Holiday razzle-dazzle tied with a bow and presented by the Department of Music: "Sounds of the Season" will be unwrapped on Saturday, December 6 at 7:30 p.m. at DECC Symphony Hall.
It's safe to say that every single person in the music department is working on this project. "More than 200 students are collaborating with multiple professors to make art," explains Jefferson Campbell, department chair. "Students from across the country, majors and non-majors alike, are making this show happen on top of all the other concerts they've already presented."
Brimming over with UMD's jazz, choral, band, and orchestral ensembles, this is not your mainstream musical event. In fact, it's too big for campus and they had to take the show on the road and into the community. "Weber Music Hall, as beautiful as it is, is a smaller hall. We used to have to perform "Sounds of the Seasons" three or four times in a row to accommodate the audience and it was really hard on the students. Then we decided we could do it in one concert at the DECC," says Mark Whitlock, director of bands and professor of music.
2013 was "Sounds of the Seasons" first year in its new venue and, beyond having enough space, its stars enjoyed the change in scenery. "It was a real treat for the students to play and sing down there," says Mark. "It is really fun to be in the nice, big, fancy hall that the Duluth Symphony Orchestra and many other fine ensembles have played in."
Mark says the music will be a combination of favorites and even includes some sing-alongs.
If you go:
Sounds of the Season
Saturday, December 6 at 7:30 p.m.
DECC Symphony Hall