In partnership with Campus Ministry, the School of Music invites the public to join the Augustana University community for its annual Christmas Vespers 2022 Concert, “Home by Another Way,” a celebration of the season of Advent featuring Augustana’s choirs, orchestra, band and jazz band. In-person performances will take place at 7:30 p.m., on Friday, Dec. 2, and Saturday, Dec. 3, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls.
"This year, Augustana celebrates its 85th annual Christmas Vespers featuring every large ensemble in the School of Music,” said Dean of the School of Music Dr. Peter Folliard.
"Every year, our music directors collaborate with Campus Ministry to imagine how we can share the joy of the season with our Augustana community," said Folliard. "Our theme this year, ‘Home By Another Way,’ tells the Christmas story from the Gospel of Matthew's perspective. Since Matthew's account is different from the traditional story we hear in the Gospel of Luke, we have some different musical ensembles involved to help tell a different musical perspective.
In order to feature these different ensembles, the School of Music reimagined traditional holiday music through new arrangements.
"We were delighted to partner with Augustana alumni and faculty member Jeremy Hegg to reimagine hymn settings and transcribe some popular settings of traditional favorites,” said Folliard.
After the service, the public is also invited to enjoy fellowship, accompanied by holiday cookies, hot cocoa and cider — provided by Thrivent.
Thanks to an ongoing relationship with Thrivent, Augustana is excited to announce a new initiative that supports the School of Music and its programming. Through Dec. 3, for every $1 donated to the School of Music, Thrivent will match $1 up to a total of $10,000.
In addition, Augustana's Christmas Vespers will be available for viewing via a one-time livestream on Augustana's YouTube Channel on Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m.
For more information on how to purchase tickets and/or support the initiative, visit augie.edu/vespers.
About Christmas Vespers
One of Augustana’s oldest and most beloved traditions made its debut on Dec. 18, 1938, when the Augustana Choir presented a service of Yuletide music to a full house in the gymnasium/chapel. This Vespers service ushered in the Advent and Christmas celebration on campus, a tradition that continues to the present.
The first Vespers service was presented in three parts: The Prophecy of the Coming of the Christ Child, the Birth of the Savior and Praise of the Newborn Child. The Augustana Choir sang a majority of the program, but also included a women’s trio, male quartet, male duet and female solo.
Christmas Vespers continued in this basic format for the next few years, evolving quickly into one of the college’s most popular and well-attended programs.
In recent years, Vespers has become a multi-performance event to thousands in Sioux Falls and the region — also performing in Rapid City and the Twin Cities.
Original source can be found here
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