WFU to present holiday choral concert

Stained glass windowWake Forest University’s annual holiday choral concert will be held at 8 p.m. Dec. 2 in Brendle Recital Hall.

Directed by Brian Gorelick, three Wake Forest choirs will present an hour of carols and seasonal selections. They will be accompanied by Joanne Inkman, music department staff accompanist.

The Choral Union will sing the 15th Century German Carol “Puer Natus,” and a Hanukah folk song arranged by Blanche Chass. Their featured work will be “O Magnum Mysterium” by Francis Poulenc, celebrating the 100th anniversary of his birth in 1899.

The Collegium Vocal Ensemble, dedicated to the performance of early music, will sing the full anthem “O Lord, Give Thy Holy Spirit” by Thomas Tallis followed by John Rutter’s modern Christmas anthem “What Sweeter Music.” The ensemble will also present “Carol of the Bells” and one of P.D.Q. Bach’s humorous songs for the season.

The Concert Choir will celebrate the music of Poulenc with a performance of “Hodie Christus Natus Est,” one of his four Christmas motets written in 1952. The choir will also present seasonal music by Walton, Britten, Locklair and Durufle. The ensemble will close with “In the Bleak Midwinter” and Warrell’s arrangement of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

Admission is free. For information, call 336-758-5026.

Categories: Arts & Culture, Events