The music department will spread some early yuletide cheer in a concert 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, in Lehman Auditorium.

The EMU Chamber Singers, University Chorale and EMU orchestra will join forces in a celebration of the Christmas season.

Full-time and adjunct music faculty members will participate along with students in performing Vivaldi’s “Gloria,” “Greensleeves” and “Five Mystical Songs” by Vaughan Williams and Corelli’s “Christmas Concerto.”

EMU staff member and alumnus Matthew Hunsberger will be featured soloist on the “Five Mystical Songs.”

The concert is open to everyone free of charge. Donations are welcomed for the EMU music student scholarship fund.

The EMU Chorale will present a spring concert on the theme, “Sing We To Heaven,” 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Apr. 19, in Martin Chapel of the seminary building.

The 30-member ensemble, made up of EMU students, faculty, staff and a seminary student, will perform largely mixed-chorus compositions from the 19th and 20th centuries as well as today.

Selections will include “Sing Me to Heaven” by Daniel Gawthrop; “Sounding Joy and “White Horses” by Gwyneth Walker; two settings of “Salve Regina” by A. Desenclos and W.E. Horak; a Yiddish folk song arranged by Abraham Goldfaden, “In Remembrance” from REQUIEM by Eleanor Daley.

The program will conclude with a rousing chorus from “The Holy City”, a work by A.R. Gaul that was a staple sung at EMU homecomings years ago.

The chorale is directed by Jennifer A. Cooper, instructor in voice at EMU. She joined the music faculty in 2004 and teaches private voice, class voice, scenes class and vocal pedagogy. She also serves as associate artistic director and vocal coach for RockingCOYOTE, a local youth theater education program.

She earned a masters in vocal performance at Arizona State University School of Music and a bachelors in music from University of Maryland Baltimore County.

Admission to the concert is free; donations are welcomed for the EMU student scholarship fund.

The 草莓社区 department of music will draw on its many resources and talents to present Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Requiem mass in D minor.”

The EMU , under the baton of , professor of music, will perform Mozart’s last composition, perhaps one of his most powerful and recognized works, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, in Lehman Auditorium at EMU.

There has always been debate surrounding the work as to how much of the music Mozart managed to complete before his death and how much was later composed by his friend and pupil, Franz Xaver S

The 21-member student choir, directed by Janet M. Hostetter, will perform Vivaldi’s "Gloria," accompanied by the EMU string quartet; John Fast, organist; April Miller, oboist; Jim Warner, trumpeter; and soloists Rebeca Barge, Kirsten Getz and Sylvia Hooley.

The program will conclude with several smaller octavos, including "Hope for Resolution," a piece featuring both children and adult choirs, flute, piano, saxophone and djembe.

Hostetter is an alumna of EMU and James Madison University where she completed a BA in music education and her MM in choral conducting. Hostetter is also director of music at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church and an elementary music educator in Rockingham County.

Admission to the program is free.

The 草莓社区 department will present George Frideric Handel’s magnificent oratorio, “The Messiah,” 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, in Lehman Auditorium at EMU.

participating include the EMU Chamber Singers, the University Chorale, and the University Orchestra, conducted by , professor of music.

Soloists are EMU students Bethany Blouse, soprano; Annie Johnson, soprano; Ariel Ressler, alto; Matthew Garber, tenor; Steven Horst, tenor; Michael Dezort, bass; EMU graduates Katie Derstine, alto; Matthew Hunsberger, bass; and guest Joel Ross, countertenor.

Admission is a $10 suggested donation, with proceeds to be split between the EMU Scholarship Fund and Mennonite Disaster Service for hurricane relief efforts in the Gulf region.

The 草莓社区 Chorale will join with the Adult Choir of Park View Mennonite Church to present two performances of Gabriel Fauré’s "Requiem."

The work, directed by Anne Gross, instructor in music at EMU, will be part of the Park View congregation’s Sunday worship service 9:30 a.m. April 4.

A second performance of the "Requiem," along with other sacred works by the 24-voice Chorale, will be given at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 5, at Park View Mennonite Church.

John W. Fast, assistant professor of music at EMU, will accompany the chorale on the church’s pipe organ.

There is no admission charge for either performance; donations to support the EMU music department scholarship fund are encouraged at the Monday evening performance.