OBU School of Fine Arts to feature Point of Grace in Festival of Christmas on December 2-3, 2011
Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Fine Arts will present its annual Festival of Christmas in Jones Performing Arts Center on Dec. 2 and 3 at 7:30 p.m. The show will feature the Christian music group Point of Grace as the final event of Ouachita’s 125th anniversary celebration. Tickets are on sale now for $20 each at www.obu.edu/boxoffice. Ouachita students may each purchase one ticket at the discounted price of $10 with their student IDs.
“The Festival of Christmas featuring our own Point of Grace graduates is a fitting end to what has been a rich celebration of Ouachita’s 125th anniversary year,” said Ian Cosh, vice president for community and international engagement and chairman of Ouachita’s 125th anniversary steering committee.
Since forming at Ouachita Baptist University 19 years ago, Point of Grace emerged as one of the biggest names in Christian music. The two-time Grammy nominees have sold more than 6.5 million albums and earned 24 consecutive No. 1 singles, including radio staples “Steady On,” “The Great Divide” and “Circle of Friends,” a feat unmatched by any other artist in any musical genre. Point of Grace has won 13 prestigious Dove Awards, including three in 2011: Recorded Song of the Year for “There Is Nothing Greater than Grace,” Country Album of the Year for “No Changin’ Us” and Christmas Album of the Year for “Home for the Holidays.”
“The presence of these alumni, who have done so well in the music world, will be a reminder that our mission as a university is to graduate students who are competent, compassionate and committed to Christ,” Cosh said.
The program will include performances by students in Ouachita’s vocal, instrumental and theatre programs as well as dance students. Ensembles performing include Concert Choir, Ouachita Sounds and the Festival of Christmas Band.
“We wanted to do something special for the 125th year of Ouachita, so the show will be a little bit of us and a little bit of Point of Grace,” said Dr. Gary Gerber, Division of Music chair.
The first half of the show will feature the “best of” audience favorites from the past, including “Jingle Bells” “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Silent Night,” “Breath of Heaven,” “O Holy Night” and many more. Following this, Point of Grace will perform “Home for the Holidays,” followed by intermission.
After intermission, Point of Grace will perform a selection of sacred Christmas tunes with the OBU Concert Choir.
“The second half of the show will be special because our Concert Choir will be singing with Point of Grace,” Gerber said.
Emphasizing that this year’s Festival of Christmas will be a memorable performance, Gerber encouraged individuals to purchase their tickets before the shows are sold out.
Ouachita Singers Perform Fall Concert
Ouachita Baptist University will host the Ouachita Singers in concert on Thursday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m. in McBeth Recital Hall. The concert is open to the public and admission is free.
“The fall concert is one of several the Ouachita Singers will perform this semester,” said Dr. Gary Gerber, chair of the division of music and director of choral activities. “They will also sing in four churches and perform in the OBU Festival of Christmas and the annual Lessons and Carols Service.”
“I love Singers because it’s a group that encourages me every day,” said Jessie Sanders a senior music education major from Booneville, Ark. “During a busy day of class, the music we make is amazing and an experience I’ll always remember. Plus, most of my friends are involved with me, and we get to travel to cool places like Italy.”
Ouachita Singers is a traveling choir and is open for anyone on campus to audition in the spring. It encompasses freshmen to seniors and all majors. “”Ouachita Singers has quite a few freshmen this fall and a new, fresh sound,” Gerber said.
“It’s a serious group of vocalists who care about music,” said Katelyn Helton, a sophomore musical theatre major from Grand Prairie, Texas. “The music is constantly challenging us, and Dr. Gerber won’t take anything less than a hundred percent.”
“The concert will include a variety of choral works from the Renaissance to the 21th century,” Gerber said.
