With the winter season quickly approaching, the University of Wisconsin Horn Choir is greeting the holidays with their annual winter concert this Saturday in the recently renovated Chazen Museum of Art.
According to Mary Carr Lee, assistant director for external affairs, this collaboration between the horn choir and the Chazen has occurred for a few years. An attendee of the show in years past, Lee has nothing but positive remarks in regards to the concert.
“It’s very joyous and festive and beautiful,” Lee said.
The horn choir, consisting of 10 music majors, will be performing holiday music in conjunction with a Bach prelude, pieces from Handel’s “Water Music” and Gabrieli’s “Three Canzons” under the new direction of professor Daniel Grabois, who was appointed assistant professor of horn at the UW School of Music earlier this fall.
Grabois came to Madison from New York, where he served as the chair of the Department of Contemporary Performance at the Manhattan School of Music. He was also formerly a horn player in the Meridian Arts Ensemble, a renowned group based in New York City.
Prior to Grabois was longtime horn director Douglas Hill, who recently retired. Hill organized this concert for the UW Horn Choir for many years, and to pay tribute, part of the concert will include a piece by Hill titled “Privilege of Being.”
While it may seem difficult to organize a concert with sounds solely based from horns, Grabois said it is actually quite possible.
“All you’ve got to do is rehearse,” Hill added.
Following the performance, refreshments will be served, and attendees will be encouraged to explore other part of the Chazen. Current exhibitions including a collection of paintings by Simona and Jerome Chazen along with the Leslie and Johanna Garfield Collection.
Hill encouraged everyone to come to this free event and insisted it will be a good time. Lee also agrees this event will be a wonderful opportunity to experience holiday art.
“It’s a wonderful time to see the high level of student talent we have and celebrate the holiday season with the sounds of magnificent horns,” Lee said.
The UW Horn Choir performs Saturday, Dec. 3, at 1 p.m. in the recently renovated Chazen Museum of Art.
