The Cal Poly Choirs will present the eighth annual “Holiday Kaleidoscope” featuring all four choirs — Cantabile, Chamber Choir, PolyPhonics and University Singers — in collaboration with local music groups and other Cal Poly ensembles for the concert.
The Paso Robles High School Choir directed by Gaylene Ewing will be one of the guest ensembles. The group and PolyPhonics will perform a selection from “Magnificat in G Minor” by Antonio Vivaldi that they will perform in Carnegie Hall in New York City on April 6 with a professional orchestra. Cal Poly Director of Choral Activities Scott Glysson will conduct the concert of monumental Baroque works with other choirs.
The Cabrillo Madrigal Singers from Lompoc directed by Cal Poly alumnus Jennifer Peterson (Music, ’95) will be the other guest choir.
Each choir will perform a selection of music, as well as join with others for collaborative pieces.
A Cal Poly Orchestra of 30 students will perform with the choirs on several selections, and accompany festive carols for a singalong with the audience. Cal Poly’s popular a cappella groups Take it SLO and That’s the Key will each perform a set.
The Chamber Choir will perform a selection from J.S. Bach’s “Magnificat,” Franz Biebl’s famous setting of “Ave Maria” and a setting of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” written for the choirs by Cal Poly Professor Meredith Brammeier.
Cantabile will perform movements from Benjamin Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols,” plus modern arrangements such as “In the Bleak Midwinter” with vocal duo, and “I Will Light Candles this Christmas” by Abby Betinis and Kim Andre Arnsen.
The University Singers will sing Franz Schubert’s “Gloria” from Mass in G Major, Jennifer Lucy Cook’s “Over and Over” and an arrangement of a traditional Spanish Christmas Carol.
PolyPhonics will sing one of Francis Poulenc’s Christmas motets, and Matthew Culloton’s setting of the Robert Frost poem “Walking by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”
The concert will close with its traditional performance of all the choirs singing “Silent Night” as arranged by Malcolm Sargent.
Scott Glysson will conduct the Cal Poly Choirs, and University Organist Paul Woodring will accompany the choirs on piano and organ.