The concert program will include “Dziedot dzimu, dziedot August” by Alfreds Kalnins, “O Lord, Increase My Faith” by Orlando Gibbons, “Ave Maria” by Javier Busto, “I Surrender All” arranged by Mark Hayes, “Ancient Nova” by Craig Courtney, “Luz Aurumque” by Eric Whitacre, “It Is Well with My Soul” arranged by David Schowoebel, “My Flight for Heaven” by Blake Henson, “I Am Not Yours” by David Dickau, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” arranged by Mark Hayes, “Let This Mind Be in You” by Craig Courtney, “Psalm 57” by John Tebay, “Shenandoah” arranged by James Erb, “The Gift to Be Simple” arranged by Bob Chilcott, “Hear My Prayer” by Moses Hogan, “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord” by Moses Hogan and “Neighbors’ Chorus” by Jacques Offenbach.
“There’s just something about being around so many talented people who love singing that is so wonderful,” said Jacob Watson a senior musical theatre major from Wynne, Ark.
Ouachita Concert Choir and Women’s Chorus Perform Fall Concert
Ouachita Baptist University will host the annual fall Concert Choir and Women’s Chorus concert Thursday, Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m. in McBeth Recital Hall. The concert is open to the public and admission is free.
“Since this concert is early in the semester, one of the purposes is to get the students singing and performing,” said Dr. Gary Gerber, chair of the division of music and director of Concert Choir. “The variety of selections for the concert allow the singers to experience music from different periods in music history.”
“Concert choir is so fun because I get to sing music with so many different people,” said Jessie Sanders, a senior music education major from Booneville, Ark. “So many people singing in one room is very powerful and a great musical experience.”
Concert Choir is open to all Ouachita students, from freshman to seniors and all majors. During the Sept. 30 concert, Concert Choir will perform “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” by John Rutter, “The Heavens are Telling” by Franz Josef Haydn, “Last Words of David” by Randall Thompson, “Rejoice, O Virgin” by Sergei Rachmaninoff, “Ave Verum Corpus” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and “The Awakening” by Joseph M. Martin.
Women’s Chorus is an auditioned chorus open to all female students on campus. During the concert they will perform “I Hear Sweet Music” by Andrea S. Klouse, “Barter” and “Psalm 100” by René Clausen and “Ave Maria” by Eleanor Daley. Women’s Chorus is directed by Glenda Aldridge, adjunct instructor of music.
“We work hard on our blend, and we try to sound like one voice,” said Women’s Chorus member Lynley Vire, a senior musical theatre major from Searcy, Ark. Vire said she especially enjoys the chorus’ blend on the a cappella piece “Ave Maria.”
Singers’ Italian tour makes musical, spiritual impact
Describing a series of summer concerts in Italy as “both musical and spiritual experiences,” director Gary Gerber said the Ouachita Singers tour was designed to “broaden the horizons of each student as it pertains to music and to world cultures.”
Twenty-four Ouachita students participated in the 10-day tour of Venice, Florence, Assisi and Rome. The choir presented three full concerts and sang for Mass at St Peter’s Basilica.
“The trip went beyond my expectations,” noted Alyssa Reynolds, a freshman voice performance major from Sanger, Texas. “Singing in the churches was probably my favorite experience. The look and warmth on people’s faces after we sang was awesome.
“The fact that we shared the word of Christ through song with people from all over the world is amazing,” Reynolds added. “Music is so universal.”
“The trip truly holds a very special place in my heart,” said Elisabeth Hipp, a senior voice performance major from Memphis, Tenn. Affirming the experience as “the trip of a lifetime,” she said highlights included “the combination of seeing incredible sights that, up until that point, I had only seen in books; singing in some of the most beautiful churches; eating delicious food; and all of this with 24 of the most incredible people.”
“The most spiritual and musical moments for me are the same – the last concert we performed in Rome at the Church of St. Agnes,” Hipp reflected. “To have people come to me after the concert, crying and sharing how much our music meant to them and moved them, was so humbling and touching. Musically, it was as if we recreated the music, causing it to deeply awaken our hearts. We were so intensely unified, not only in our musical blend, but in our spirits as well.”
