PBS Wisconsin continues its tradition of celebrating holiday concerts from around the state with the Holiday Concert from UW-Eau Claire. This spectacular musical event, performed by various ensembles from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Music & Theatre Arts Department, will air on PBS Wisconsin 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24. The concert will also be available to stream online at pbswisconsin.org and on the free PBS App.

A cornerstone event on campus, the 49th annual Holiday Concert at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire showcases the musicianship of hundreds of students from the Wind Symphony, University Symphony Orchestra and five choirs — The Singing Statesmen, Symphonic Choir, Novum Voce, Concert Choir and Women's Concert Chorale.

The program will feature warm, holiday classics and new seasonal music, including pieces by George Frideric Handel, Leroy Anderson and Julie Giroux. The Holiday Concert’s finale also highlights local musicianship and poetry. In “Winter’s Song: A musical setting of winter poems by Max Garland,” UW-Eau Claire alumnus Kyle Newmaster used the poetry of a Wisconsin Poet Laureate, Max Garland to accompany his composition.

This is Dr. John R. Stewart’s seventh year as the executive director of UW-Eau Claire’s Holiday Concert and Conductor of the Wind Symphony.

“The great thing about our campus is that music is such an important part of it,” said Stewart. “You can't walk around campus without finding somebody that's involved in one of our ensembles.”

The Singing Statesmen, Symphonic Choir and Novum Voce will be led by Conductor Dr. Christopher G. McGinley. The Concert Choir and Women's Concert Chorale will be led by Conductor Dr. Frank A. Watkins. The University Symphony Orchestra will be led by Conductor Professor Nobuyoshi Yasuda.

Funding for Holiday Concert from UW-Eau Claire is provided by the Stanley Cottrill Fund, the Eleanor and Thomas Wildrick Family, the DeAtley Family Foundation, donors to the Focus Fund for the Arts, and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.

PBS Wisconsin is a service of the Educational Communications Board and The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

PBS Wisconsin is a place to grow through learning on WHA-TV, Madison; WPNE-TV, Green Bay; WHRM-TV, Wausau; WLEF-TV, Park Falls; WHLA-TV, La Crosse; and WHWC-TV, Menomonie-Eau Claire.

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