Holiday Gala to spread musical cheer

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The School of Music resounds with hymns and carols this week as bands, orchestras, choirs and ensembles rehearse for their Holiday Gala. 

The holiday concert for all ages will take place this Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium. 

Mark McCoy, dean of the School of Music, described the gala as a celebration to bring the community together.  

"This is the last hurrah of the semester and is a great opportunity for the School of Music to come together and showcase their wide array of talent," McCoy said.  

McCoy said the concert offers a break from studying and an opportunity to support School of Music performers.

Jared Norman, a senior music student, said it's the first event in his four years of performing in which all groups of musicians will come together.  

"I'm really excited about the concert," Norman said. "It is the first time I can recall that everyone in the School of Music is performing."

This is also the first time in recent years that the School of Music plans to perform a holiday concert in hopes that it will bring the entire community together. McCoy said that it's important the school affects the community of which it is a part.  

"I hope it will bring together the town and the university," McCoy said. "The idea is that the School of Music should have a profound impact on the university and community to which it belongs. This gala is a chance for the community at large to see remarkable talent that DePauw has to offer and DePauw is interested in being a cultural hub in this community."  

McCoy said the goal of the gala is that students, faculty and residents of the Greencastle community will have the chance to listen to the products of the School of Music. Janice Bagell, event coordinator for the Green Center for the Performing Arts, said she has high hopes for the success of the gala. 

"We are hoping the community will come together and join us," Bagell said. "We are planning to make it an ongoing tradition within the Greencastle and DePauw community."

Many students agree that the event should become a tradition and a community event.  

"I hope that this starts to become a Greencastle and DePauw tradition," Norman said. "It is a great way to show the community who we are."

Junior Sarah Tibbitts agreed.

"I think it will be cool to have a bridge between the community, the School of Music and the liberal arts college," Tibbitts said.  

Orchestra director Orcenith Smith said he sees the concert as an event for the community.  

"The idea is to feature a lot of the School of Music as a gift to the community and the entire community of Greencastle," Smith said.  

Sophomore Annelise Delcambre said the Holiday Gala offers a more accessible selection of music that caters to a wider audience. 

"The gala will be more relatable to the community, whereas our individual concerts performed is more of intellectual side of music," Delcambre said. "The gala will give a taste of who the School of Music are and what they have to offer to the community. This event will be something fun that the community can bring their children to."

The Holiday Gala will serve as the final musical event of the semester. Freshman Brad Harris said he hopes the concert will draw a large crowd.  

"The gala will be a wonderful example of the talent in the School of Music," Harris said. "I encourage students, faculty and administration to come watch. It will be an amazing night."