Saint Mary’s ‘Lessons and Carols’ service is Dec. 6

The joyous and uplifting Christmas service of “Lessons and Carols” will be presented by the Department of Music at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6.

The beautiful service, held in the majestic Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, features the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, directed by Dr. Patrick O’Shea.

“Lessons and Carols” reflects on the Christmas story through several short readings, hymns and Christmas carols sung by the choirs and audience. Music includes familiar carols and selections by composers from the Renaissance to the present.

The Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels is located at Wabasha and Vila streets in Winona.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the box office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org. Tickets at the door are available by cash or check only. Faculty and staff are eligible for two free tickets.

Saint Mary’s ‘Lessons and Carols’ service is Dec. 6

The joyous and uplifting Christmas service of “Lessons and Carols” will be presented by the Department of Music at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6.

The beautiful service, held in the majestic Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, features the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, directed by Dr. Patrick O’Shea.

“Lessons and Carols” reflects on the Christmas story through several short readings, hymns and Christmas carols sung by the choirs and audience. Music includes familiar carols and selections by composers from the Renaissance to the present.

The Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels is located at Wabasha and Vila streets in Winona.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the box office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org. Tickets at the door are available by cash or check only.

SMU choirs to perform spring concert April 12

The Saint Mary’s choirs, under the direction of Dr. Patrick O’Shea, will present their spring concert Saturday, April 12.

The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, located at Wabasha and Vila streets.

The repertoire will feature works by Daniel Pinkham, Herbert Howells and Harry Somers.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and are available at the box office, Ext. 1715 Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

SMU choirs to perform spring concert April 12

The Saint Mary’s choirs, under the direction of Dr. Patrick O’Shea, will present their spring concert Saturday, April 12.

The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, located at Wabasha and Vila streets.

The repertoire will feature works by Daniel Pinkham, Herbert Howells and Harry Somers.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and are available at the box office, Ext. 1715 Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

‘Lessons and Carols’ Christmas service is Dec. 7

The joyous and uplifting Christmas service of “Lessons and Carols” will be presented by the  Department of Music at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7.

The beautiful service, held in the majestic Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, features the Saint Mary’s Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, directed by Dr. Patrick O’Shea.

“Lessons and Carols” reflects on the Christmas story through several short readings, hymns and Christmas carols sung by the choirs and audience. Music includes familiar carols and selections by composers from the Renaissance to the present.

The Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels is located at Wabasha and Vila streets in Winona.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org. Tickets at the door are available by cash or check only.

‘Lessons and Carols’ Christmas service is Dec. 7

The joyous and uplifting Christmas service of “Lessons and Carols” will be presented by the Saint Mary’s University Department of Music at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7.

The beautiful service, held in the majestic Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, features the Saint Mary’s Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, directed by Dr. Patrick O’Shea.

“Lessons and Carols” reflects on the Christmas story through several short readings, hymns and Christmas carols sung by the choirs and audience. Music includes familiar carols and selections by composers from the Renaissance to the present.

The Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels is located at Wabasha and Vila streets in Winona.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org. Tickets at the door are available by cash or check only.

Saint Mary’s debuts 7th Kaplan Commission Sept. 28

A joint performance of the Saint Mary’s Concert Band, Chamber Singers and Choirs will feature the world-premiere composition, “Katanya” during a family-oriented fall concert 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at Page Theatre.

“Katanya,” written by Larry Bitensky of Centre College, Danville, Ky., is a Jewish oral folk tale from Turkey that tells a variation of the familiar Tom Thumb/Thumbelina story. Bitensky will serve as the tale’s on-stage narrator during the Concert Band premiere, which includes Jewish folk songs the composer heard as a youth.

“Katanya” was commissioned by the Helen and Sam Kaplan Foundation, which supports performances and activities led by Jewish artists and scholars that are designed to increase cultural and religious understanding at Saint Mary’s. Bitensky is SMU’s seventh Kaplan composer.

Known for music described as “extraordinarily sensitive and beautiful” and “speaking directly to the heart,” Bitensky, a composer and pianist, has been hailed for works that are satisfying for performers and communicative to audiences.

Born in 1966 in New York, and educated at Skidmore College, the New England Conservatory of Music, Ithaca College, and Cornell University, Bitensky’s musical personality is rooted in a range of influences. He often seeks to merge the complex structures and expressive range of the classical masters and the innovations of the 20th-century greats with the melodic and rhythmic invention and improvisatory flow of musical traditions from India, Indonesia, the Islamic and Jewish worlds, jazz, and the Grateful Dead.

Recorded on Mark Records and Sea Breeze Vista records, Bitensky’s music has been performed by numerous ensembles and at various festivals around North America, Europe and Asia. His music is published by Silly Black Dog Music.

