Nova Singers, under the direction of Dr. Laura Lane, presents two performances of A Nova Christmas: Friday, December 20 at 7:30 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Galesburg, and Saturday, December 21 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport, IA.
Escape from the hum-drum of daily life, the frenzy of holiday shopping and the pressure to do it all! Give yourself the gift of an hour of beauty, serenity, laughter and love with Nova Singers. A Nova Christmas features Christmas songs of all styles, including Jay Rouse's arrangement of O Holy Night and a Nova favorite, John Rutter's What Sweeter Music. Copi's Ave Maria and Memley's O Magnum Mysterium are sure to take your breath away. We also celebrate local talent, featuring Galesburg composer Carolyn Kellert's arrangement of Quelle est cette odeur agréable, with Jill Marasa on clarinet. And of course, it wouldn't be A Nova Christmas without an audience sing-along!
For the Galesburg concert, Nova Singers will be joined by the Galesburg High School Chamber Singers under the direction of Paula Helle for a special treat. The choir will perform two pieces of their own before combining with the Nova Singers for two beloved Christmas carols.
Artistic Director Laura Lane says that this Christmas concert is her favorite one yet: "I adore the music of Christmastime! These traditional songs we've heard all our lives make us feel nostalgic for the past and grateful for the present, all at the same time. I'm delighted to have found several new Christmas songs for this concert: two settings of Alma Redemptoris Mater by Palestrina and Victoria, full of timeless mystery, modern carols by Czech, Norwegian and Estonian composers, and, honestly, if you haven't heard Kevin Memley's O Magnum Mysterium, you won't believe its emotional power! I'm especially happy to have found an arrangement of O Holy Night that is stunning and perfect for Nova."
As if that weren't enough, Nova Singers announces the silent auction of the artist perceptions of Randall Thompson's Alleluia from the fall concert We Sing Life! The paintings by Nicholas Digioia and Julie Swanson Davis will be sold via silent auction starting now through the final concert of the 2013-2014 season. Anyone interested in bidding on one of these two paintings must attend a concert to do so. The winners will be announced at our spring concert, American Genius, April 4th and 6th.
Nova Singers, a professional vocal ensemble under the direction of Dr. Laura Lane, hopes to share our musical holiday spirit with you. Nova Singers is known for bringing a wide variety of choral music to its audiences, and for the beauty and charm the singers impart to their music. Dr. Lane has been serving the greater Galesburg and Quad-Cities communities since 1986, bringing her passion for music and expressive singing to audiences and singers alike.
Tickets will be available at the door. Admission is $18 for adults and $15 for seniors. Students are admitted free of charge. Nova Singers season tickets will still be available through this performance. For information about group rates, tickets, recordings, or other Nova Singers events, call 309-341-7038, or e-mail nova@knox.edu. Also, please take the opportunity to visit our Facebook page under the keywords 'Nova Singers'. A Nova Christmas is sponsored by Miller Dredge Insurance. Nova Singers' 2013-2014 season is partially funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.
