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M State holiday band concerts feature community musicians [UPDATED]
Published 4:01pm Friday, November 12, 2010 Updated 4:58pm Friday, November 12, 2010Community members can celebrate the holidays with musical performances at Minnesota State Community and Technical College this fall.
The college’s choir and band have upcoming concerts in November and December, and the public is invited to attend.
The Chamber Chorale, an adult choir group made up of area community members directed by M State interim choir director Sandy Thimgan, will perform Friday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m. in Legacy Hall. The M State Jazz Band will also perform at this concert. On Thursday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m., also in Legacy Hall, the concert choir and voice ensemble will perform their Winter Choir Concert.
Finally, the M State Concert Band will perform with area musicians at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, and Friday, Dec. 10, in Waage Theatre. The M State Jazz Band will also perform at the concerts.
Dan Carlson, director of bands at M State – Fergus Falls, invited area musicians and high school musicians to join the M State Concert Band for these two holiday concerts, featuring the music of Mannheim Steamroller.
Carlson opened the college’s Mannheim Steamroller holiday concert to area musicians in 2009, and its success led him to continue the tradition this year.
The band this year is comprised of about 70 musicians, who Carlson said range in age from 12 to 80, including M State students, with people from Fergus Falls, Rothsay, Pelican Rapids, Perham and more.
“It was so well-appreciated last year that it’s exciting to have people from all over come together as a group performance-wise,” he said. “It’s just enjoyable to work with generations, and it’s cool to have them come together with the passion to make music.”
Community musicians taking part in the holiday concerts committed to five of six rehearsals, as well as the dress rehearsal.
In addition to the opportunity to perform in the holiday concert, Carlson said the M State Concert Band welcomes community musicians to join the band. The band regularly rehearses from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays in the M State rehearsal room (W635).
For more information about performing with the Concert Band, contact Carlson at 218-736-1613 or at dan.carlson@minnesota.edu.
For more information or to purchase tickets for the concerts on Nov. 19, Dec. 2, Dec. 9 and Dec. 10, contact the Waage Theater Box Office at M State – Fergus Falls at 218-736-1600.
Tags: M State
