Mystery. Light. Joy.
Those are the musical themes performers and conductors from the Arkansas Tech University Department of Music will explore during the 2024 Feast of Carols concert, which is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8.
Admission to Witherspoon Auditorium, 407 West Q Street on the ATU campus in Russellville, will be free and open to the public.
Performance groups will include the ATU Choral Artists, ATU University Singers, ATU Concert Chorale and ATU Brass Quintet.
“The idea is that we encounter the mystery of the season and how it brings light into our life,” said Dr. Katie Rohwer, ATU director of choral activities and assistant professor of music. “That light evolves and blossoms throughout the season, and then, ideally, it results in full-fledged joy in our life, with our loved ones and as a celebration of all that the season can bring.”
Rohwer said that one of the highlights of the concert will be the ATU Choral Artists’ performance of two settings of “O Nata Lux,” one by Thomas Tallis and the other by Daniel Knaggs.
“It is a celebration of light with a lot of the elements of mystery framed in new and interesting ways,” said Rohwer.
Rohwer and Dr. Jon Clements, ATU professor of music, will serve as conductors for the choral ensembles. Dr. Mary J. Trotter, ATU assistant professor of music, will accompany the choirs on piano. The ATU Brass Quintet is directed by Dr. TJ Perry, ATU associate professor of music.
The ATU University Singers will take on perhaps the greatest challenge of the afternoon when they perform “Hodie Christus Natus Est” by Jan Piertszoon Sweelinck.
“The students have had a heavy lift with that, and we’ve been working hard on it,” said Rohwer, who is completing her first semester at ATU. “I got to dream big with this concert. I love this job and these students. My colleagues are incredible. I feel beyond blessed by what we have here in the music department.”
Learn more about the ATU Department of Music at www.atu.edu/music.