Gerber, director of choral activities and associate professor of music, said the Ouachita Singers travel internationally every three to four years to provide students the opportunity to experience an overseas tour. The Singers’ most recent international tour was in 2006 to Germany and Hungry.
“The concerts were in some of the most beautiful areas of each city,” Gerber said. “The inside of each church was ornate with marble statues, paintings and rare tapestries. The acoustics in the churches were amazing.”
With the concerts attracting crowds of people standing three to four rows deep in the back of each church, Gerber explained, “There are two types of music that audiences and choirs seem to enjoy – a cappella Renaissance music and African-American spirituals. Our program began with a classical approach, singing Renaissance motets by composers Palestrina and Victoria. These very songs were likely sung in these churches for hundreds of years.
“The choir would always end each concert with the African-American spirituals. After each spiritual, the audience would stand and clap, wanting more and more. It was a joy to behold.”
Sarah Beth Hill, a senior church music major from El Dorado, Ark., agreed that “the trip was so much more than I expected. … Every place and everything we did was so uniquely different and spectacular it its own way.”
Citing the opportunity to visit the Roman Forum and other historic sites, Hill said, “I will always remember this trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was truly phenomenal.”
As the Ouachita Singers shared their talent and creativity with the people of Italy, Gerber said he expects the experience to impact the students’ lives for years to come.
“Like all tours, our students returned very changed,” he emphasized. “I think their appreciation for different cultures and lifestyles will help them as they continue to grow and develop.
“I know that they grew both in musicianship and spiritually,” he concluded. “It is hard to sing the music of the scriptures in an ornate and beautiful church beneath a marble crucifix and not be changed.”
Concert Choir presents Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana”
The Ouachita Baptist University Concert Choir will perform Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” on Tuesday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center on Ouachita’s campus.
“Carmina Burana” is a 60-minute cantata based on the medieval collection of poetry by the same name.
“We really are fortunate at OBU to be able to present this type of quality music in Arkadelphia,” said Dr. Gary Gerber, OBU associate professor of music. “I would hope that each student, faculty and staff, as well as the community would support the arts by attending the many concerts that are held at OBU.”
Gerber will serve as conductor for the performance. The choir will be joined by members of the South Arkansas Symphony and the OBU Wind Ensemble as well as OBU faculty members.
“This performance includes both the choir and an orchestra,” Gerber said. “It’s always fun to combine the two. It’s exciting and energetic. It really is audience-pleasing music.”
Ouachita alumnus Stephen Ray will join the choir as featured baritone. Ray earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from OBU in 2008 and is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from Rice University. He also currently serves as minister to youth at Westbury Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. While at OBU, Ray was named a grand finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
Jacob Watson, a junior music theatre major from Wynne, Ark., will be the featured tenor. Four Ouachita students will also be featured sopranos: Sarah Beth Hill, a senior church music major from El Dorado, Ark.; Elisabeth Hipp, a senior vocal performance major from Memphis, Tenn.; Grace Johnson, a junior vocal performance major from Tyler, Texas; and Leslyn Ichter, a senior choral music education major from Conway, Ark.
The Concert Choir is open to all students and does not require an audition. “We have students with all types of musical backgrounds,” Gerber said. “There is joy and satisfaction from knowing that each student has the ability to reach higher in a musical sense than they thought they could achieve.”
Ouachita Singers present Fall Concert
Ouachita Baptist University’s Ouachita Singers will hold their semi-annual concert Thursday, November 5, at 7:30 p.m. in Mabee Fine Arts Center’s McBeth Recital Hall on Ouachita’s campus.
The 46-voice choir is directed by Dr. Gary Gerber, associate professor of music and director of choral activities.
