The Genevans “Joy” in 82nd Annual Christmas Concerts - Geneva College
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The Genevans “Joy” in 82nd Annual Christmas Concerts

Picture of The Genevans “Joy” in 82nd Annual Christmas Concerts

(BEAVER FALLS, Pa.) – The Genevans, the student choir of Geneva College, will present their 82nd Christmas program in two free community concerts on Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7 at First Presbyterian Church in Beaver Falls, located at 1103 8th Avenue. The concerts begin at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6:15 p.m. and the organ prelude beginning at 6:30 p.m. Audience members are encouraged to arrive early to find parking and seating, which will be in high demand.

The theme “Joy!” is a further refinement of the choir’s spring theme, “Rejoice in Glory.” This year’s concert will feature many old favorites from the Genevans’ choral library. Director Dr. David K. Smith explains simply, “One of the main themes of Christmas is joy — so there is a lot of joyful Christmas music!” Most of the characters in the Christmas story respond to the news of Christ’s birth with joy — the shepherds, Simeon the Levite and Anna the prophetess, to name a few.

The concert begins with an ancient text “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” which rejoices in the hope of what is to come. Bach’s classic “Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring” clearly articulates what joy is to be longed for. The set includes another old but rousing text, “Gaudete,” complete with percussion instruments. The first half ends with the upbeat setting of “A Virgin Most Pure.” While narrating the Christmas story, this song returns to a chorus of “Rejoice and be you merry, set sorrow aside. Christ Jesus our Savior was born at this tide.”

While some of the music is hundreds of years old, some music is quite new. Geneva College professor Dr. Matthew Kickasola arranged the carol “All My Heart This Night Rejoices” for this Christmas concert. It is a concept piece, using a technique characterized as phasing. The choir is divided into three groups, each singing the same carol at a different tempo. The design creates a sound cloud that shimmers with different tonal qualities.  

The choir also introduces two favorites from their past spring program to their Christmas audience, “O Clap Your Hands” and a setting Psalm 95. In 2018, The Genevans commissioned Diane Whitacre to compose Psalm 95, “O Come, Let Us Sing for Joy to the Lord” to celebrate 80 years of making music.

The congregation will be invited join in the joyous music-making. Both “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” and “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice” are to be sung by all attending, and will be accompanied by organ.

At the end of the evening, the choir will conclude the concert with their traditional surround sound style with the congregation joining them in a Christmas favorite, “Joy to the World.” It is a fitting to end in a celebration of the joy that the incarnate Christ has brought.

The audience can expect performances from other Geneva College vocal ensembles including the Grace Notes, a women’s ensemble, and the Eight Bells, a double barbershop quartet. Michael Kearney ’17 will perform a 30-minute organ prelude starting at 6:30 p.m. Annie Dawson, senior music and communication major will sing the offertory.

The concerts are open to the public and free of charge. A free will offering will be taken to aid the choir in their five-day New York trip in March. The choir’s newest Christmas CD, Magnify the Lord, which highlights favorites from three recent seasons, along with their Crown & Covenant recording of Psalms of Glory, will both be available for sale before and after the concert.

The Genevans choir exists to glorify God and minister to people through the gift of music. Founded in 1938, the choir continues a rich heritage of choral singing dating from the early years of the college over a century and a half ago. The mission of The Genevans is to engage audiences while glorifying God and ministering with important spiritual truth. Over the course of their long history, The Genevans have acquired a reputation for choral excellence, musical variety and spiritual impact.

For more information, including recordings for purchase, booking information, and The Genevans’ full concert schedule, visit The Genevans on the web at http://www.geneva.edu/genevans, or contact conductor Dr. David Kenneth Smith at (724) 847-6662 or at dksmith@geneva.edu. Stay up-to-date with The Genevans’ concert itinerary by following them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/thegenevans.

Geneva College is a Christ-centered institution that provides a comprehensive higher education to equip students for service to God and neighbor. Offering over 145 traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva’s programs are recognized for their high quality. U.S. News & World Report ranks Geneva as a Top Three Best Value Regional University with one of the top engineering programs in the nation. Adhering to the truth of Scripture, a Geneva education is grounded in God’s Word as well as in a core curriculum designed to prepare students vocationally to think, write and communicate well in today’s world.

Nov 26, 2019