Cal Lutheran presents Christmas concerts

Events will feature premiere of piece written for choir

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The choral ensembles and University Symphony will perform “…And On Earth, Peace” at 8 p.m. Dec. 4 and 4 p.m. Dec. 5 and Dec. 6.

Photo: Brian Stethem

(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Nov. 17, 2015) California Lutheran University will present its annual holiday gift to the community with the free Christmas Festival Concerts slated Dec. 4 through 6.

The choral ensembles and University Symphony will perform “…And On Earth, Peace” at 8 p.m. Dec. 4 and 4 p.m. Dec. 5 and Dec. 6 in Samuelson Chapel on the Thousand Oaks campus.

The program will feature the premiere performance of "Ave Maria" written for the Cal Lutheran Choir by New York composer John Michael Trotta.

The university’s longest-running annual event will feature a narrated performance of Christmas music. The program will include holiday favorites sung by the Cal Lutheran choirs and traditional carols with the audience joining in. 

The University Symphony String Ensemble will perform J.S. Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins and Orchestra in D Minor, BWV 1043, with student musicians Mickey Da Silva of Newbury Park and Melissa Walker of Moorpark on violin and Erin Bradley of Sacramento on harpsichord.

The choral ensembles will perform music by René Clausen, Craig Courtney, Dan Forrest, Johann Michael Haydn, Howard Helvey, Ralph Johnson and Shawn Kirchner.

Music professors Daniel Geeting and Wyant Morton will conduct.

Donations will be accepted.

The chapel is located at 165 Chapel Lane near Campus Drive. Additional parking is available in the lots at the corner of Olsen Road and Mountclef Boulevard. This is always a popular concert so arrive early for the best seating and parking. Doors open one hour before the concerts.

For more information, call the Music Department at 805-493-3306 or visit CalLutheran.edu.

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