What a great night!!! The NOVA Alexandria Music Department presented it’s annual Holiday Concert on December 7th, 2017.
The evening began with the NOVA Community Chorus performing, For Unto Us a Child is Born from “Messiah” G.F. Handel. Based on Isaiah 9:6.
Sure on This Shining Night from “Nocturnes” by Morten Lauridsen was also a hit. The work was based on a poem by James Agee.
The Choir ended it’s first half of the concert with a very merry rendition of Jingle Bells by James Pierpont, arranged by Gordon Langford.
Next up were our NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble beginning their set with God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen arranged by Gordon Goodwin. The group also performed Blue Christmas by Billy Hayes and Jay Johnson. The work was arranged by Austin Windorski and The Little Drummer Boy by Katherine Kennicott Davis, arranged by Bob Washut.
The minute they began, the phones begin popping up to catch the moment.
John Kocur conducted phenomenally this evening! As always…
Even before the concert, everyone was rehearsing…
A great time to grab a few, behind the scenes photos…
The Nighthawks performed wonderfully
Holiday Jazz is really wonderful!
In the end the ensemble slowly walked off, leaving Christopher Gardner to end our first half of the concert with a rousing drum solo, and the stage to himself…
The audience returned to a wonderful surprise to many, but not our students. Our music students are not only enjoying our new Center for Design, Media and the Arts, they are also enjoying all the brand new Steinway’s that fill each room!
Tonight our Dean, Jim McClellan and Jonathan Kolm, our Assistant Dean and Director of the Music Program here at NOVA, were presented our new, official Steinway School plaque! We are all so excited for what this means for our college.
After our exciting Steinway presentation, the NOVA Alexandria Band hit the stage with, “And the Mountains Echoed: Gloria! by Robert Longfield, followed by Gesu Bambino (Pastorale for Christmas by Pietro Yon, arranged by Mark Rogers and the Dreidel Dance by Robert Thurston.
There was even a secondary Brass rendition of Jingle Bells!
A phenomenal night for the Band!
For the last works, our new chorus director, Chad Steffey, came out to conduct, “The Many Moods of Christmas, Suite III…
A fun-filled set of holiday styled songs…
A grand time was had by all! The audience was kind enough to give everyone a standing ovation!
Thanks to everyone who performed, helped organize and those who came to hear what we have to offer! We hope you have a wonderful holiday!
We look forward to seeing you at our next Spring concerts:
The NOVA Alexandria Band’s Children’s Concert on March 1st at 7:30pm.
The NOVA Community Chorus Concert, March 20th at 7:30
The Jazz4Justice Concert featuring the NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble, March 22nd
and finally, The NOVA Spring Concert featuring
The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Alexandria Band and The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble, Friday April 27th from 7:30-9:30pm.
See you there!
Blog post by Britt Conley: Assistant to the Music Department