristmas musicians is $5. Participants are asked either to bring their own copy of "Carols for a Merry TubaChristmas" or to purchase one at the registration table. TubaChristmas hats and scarves will also be available for sale.

Northwest's Department of Music and the Maryville Chamber of Commerce are co-sponsors for the event.

For information about campus parking, directions and concert performance details go to www.nwmissouri.edu/dept/music. Band directors are encouraged to e-mail or telephone Carl Kling, director of bands, with regard to the number of TubaChristmas musicians they expect to participate. Kling can be reached at 660.562.1794 or ckling@nwmissouri.edu.

For more information, please contact:

Anthony Brown,
News Bureau Manager
E-Mail: abrown@nwmissouri.edu
Phone (660) 562-1704
Fax (660) 562-1900

Northwest Missouri State University
219 Administration Building,
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468

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