WSCC holiday concerts

VICTORY TWP. — West Shore Community College’s musical ensembles will be featured in three holiday performances throughout the area.

On Thurs., Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m., the swinging sounds of the Jazz Band, led by Associate Professor of Music Ted Malt, will fill the Center Stage Theater with an energy packed show featuring compositions by Frank Sinatra, Sammy Nestico, Frank Mantooth and many others.

Joining the Jazz Band will be the Percussion Ensemble, a program that brings the percussive arts to music students. Made up of both college and area high school students, the collaborative performance will feature an illuminated world premiere performance called “Synesthesia” with special guest Kevin DePree, of Sound is Red Productions, who specializes in drums and percussion.

The 65-voice Concert Choir will perform on Sun., Dec. 15, at 2 p.m. The choir, under the direction of Becky Sopha and Assistant Director Lew Wilson, will feature music by Mozart Pergolesi, Hayden and Britten, plus several contemporary compositions. The choir is accompanied on piano by Donna Clousing and Seth Kris.

More holiday music takes center stage when WSCC’s popular show choir, The Collegiates, perform with the Concert Choir.

Scott Emelander, who directs the group, says the ensemble has evolved into an “a capella” vocal jazz group and the upcoming concert is full of high energy holiday repertoire. Jaime Pepple will be featured on piano.

The Wind Symphony and Chamber Winds, under the direction of Malt, will perform a variety of musical selections from classical and holiday repertoire on Wed., Dec. 18, at 7:30 p.m., at Shelby High School.

The concert venue for this performance has moved from WSCC’s Center Stage Theater to Shelby High School to accommodate a larger audience.

The concert will feature popular wind band music by Shostakovich, Alfred Reed, and Charles Carter. The Wind Symphony will also be performing Robert W. Smith’s “The Divine Comedy.”

Tickets for the concerts may be purchased online or by calling the Center Stage Theater Box Office at (231) 843-5507.