BVU Band Presents Holiday Concert December 11

STORM LAKE, IA (11/29/2016)(readMedia)-- Storm Lake, Iowa (Nov. 29, 2016) –The Buena Vista University (BVU) Concert Band, under the direction of Jerry Bertrand, assistant professor of music, will present its annual Holiday Concert on Sunday, Dec, 11 at 3 p.m. in Schaller Memorial Chapel on the BVU campus.

The program will open with "Cloth of Gold" which was written in 1921 by Fred Jewell and was once a popular piece played by Iowa community bands during summer concerts in parks. The next piece by contrast explores contemporary harmonies, including "Canzona," which was written in 1951 by Peter Mennin. The concert's featured work will be a performance of "Symphony #1 – Divine Comedy" by Robert W. Smith. This four movement piece is a programmatic composition that musically portraits the different realms of Hell, Purgatory and Paradise. Smith's work was inspired by Dante's literary classic, "Divine Comedy."

Contributing to the spirit of the holiday, the BVU Concert Band will perform "Minor Alterations" by David Lovrien. The Band will also perform "Minor Alterations," a medley of favorite Christmas tunes transposed from major to minor keys then disguised, layered and morphed even more. From the ominous "Deck the Halls" at the start to the frenzied "Nutcracker Suite" finale, each tune is lovingly twisted into something new and inventive. Other works will include "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by Martin/Blane and "Contre Qui, Rose" by Morten Lauridsen.

The Holiday concert is free and open to the public to attend.

About Buena Vista University

Celebrating 125 years of service.

Since 1891, Buena Vista University has prepared students for lifelong success and blends liberal arts with real-world applications. Our traditional campus on the shores of Storm Lake hosts students in a variety of majors and pre-professional programs, including elementary, secondary, and special education; business and accounting; and biological and chemical sciences. Our 16 degree-completion locations, online, and graduate programs expand student potential with a pace and academic rigor designed for working adults and a variety of class formats that make scheduling even more convenient. BVU is an affordable option for all students and, combined with its academic programs, has led U.S. News & World Report to rank BVU as the third best value school among Midwest Regional Colleges. Visit www.bvu.edu.

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