Enjoy festive holiday concerts this month, as well as concerts by the Emory University Symphony Orchestra and the Emory Big Band and Jazz Ensembles.
The Emory Wind Ensemble performs Johan de Meij's Lord of the Rings Symphony on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. with the Lakeside High School Wind Ensemble. This cinematic five-movement symphony takes its material from J.R.R. Tolkien's best-selling novels.
The Emory Chamber Ensembles perform on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The performance will include string quartets, piano duos, brass ensembles, woodwind quintets and percussion ensemble.
The Emory Jazz Concert on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 8 p.m. will feature the Emory Big Band and Emory Jazz Ensembles. The ensembles include the jazz combos and a newly formed jazz saxophone quintet. The concert will feature music composed and arranged by John Clayton, Gordon Goodwin, David Wolpe and Mark Taylor.
Music of Mozart, Brahms and Mendelssohn will be performed in "Emory's Young Artists Side by Side" concert on Friday, Dec. 7 at noon in the Carlos Museum. Part of the Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta noontime series, the concert features undergraduates performing alongside the Vega Quartet and pianist William Ransom.
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols will take place Friday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. and on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. in Glenn Auditorium. Established in 1935, this tradition continues to bring Emory and Atlanta community members together to celebrate the season. The candlelit service of choral music and scripture features readings by special guests. Tickets: $15; $12 discount categories; $5 Emory students.
Another holiday classic, Santa's Favorite Chamber Music, is on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 4 p.m. in the Carlos Museum and will feature the Vega String Quartet. Part of the Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta Family Series, Santa will be on hand to introduce some of his favorite holiday pieces and pass out early Christmas treats.
The Emory University Symphony Orchestra's concert on Monday, Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. features the works of Ludwig van Beethoven, Gerald Finzi and Aaron Copland. Richard Prior conducts, with special guest clarinet virtuoso and Emory associate professor Ashraf Attalla.
Spend Christmas with Atlanta Sacred Chorale in their annual holiday concerts on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 16 at 4 p.m. Eric Nelson is the director, with special guest ensemble, The Gary Motley Trio. Tickets: $25; discount category members $20; and all students $10.
The Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony concert on Monday, Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. will feature Austin composer Ryan George with "Firefly" and his new composition "Riffraff."
The joyous music of the season continues with the broadcast of the Atlanta Celtic Christmas Concert on Sunday, Dec. 23, 8 p.m. on Georgia Public Broadcasting. A longtime holiday favorite of Emory and Atlanta audiences, the GPB program features Grammy-winning musicians, an appearance by Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, as well as many Emory faculty members and students.
All concerts are free and take place in the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, unless otherwise noted. For tickets and event information, visit arts.emory.edu or call the Arts at Emory Box Office at 404-727-5050.