Free Annual Christmas Concert Dec. 1 at Woodlands Academy
You're invited to enjoy an evening of holiday-themed music and then join in as the Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart Music Department presents its annual Christmas Concert on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. The concert, which is open to the public free of charge, will take place in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart at the all-girls college preparatory high school, 760 E. Westleigh Road, Lake Forest.
All of the choral students will begin the program with their traditional Candlelight Procession, which will include a version of "Silent Night" accompanied by Paige Bartusiak, a sophomore from Lake Forest, on cello. This will be followed by performances from all three Woodlands Academy choirs and its orchestra.
Choral highlights include:
• A jazzy version of "What Will Santa Claus Say" performed by JV--Kaleidoscope (A Choir'd Taste).
• Kaleidoscope (select ensemble) performances of the haunting carol "December Rose" featuring Fangyue Chen, a sophomore from Libertyville, on the violin and the popular "Ring Those Christmas Bells" featuring two accompanists on a four-handed piano piece.
• "Mary Did You Know" and the Pentatonix hit "That's Christmas to Me," performed by this year's eight-voice Microscope choir under the direction of Shiyu Wang, a senior from China.
These award-winning choral groups are under the direction of Elizabeth Kurowski.
Choral accompanists this year are Roberta Brickman, private lesson teacher, and Woodlands seniors Haiqing Gong of China, Caylee Hamilton of Wadsworth and Shiyu Wang of China.
The award-winning Woodlands Academy Symphonic Orchestra, under the direction of Lauren Moldenhauer, will perform selections including: "Slavonic Folk Suite" (an adaptation of "Russian Christmas Music"), Mannheim Steamroller's arrangement of "Deck the Halls," "A Mad Russian's Christmas" (as performed by Trans-Siberian Orchestra), the ancient French Christmas tune "Sing Noel," and "Ancient Airs and Dances" by Respighi.
The evening will end with a combined performance of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" by the choirs and orchestra joined by the always-popular audience participation.
For more information, visit www.woodlandsacademy.org.
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Founded in 1858, Woodlands Academy is an independent Catholic college preparatory day and boarding high school for young women. It's part of a worldwide network of Sacred Heart Schools that spans the United States and 40 other countries. A nonprofit, Woodlands Academy's identity is rooted in Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat's desire to inspire young hearts and minds to excel, to lead lives of integrity and to serve. For more information about Woodlands Academy, please visit www.woodlandsacademy.org