First United Methodist Church’s firstARTS series “Fridays@First: An Advent Concert Series” concludes this week with a performance by baritone and Catawba faculty member Scott MacLeod. Also performing will be Matthew Brown, pianist, director of music at First UMC.
These concerts have been held each Friday in December, beginning at noon. The Dec. 18 presentation is free and open to the public.
A soup and sandwich lunch will be served following the performance with donations accepted.
MacLeod has performed over 40 roles with some of the nation’s leading regional houses and abroad, including: Opera Omaha, Central City Opera, Opera North, Utah Festival Opera, Mobile Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Greensboro Opera, Long Leaf Opera, the Florence Masterworks chorale, the Tucson Symphony, the North Carolina Symphony, and the National Symphony of Costa Rica.
He is a graduate of Northwestern University and holds a fellowship Master’s degree from Florida State University.
For more information about Friday’s performance, contact the church office at 704-636-3121.
SRHS Concert
The South Rowan High School Choral Department presents its annual Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17 at South Rowan. There will be six performing ensembles. The entire chorus will combine for the opening “Gloria In Excelsis Deo” by Haydn and “Jesus Born on This Day,” The Handbell Choir will open the concert with”Joy to the World.”
The Honors Chorus students will present “O Holy Night”, before being joined by the entire chorus ensemble for Silent Night in German and then English with candlelight. Former choir members are invited to come and sing with the chorus for the choral benediction, “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” to conclude the evening’s concert.
This concert is free and the public is invited. However, donations will be accepted. The Varsity Singers will be returning to New York’s Carnegie Hall in March, to sing in the National Youth Choir, and all donations towards helping students have this opportunity will be accepted.Relay for Life home tour
The very first home in Milford Hills, at 213 McCoy Road, known as the Grubb-Sigmon-Weisiger-Campbell House) will be open Friday, Dec. 18 from 3 p.m.-8 p.m. for a tour. The home is owned by Roy and Norma Campbell.
The tour will benefit the 2010 Relay For Life and the American Cancer Society. All are invited to visit, for just a $5 donation, and see the rooms carefully decorated by Norma Campbell each year to delight family and friends.
The home will have about 11 rooms and the large hallway decorated. Each room has its own Christmas tree, some large and some small, and each room has a nativity scene. One significant tree is decorated with wooden Christian symbols hand-carved by Howard Reinheardt, who is a member of the Campbell’s church, Milford Hills United Methodist Church. A guest house and playhouse are also decorated and will be open for viewing weather permitting.
Tickets for the tour are available at three locations: Stitchin’ Post Gifts, 104 S. Main St., Peekaboo, 1714 W. Innes St. in the Ketner Center; and at Motts Powersports, 1925 S. Main St.. When you purchase your ticket, you will be asked to pick an hour time slot that you prefer during the five hours of the tour. This is to avoid too much traffic or parking problems near the home, and to avoid long lines waiting in the winter weather. Tickets may also be secured by calling Mary Knapp, 980-234-4479 or e-mailing m_knapp@bellsouth.net with Relay Home Tour in the subject line.
Attendees will be invited to enjoy cookies and hot cider on the porch, also decorated for the season, after their visits.
Winter Solstice
There will be a Winter Solstice Celebration Sunday, Dec. 20 at Sacred Grove retreat/Bed and Bike in, 15750 Mattons Grove Church Rd. in Gold Hill.
The celebration is from 4:30 pm.-9 p.m. Cost is $10.
Participants will gather in the yurt at 5 p.m. and there will be a drum circle, led by Saleef.
An added feature of this eventis the use of staffs, a Druid tradition . Participants are invited to bring staffs if they have them.
Feasting begins in the Log House at 7 p.m., followed by gathering around a Winter Solstice bonfire. Participants are asked to bring a drum or other instrument to play, a covered dish to share and a drink of their choice. They may also bring a small ornament for the Yule Tree or a wrapped gift/food item for donation.
To register, please call Ellen at 704-463-0768.
Nutcracker chorus
On Dec. 19 and 20 the Salisbury Symphony and Piedmont Dance Theatre will present Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet in Keppel Auditorium at Catawba College.
Joining the orchestra and dancers will be a children’s chorus, heard in the Waltz of the Snowflakes which ends Act I of the ballet.
This year’s Nutcracker chorus, comprised of elmentary, middle and high school students, is an extension of the Amadeus Youth Chorus, which is directed by Dr. Phillip Burgess and Sarah Fuller Hall.
Singing in the Nutcracker chorus are Dhasan Boler, Britney Callahan, Sarah Farmer, Eilish Garvey, Keyanna Gause, Elizabeth Jones, Teagan Little, Christal Marts, Caroline Monroe, Danielle Romans, Keely Savage, Quinn Scarvey, Lexy Smith, Zakiya Smyre and Mackenzie Wagamon.
Tickets to “The Nutcracker” are almost gone, but some seats are still available. To accommodate last minute planners, the Salisbury Symphony will open the box office at Keppel Auditorium on Saturday, Dec. 19 at noon.
In the meantime, tickets can be purchased at the Rowan County Tourism Development Authority at 204 E. Innes St. Hours are 10 a.m.ń4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The phone number is 704-638-3100.
There will be two performances, Saturday, Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 20 at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets for orchestra and mezzanine seating are $25 for adults (ages 19 and older) and $12 for children (18 and younger). Tickets for balcony seating are $20 for adults and $10 for children.
For more information visit www.salisburysymphony.org.
‘Mary Poppins’
CHARLOTTE ó The North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte announces that tickets for the production of “Mary Poppins” will go on sale to the public for a limited time holiday sale now through Dec. 31.
The production will begin performances at the Belk Theater on Aug. 26, 2010, for a limited engagement of three weeks through Sept. 12.
Tickets are on sale for a limited “Jolly Holiday” sale at the Belk Theater box office, by phone at 704-372-1000 or online at BlumenthalCenter.org. Group orders for 20 or more may be placed by calling 704-379-1380. This show is part of the Duke Energy Broadway Lights Series.
Purchase your tickets to select weekday performances of Mary Poppins by Dec. 31 and get free parking.
For more information, visit www.MaryPoppinsTour.com.