This fall’s repertoire consists of an eclectic mix of pieces. “We’re doing everything from Renaissance to modern to an energetic samba piece,” Gerber said. “The Singers will be singing in French, German, Latin and of course, English, depending on the piece.”
The concert begins with “Sing Unto God” by Paul Fetler, followed by “Ave Maria” by Tomas Victoria with a chant sung by Chris Straw, a senior musical theatre major from Little Rock.
Other highlights of the 15-song repertoire list include Felix Mendelssen’s “Psalm 43,” John Rutter’s “O Be Joyful in the Lord,” and Mark Hayes’ “Softly and Tenderly,” featuring soloist Jacob Watson, a junior musical theatre major from Wynne, Ark. The concert will end with Jon Washburn’s “A Cappella Overtures,” a “unique choice considering overtures are typically sung at the beginning of performances,” Gerber said.
“Tango to Evora,” arranged by Jon Washburn “should be pretty exciting,” Gerber said. “The choir has no text —the lyrics just consist of ‘dos’ and ‘das’ and ‘las.’ It’s a love story and as we sing, we’ll be acting out a storyline to that piece.”
Typically, the Singers choose pieces based on the chronology of composition, but this year they decided to go a different route.
“This year’s concert is going to be based on individual groupings of songs,” Gerber said. “We’ll have three or four different songs grouped together that deal with the same theme, such as the underlying love story in ‘Evora.”
This year’s piano accompanist for Ouachita Singers is Carrie Brown, a senior piano performance major from Knoxville, Ark.
Ouachita to present Women’s Chorus and Concert Choir in Fall Concert
Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Fine Arts Division of Music will present the Ouachita Women’s Chorus and Concert Choir in a combined choirs Fall Concert on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in Ouachita’s McBeth Recital Hall. The concert is open to the public, and admission is free.
The students from both choirs, who range in classification from freshman to senior and will be singing religious choral music.
“I expect the audience to be mesmerized by the choirs’ intensity as they sing, moved by the choirs’ emotion that they put into the music and overjoyed by the excitement that the choir will portray,” said Dr. Gary Gerber, associate professor of music and conductor of Concert Choir. “It is going to be a fabulous concert.”
Women’s Chorus, conducted by Mary Worthen, OBU assistant professor of music, will open the concert with Ernani Aguiar’s “Salmo 150,” followed by Joseph M. Martin’s “God of Wonders.” Next, they will perform Robert Hugh’s arrangement of “How Can I Keep From Singing” with soloist Emily Peek, a junior music education and choral major from Pine Bluff, Ark.
The Women’s Chorus will continue the first half of the concert with Moses Hogan’s arrangement of “Music Down in My Soul” and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina’s “Ave Regina Coelorum.” Their final performance will be of Z. Randall Stroope’s “Psalm 23” with Samantha Street, a freshman accounting major from Duncan, Okla., on violin.
Concert Choir, conducted by Gerber, will then perform Knut Nystedt’s “Cry Out and Shout,” Volckmar Leisring’s “O filii et filiae,” Anna Jacobs’ “Ave Maria” and Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Hallelujah” from Mount of Olives.
Next, Concert Choir will perform W.A. Mozart’s “Laudate Dominum” from Vesperae solemne de confessore, K339, with Hannah Chapman, a senior vocal performance major from Forney, Texas, as featured soprano. They will then perform Moses Hogan’s “I Know the Lord’s Laid His Hands on Me” with soloists Grace Johnson, a junior voice performance major from Tyler, Texas, and Preston Pickett, a freshman mass communications major from Dallas, Texas.
The concert will conclude with Jane Marshall’s “My Eternal King” with Russell Hodges, Ouachita’s associate professor of music and music librarian, on organ.
Ouachita Singers to present Spring Concert
Ouachita Singers will present their spring concert on April 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mabee Fine Arts Center’s McBeth Recital Hall on the campus of Baptist University. The 50-voice choir is directed by Dr. Gary Gerber, OBU director of choral activities.
