The Northwestern College music department will present its annual Christmas Vespers concerts Saturday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 4, at 3 p.m. in Christ Chapel. The event is free and open to the public.
The theme for this year’s concerts will be “In the Footsteps of Mary.” The performances will feature narration by recently retired NWC theatre professors Jeff and Karen Barker and will explore the Christmas story from Mary’s perspective—from the announcement of the incarnation to the foreshadowing of the cross.
Guest soloist Michelle Monroe, mezzo-soprano, will sing the role of Mary in the five-movement setting of “Magnificat” by Imant Raminsh, joined by the A cappella Choir and accompanist Nora Verburg. Monroe is professor of voice at the University of Northern Iowa.
In addition to the A cappella Choir, Northwestern’s Women’s Choir, Orchestra, Brass Ensemble and organist MaryLou Wielenga will also perform. The program will feature select seasonal pieces such as “Mary, Did you Know”; “Lo, How a Rose”; and Bach’s “My Spirit be Joyful,” among others.
According to Dr. Thomas Holm, professor of music and chair of Northwestern’s music department, the Vespers concerts will engage listeners with all the elements of Mary’s life journey. “From beginning to end, these performances will feature a variety of high-quality music, leading the audience through a narrative that includes many familiar aspects of the Christmas story,” he says.
The audience will also be invited to join in singing traditional Christmas carols.
