November 25, 1998

KU'S ANNUAL VESPERS SCHEDULED FOR DEC. 6 IN LIED CENTER

LAWRENCE -- The 74th annual Holiday Vespers at the University of Kansas will be performed at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, in the Lied Center. Performing for the holiday concert are the KU choirs, directed by Simon Carrington, and KU Symphony Orchestra, directed by Brian Priestman.

Prior to each Vespers performance, at 3 and 7 p.m., a recital of holiday organ music will be presented by Tandy Reussner, Lawrence doctoral student, in Bales Recital Hall. Seasonal music will also be performed from the stage and the balconies of the Lied Center by various student musical ensembles.

For the 1998 program, the combined choirs and symphony orchestra will perform "Hanukkah Light" by Zamir Bavel, KU professor of computer science. The work was adapted especially for Vespers 1998 from Bavel's full-length work, "Hanukkah Fantasy."

The remainder of the Vespers program includes:

  • The combined choirs singing "The Spiritus et Alme" and "Gaude Virgo Salutata," two anonymous 14th century English works; "Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen" by Michael Praetorius, and "MLK" by U2, arranged by Bob Chilcott.

  • The combined womens' voices of the KU choirs singing "The Snow" by Edward Elgar.

  • Meli Melomane, the vocal ensemble from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, now in residence at KU, singing "Noèl Ayisyen," ("A Haitian Noël") by Emile Desamours.

  • "Betelehemu," a Nigerian carol arranged by Barrington Brooks, to be sung by the KU Concert Choir, Men's Glee Club, University Singers and Women's Chorale. Performed in the Yoruba language, "Betelehemu" describes the town of Bethlehem and the joy of a savior's birth. Fritz Gerald Esperance of Meli Melomane will narrate the work.

  • The KU Chamber Choir performing "Lully, Lulla, thou little tiny child" by Kenneth Leighton with Vanessa Thompson-Smith, Clay Center senior, featured as soprano soloist.

  • The KU Jazz Singers performing "Christmas Time is Here," arranged by Kerry Marsh.

  • The KU Symphony Orchestra playing "Sleigh Ride" by Leroy Anderson; the symphony orchestra strings playing "Variations on Tchaikovsky's 'The Christ Child had a Garden'" by Anton Arensky, and the symphony orchestra brass ensemble playing from the galleries "Canzoni Septimi Toni" by Giovanni Gabrieli.

  • The audience, choirs, and orchestra joining to sing the traditional carols, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "Deck the Halls," and "O Come, All Ye Faithful."

    • The Vespers performances will close with a finale including the traditional carol, "Patapan" along with "Farandole" from "L'Arlésienne Suite No. 1" by Georges Bizet, performed by the KU choirs and orchestra.

    Reserved seat tickets for Vespers are now on sale in the KU box offices: Lied Center, 864-ARTS; Murphy Hall, 864-3982, SUA Office 864-3477. Tickets are $7 for the public and $5 for all students and senior citizens. Both VISA and MasterCard are accepted for phone orders.

    Story by Charla Jenkins, (785) 864-2684

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