Ouachita Singers will present April 27 concert in JPAC.
The program will be centered on the theme “i thank You God for…” which is based on the e. e. cummings poem “i thank You God for most this amazing day.”
“The program will focus on those attributes of God which He bestows on each of us,” Gerber said. “Normally we would program our music based on the music periods, moving from one period to the next. However, this concert will be divided by those attributes of life, such as Love, Praise, Freedom, Tribulations, Hope, Comfort and Laughter.”
One of the highlights of the program will be W. A. Mozart’s “Regina coeli.” Soloists for this selection include Leslyn Itcher, a junior choral music education major from Conway, Ark.; Maggie Taylor, a sophomore choral music education major from Russellville, Ark.; Michael Marsden, a senior music major from Paragould, Ark.; and Andrew Miller, a sophomore vocal performance major from Dalworthington Gardens, Texas.
Another special aspect of the program is the inclusion of a small chamber choir. The program will begin with a 16-voice ensemble. The chamber choir will sing three English Renaissance madrigals that speak of romance and lost love.
The program will conclude with the hilarious singing of “My Bonnie Lass She Smelleth” by the infamous P.D.Q. Bach. This work is a parody of the Renaissance work “My Bonnie Lass She Smileth” by Thomas Morley. Choreography for this selection was created by Cori Kidder, a senior musical theatre major from Wynne, Ark.
The accompanist for Ouachita Singers is Carrie Brown, a junior music performance major from Knoxville, Ark. Cindy Fuller, lecturer in music, will play organ on three selections, “Saul” by Egil Hovland, “Lass Dich Nur Nichts Nicht Dauren” by Johannes Brahms and an arrangement of “America, the Beautiful” by David Danner.
The program is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Dr. Gary Gerber atgerberg@obu.edu or (870) 245-5128
OBU Concert Choir to present Handel’s MESSIAH
The Ouachita Baptist University Concert Choir will perform George Frideric Handel’s oratorio “Messiah” on May 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the Jones Performing Arts Center on Ouachita’s campus. The 125-voice chorus is conducted by Dr. Gary Gerber, OBU director of choral activities.
OBU’s Concert Choir will present Handel’s “Messiah” May 1 in JPAC.
Handel’s “Messiah” is widely considered the most popular and respected choral work among the musical public. After its first performance in 1742, it quickly gained acceptance as one of the greatest oratorios ever composed. It has been performed thousands of times by choruses around the world.
“Our students have enjoyed learning this music,” Gerber said. “This work is a dramatic piece in which the chorus portrays the gamut of emotions from the glory of the announcement of the birth of Christ to the suffering and scorn of the crucifixion of Christ to the final triumphant resurrection.”
The soloists for “Messiah” include current and former music faculty from Ouachita. Dr. Glenda Secrest, associate professor of music, will sing the soprano role; Cindy Fuller, lecturer in music, will sing the alto role; Dr. Jon Secrest, professor of music, will sing the tenor role; and Dr. Iwao Asakura, assistant professor of music at Mississippi State University and former OBU music faculty, will sing the bass role.
“Being a part of this production is a great experience for a young singer because not only does it expand the singer’s repertoire, it also gives them the chance to learn and extensively practice the musical technique of that era,” said Sean Wilson, a junior vocal performance major at OBU.
Members of the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra and the OBU Wind Ensemble will accompany the chorus. The harpsichordist will be Glenda Aldridge, an OBU music faculty member and former choral director at Arkadelphia High School.
“We are excited about having an orchestra accompany the chorus and soloists,” Gerber said. “This is a work that needs the instrumental forces to bring it to life.”
Tickets for “Messiah” are $5 for adults and $3 for students with an ID. Tickets can be purchased by calling the OBU Box Office at 870-245-5563, or by going online to www.obu.edu/finearts.
