'Do You Hear What I Hear?' 'Collage' Concerts Turn 20 This Year
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 29, 2017) — It takes numbers to properly ring in the holiday season in the Bluegrass, and the 20th annual "Collage" concerts are no exception as 500 of the University of Kentucky School of Music and Central Kentucky’s most talented musicians come together in celebration. Featuring the critically acclaimed vocalists of the UK Choirs, the beloved holiday concerts will bring the sounds of the season to the Singletary Center for the Arts stage. "Collage" will warm audiences' hearts this winter beginning 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, at the Singletary Center Concert Hall.
A local holiday tradition, "Collage" is presented by the UK Choirs under the direction of Jefferson Johnson, director of UK Choral Activities who is celebrating 25 years with the program, and Lori Hetzel, associate director of UK Choral Activities. The concerts showcase the department's highly praised student groups, UK Chorale; UK Choristers conducted by Elizabeth Wilson; UK Women's Choir; and UK Men's Chorus, as well as the UK Choir's a cappella groups, the acoUstiKats, Paws and Listen and Blue Note. The concert is fast-paced and a visually exciting program featuring the best of holiday music from around the world.
Along with the UK Choirs, this season’s concerts will feature performances by Associate Professor Dieter Hennings on guitar; the UK Trombone Quartet led by Assistant Professor Bradley Kerns; UK Mega-Sax 2 led by Professor Miles Osland; UK Blue Steel, a steel drum band; the UK Holiday Clarinets led by Associate Professor Scott Wright; and crowd favorite, the GrassKats, a bluegrass band led by Johnson.
In addition to showcasing the UK Choirs and musicians at the UK School of Music, each year "Collage" features the rich talents of the Lexington arts community. This year’s concert will include performances by the Lexington Singers; the Lexington Singers Children's Choir, conducted by Hetzel; the handbell ensemble Alluring, led by Patty Saunders; and the Lafayette High School Madrigal Singers, conducted by Ryan Marsh, who is pursuing his doctoral degree at UK.
Tickets for "Collage" are $29 for general admission, and $14 for students and children. Groups of 15 or more can get tickets for $24 per person. A handling fee will be added upon transaction. Tickets are available through the Singletary Center ticket office by phone at 869-257-4929, online at www.scfatickets.com, or in person at the venue.
UK Choirs is part of the UK School of Music in the UK College of Fine Arts. The school has garnered a national reputation for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as music education, music therapy, composition, and theory and music history.
