It’s a Very Christmassy Weekend at St. Norbert

Our student and faculty musicians are ready for Christmas and their audience will be, too, after a weekend that brings three very different seasonal favorites.

Christmas With the Knights
The festivities actually begin tomorrow, with the first of four Knights on Broadway holiday concerts. The student singing ensemble presents a musical tour of Christmas in New York City, including stops at Broadway, Times Square, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Radio City Music Hall.

“Christmas With the Knights 2014” plays at Dudley Birder Hall on campus. Show times are Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 7, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $19 for adults and $9 for children and students.

Festival of Christmas
Friday evening brings the music department’s most popular annual concert: Festival of Christmas. This seasonal favorite features all the college’s music ensembles, including choirs, bands, brass and flutes, along with piano, organ and – perfect for the season – handbells. Audience members may choose to continue the evening's celebration with a gourmet holiday dessert reception following the concert, with music provided by the St. Norbert College Jazz Band.

The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Tickets are $10 for the concert, $19 for the concert with dessert reception.

Brass & Organ Christmas Spectacular
Saturday evening, music moves to St. Norbert Abbey where audiences can experience the power and majesty of brass, organ and choral music resounding in the abbey’s stunning church.

This Brass & Organ Christmas Spectacular, celebrating the finest music of the Christmas season, starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday. This concert is free and open to the public. As a benefit for the “Nubbie” Ecker Chamber Music Endowment, freewill donations will be gratefully accepted.

Tickets for all three events can be purchased at the St. Norbert College Box Office in the Abbot Pennings Hall of Fine Arts on campus, or on the Box Office website.

Dec. 2, 2014

Special

The musical influence of Dudley Birder (Music, Emeritus), whose association with the college is now in its sixth decade, was celebrated last week in a segment on the PBS show “Wisconsin Life.”

Birder served as professor of music at St. Norbert College from 1958 to 1993. In addition to his academic duties, he has served as the artistic director of St. Norbert College Music Theatre since 1961 and overseen the production of its many musicals. Birder is also the founder of the Dudley Birder Chorale, which was formed in 1974 and brings together singers from the Greater Green Bay community.

Birder performed at Carnegie Hall in 1990, and has since appeared there four more times. Since 1997, he has appeared annually as guest conductor for the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra's annual Holiday Pops concert. St. Norbert College has awarded him the President's Medal for his dedication to his art and service to the community, and the college's newest performance space was named in his honor.