OBU Concert Choir to perform Elijah
The Ouachita Baptist University Concert Choir will perform Felix Mendelssohn’s renowned oratorio Elijah on Thursday, April 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the McBeth Recital Hall on the campus of OBU. The 120-voice chorus is conducted by Dr. Gary Gerber, Director of Choral Activities at OBU.
Elijah is regarded as second only to Handel’s Messiah in popularity and respect among the musical public. After its first performance in 1846, it quickly gained acceptance among the musical world as one of the greatest oratorios ever composed. Since 1846, Elijah has been performed thousands of times by choruses around the world.
“Our students have enjoyed learning this music,” Dr. Gerber noted. “This work is a dramatic piece in which the chorus portrays the gamut of emotions from the priests of Baal, to the voice of God, to scenes of fire and earthquakes.”
Singing the role of Elijah will be Stephen Ray, a senior vocal performance major from Sherwood, Ark. Ray was recently selected as one of nine grand finalists for the 2008 edition of the Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Auditions. The other solos will be sung by members of the Concert Choir.
The chorus will be accompanied by organist Kay McAfee and members of the OBU Wind Ensemble and OBU faculty. McAfee serves as church organist for the United Methodist Church in Arkadelphia.
“The organ plays a major role in this performance,” Dr. Gerber said. “We are not utilizing strings because of space requirements, so the organ will be the string orchestra while the other wind players play their respective parts. It should be an exciting accompaniment to such an exciting work.”
The concert is free and is open to the public. For more information about the performance, please call (870) 245-5128.
Ouachita Singers to record new CD
The Ouachita Singers’ spring concert will include a special feature this year as the group plans to record the concert live for a new compact disc, according to Dr. Gary Gerber. The CD will be released at the beginning of the fall semester.
The concert will be held Monday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m., in the McBeth Recital Hall on the campus of Ouachita Baptist University. The concert is free and open to the public.
Gerber, who directs the Ouachita Singers, is director of coral activities at Ouachita. Susan Atkinson serves as accompanist for the choir.
Gerber said the program will feature literature from a variety of musical periods. Highlights of the concert will include Renaissance motets by William Byrd and Giovanni Palestrina, a Romantic ballad by Johannes Brahms, a Zambian celebration song and spirituals from the early 20th century.
The concert will also include music by 20th century composers such as Morton Lauridson, Ola Gjeilo and Gyorgy Orban. Noting that these composers have become very popular in recent years with their innovative choral music, Gerber noted that their music features dissonance, closely intertwined harmonies and complex rhythms.
Ouachita Baptist University to host Ouachita Showcase in Fort Smith
FORT SMITH, Ark.-Ouachita Baptist University will host a Ouachita Showcase on Friday, March 28 at 7 p.m. at Grand Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Smith.
The showcase is designed for area high school students, their families and alumni and friends. Featured speakers will include Ouachita President Rex Horne and head football coach Todd Knight. The event also will feature performances by Ouachita’s choir, orchestra and jazz band.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Ouachita Baptist University at (870) 245-5169.
Nine students represent Ouachita at collegiate honor choir
Nine music students were chosen to represent Ouachita Baptist University at the Southwestern American Choral Directors Association collegiate honor choir held in Kansas City, Mo., February 20-22, 2008.
Selected for the honor choir were: Amanda Bryson, a sophomore choral music education major from Hot Springs, Ark.; Jeremy Hall, a junior choral music education major from Batesville, Ark.; Lauren Hill, a junior choral music education major from Little Rock, Ark.; Matt Landers, a senior music theory and composition major from Dallas, Texas; Andrew Miller, a sophomore choral music education major from Dalworthington Gardens, Texas; C.J. Rice, a sophomore choral music education major from Arlington, Texas; Jessica Schleiff, a sophomore choral music education major from Benton, Ark.; Maggie Taylor, a freshman choral music education major from Russellville, Ark.; and Josiah Wheeler, a freshman choral music education major from Jacksonville, Ark.
