TIFTON – The music program at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will usher in the holiday season with a concert on Dec. 1 at 5 p.m. in the Chapel of All Faiths as part of the First Tuesday Concert Series.
Dr. Susan Roe, Head of the Department of Fine Arts and a professor of voice, said the holiday concert has been held annually at ABAC for 14 years. This event is open to the public at no charge.
The concert will feature the ABAC Jazz Choir and the ABAC Singers, directed by Roe, and the ABAC Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Johnny Folsom. The accompanist will be Calah Ellis, an ABAC graduate with an Associate of Arts degree in Music, and Rachel Jones, mother of Arts Connection Director Wayne Jones.
The ABAC Singers will open the performance with Rosephanye Powell’s “In the Beginning was The Word.” Wayne Jones will then sing “The Wexford Carol,” a traditional Irish carol, accompanied by his mother. Jones’ father, Robert Jones, will perform Robert MacGimsey’s “Sweet Little Jesus Boy,” accompanied by his wife. Jones’ parents both served on the faculty of Shorter College.
Dr. Brian Ray, professor of English and Theatre, will be on stage for a special reading during the event. The audience will join in the singing on “The First Noel,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and “Silent Night.”
Roe will then sing Adolphe Adam’s “O Holy Night” followed by the ABAC Singers’ performance of Powell’s “Christmas Memories.” The performance will conclude with the ABAC Jazz Choir and the ABAC Percussion Ensemble singing Powell’s arrangement of “Hallelujah, Christ is Born.”
The entire community is invited to join ABAC faculty, staff, and students for an afternoon of holiday cheer. For more information, interested persons can contact Roe at (229) 391-4943.
