Central Iowa Symphony 
P.O. Box C 
Ames, IA  
50014-1018 

On the web:
www.cisymphony.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11-20-02
Contacts: Laura Miller, CIS publicity, (515) 233-3731, or Mark Laycock, CIS
conductor, (515) 294-3978

TRADITIONS SHINE IN SYMPHONY'S ANNUAL HOLIDAY CONCERT 

Sounds of the Season
Monday, December 16 - 7:30 p.m.
Stephens Auditorium, Iowa State Center, Ames

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy, University
Carilloneur Tin-shi Tam, and a massed choir of 250 voices will join the Central
Iowa Symphony for the annual Sounds of the Season holiday concert at 7:30 p.m.,
Monday, December 16 at Stephens Auditorium. 

President Geoffroy will read Clement Moore's beloved classic, 'Twas the Night
before Christmas, in an orchestral setting by Jerome Neff.  The delightful
arrangement features sound effects, quotations from holiday carols, and a
rousing finale.

The Central Iowa Symphony also will present the world premiere of "Star Bells,"
a work for carillon and orchestra by ISU composer and music professor Jeffrey
Prater.  The piece is divided into three movements: Bells of Contention, Bells
of the Dance, and Bells of Celebration.  It incorporates several well-known
hymn melodies including "O God, Our Help in Ages Past," "How
Brightly Shines the Morning Star," and "Sleepers Wake."  Tam will perform the
solo part from the campanile on ISU's central campus via a live audio/visual
telecommunications link.

The 250-voice choir, made up of high school singers from throughout central
Iowa, will sing "Christmas Day" by Gustav Holst, "He Watching over Israel" by
Felix Mendelssohn, "Shepherds' Chorus" from Amahl and the Night Visitors by
Gian Carlo Menotti, 

"This concert is not to be missed," explained Central Iowa Symphony conductor
Mark Laycock, who also directs orchestral activities at ISU.  "It will be a
wonderful celebration of the season featuring a rich array of talents found
right here in our region.  With an incredible variety of holiday selections new
and cherished, this concert has become a marvelous tradition for families and
friends to come together in the spirit of the season.

Singers from six outstanding high school choirs will comprise the massed
ensemble: Boone (Pamela Grundstad, director), Des Moines Christian (Rick
Tegeler, director), East Greene (Wendell Brown, director), Eldora-New
Providence (Betty Collins, director), Gilbert (Melodie Duple, director), and
Norwalk (Kim Ward, director).

The orchestra also will perform several seasonal favorites in a classical vein,
including selections from "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky, the Bach chorale
prelude "Wachet auf" by Eugene Ormandy, and "Christmas Music for Orchestra"
arranged by John Cacavas.

The 70-member community orchestra is comprised of professional musicians, music
educators, exceptional student performers, and accomplished amateurs from Ames
and central Iowa.  Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students (ages 5 years
and under are free). Tickets may be purchased at the door or in advance at the
Iowa State Center Ticket Office, all TicketMaster locations, charge-by-phone in
Ames at (515) 233-1888 and in Des Moines at 515-243-1888, or on-line at
www.ticketmaster.com.
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