The choir is formed every two years as part of the Southwestern division of the American Choral Directors Association and is comprised of college students from the seven states that form the region.
The choir was 306 members strong this year, the largest choir to date, according to Dr. Gary Gerber, associate professor of music and the choir’s coordinator. The choir was conducted by Dr. Eph Ehly, a retired choral director from the University of Missouri in Kansas City.
Gerber selected Bachelor of Music Education students to attend as representatives of Ouachita.
“They need to see what it is like to attend a choral director convention,” said Gerber. “This is what they will be doing when they graduate. It was a tremendous educational experience for them. I am very pleased with our students and know that they benefited from this.”
Matt Landers certainly feels that he benefited; he said, “By far, the most important thing for me was meeting two composers of pieces our honor choir performed that night: Mark Hayes and Sherri Porterfield. They both spoke to me about composing for like ten minutes or so and were so encouraging.”
Similarly, Jeremy Hall said that, though he did not know initially what to expect from the conference, he was “blown away” by it.
“Going to this conference was probably one of the highlights of my college career,” said Hall. “It was a collaboration of beautiful music-making, growing friendships, and a lot of fun. Singing with 305 students from seven different states and being directed by one of the best conductors in the nation was truly a monumental experience.”
“This was a chance for me to gain actual experience in music education,” said Lauren Hill. “Instead of learning what it might be like in class, I got the opportunity to live it out and have a lot of fun doing it. Getting my feet wet in the heart of music education changed my whole outlook on experiencing, interpreting, creating, and expressing music.”
School of Fine Arts presents A Service of Lessons and Carols
The Division of Music in the School of Fine Arts at Ouachita Baptist University will present “A Service of Lessons and Carols” on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the McBeth Recital Hall of Mabee Fine Arts Center.
The eleventh annual service will include recitation of traditional Scripture lessons, prayer, performances and congregational singing. The public is invited to attend. There is no admission charge.
The nine Scripture lessons will be read by members of the Ouachita community. Student readers include: Becca Watts, a freshman Mass Communications major from Smackover; Adam Wheat, a sophomore Mass Communications major from Ruston, Louisiana; Lindsey Wright, a junior Mass Communications major from Glenwood; and Caleb Quick, a senior Mass Communications major from Mesquite, Texas.
Featured readers from the faculty, staff and administration include: Bill Phelps, director of computer services; Barbara Pemberton, assistant professor of Christian missions; Merribeth Bruning, dean of the Huckabee School of Education; Stan Poole, vice president for academic affairs; and Rex M. Horne, Jr., president of Ouachita. Ian Cosh, assistant to the president for community development, director of the Elrod Center for Family and Community, and director of the Daniel R. Grant Center for International Studies, will lead in prayer.
The congregational carols will be led by organist Russell Hodges, associate professor of music and music librarian. The program also will include performances by the Ouachita Singers, conducted by Gary Gerber, associate professor of music; the Women’s Chorus, conducted by Mary Worthen, assistant professor of music; and the Ouachita Handbell Ringers, conducted by Rob Hewell, assistant professor of music.
For more information about “A Service of Lessons and Carols” at Ouachita, persons may contact the School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129, or via e-mail at huneycuttl@obu.edu.
The School of Fine Arts presents the Festival of Christmas
The School of Fine Arts at Ouachita Baptist University will present the annual Festival of Christmas musical performance on November 30-December 1 in Jones Performing Arts Center. Both performances will begin at 7:30 p.m.
For the past 17 years the School of Fine Arts has presented a Christmas Card to the community with their annual holiday production. This year’s show features the Concert Choir, Wind Ensemble, Tiger Blast, Ouachita Sounds, Ouachita Singers, and Praise Singers. Audiences can also expect to see cameos from students in the Department of Theatre.
Tickets for the “Festival of Christmas” are $5 each and may be purchased through the School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129 or on-line at http://www.obu.edu/finearts/.