Bitensky is an associate professor of music at Centre College. He lives in Lancaster, Ky., with his wife Kathy and his silly black dog Chloe.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students and are available online at www.pagetheatre.org or at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Saint Mary’s debuts 7th Kaplan Commission Sept. 28

Larry Bitensky

A joint performance of the Saint Mary’s Concert Band, Chamber Singers and Choirs will feature the world-premiere composition, “Katanya” during a family-oriented fall concert 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at Page Theatre.

“Katanya,” written by Larry Bitensky of Centre College, Danville, Ky., is a Jewish oral folk tale from Turkey that tells a variation of the familiar Tom Thumb/Thumbelina story. Bitensky will serve as the tale’s on-stage narrator during the Concert Band premiere, which includes Jewish folk songs the composer heard as a youth.

“Katanya” was commissioned by the Helen and Sam Kaplan Foundation, which supports performances and activities led by Jewish artists and scholars that are designed to increase cultural and religious understanding at Saint Mary’s. Bitensky is SMU’s seventh Kaplan composer.

Known for music described as “extraordinarily sensitive and beautiful” and “speaking directly to the heart,” Bitensky, a composer and pianist, has been hailed for works that are satisfying for performers and communicative to audiences.

Born in 1966 in New York, and educated at Skidmore College, the New England Conservatory of Music, Ithaca College, and Cornell University, Bitensky’s musical personality is rooted in a range of influences. He often seeks to merge the complex structures and expressive range of the classical masters and the innovations of the 20th-century greats with the melodic and rhythmic invention and improvisatory flow of musical traditions from India, Indonesia, the Islamic and Jewish worlds, jazz, and the Grateful Dead. His travels as part of the Centre College study abroad program have also allowed him to explore firsthand the musical cultures of Morocco, Spain, Turkey and Bali.

Recorded on Mark Records and Sea Breeze Vista records, Bitensky’s music has been performed by numerous ensembles and at various festivals around North America, Europe and Asia. His music is published by Silly Black Dog Music.

Bitensky is an associate professor of music at Centre College. He lives in Lancaster, Ky., with his wife Kathy and his silly black dog Chloe.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students and are available online at www.pagetheatre.org or at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Band, choir record ‘Centennial Suite’ in preparation for Gala

In preparation for the Red Carpet Centennial Gala, a large recording session of the “Centennial Suite” music, performed by the Concert Band and Choir, was held this past week. As part of the “Let us Remember” visual arts performance this past fall, the university commissioned three new musical pieces. The “Centennial March” is a band piece composed by SMU director of music industry and jazz studies Eric Heukeshoven; “Let Us Remember” is a choral piece accompanied by piano and violin written by SMU director of choirs and vocal studies Patrick O’Shea. The two collaborated to write the third piece, “Heritage,” which ulitizes both the band and choir.

Saint Mary’s choirs to perform April 27

The Saint Mary’s Concert Choir and Chamber Singers — under the direction of Dr. Patrick O’Shea — will present a spring concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, located at 7th and Vila streets.

Guests will include the Northwestern College Varsity Men’s Chorus, under the direction of Dr. Tim Sawyer, and the SMU Chamber Orchestra.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students and are available at www.pagetheatre.org or at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

‘Lessons and Carols’ Christmas service is Dec. 8

The joyous and uplifting Christmas service of “Lessons and Carols” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8.

The beautiful service, held in the majestic Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, features the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, directed by Dr. Patrick O’Shea.

“Lessons and Carols” reflects on the Christmas story through several short readings, hymns and Christmas carols sung by the choirs and audience. Music includes familiar carols and selections by composers from the Renaissance to the present.

The Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels is located at Wabasha and Vila streets in Winona.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

‘Lessons and Carols’ Christmas service is Dec. 8

The joyous and uplifting Christmas service of “Lessons and Carols” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8.

The beautiful service, held in the majestic Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, features the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, directed by Dr. Patrick O’Shea.

“Lessons and Carols” reflects on the Christmas story through several short readings, hymns and Christmas carols sung by the choirs and audience. Music includes familiar carols and selections by composers from the Renaissance to the present.

The Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels is located at Wabasha and Vila streets in Winona.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

December concerts announced

December events at Saint Mary’s include an abundance of music guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit and some hot jazz to help warm your winter nights. Mark your calendars for:

• SMU jazz ensemble, jazz combo and World Drum Ensemble concert, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m., Page Theatre. Under the new direction of Eric Heukeshoven, the jazz groups will perform classic to contemporary works.

• Lessons & Carols, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m., Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels. The performance by the Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Women’s Choir celebrates Advent and the Nativity through sung and spoken word.

• Concert Band performance, Dec. 9 at 3 p.m., Page Theatre. This concert will feature many holiday favorites for everyone in the family. A musical lobby party and cookie reception follows.

• Vanessa Trouble, Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m., Minnesota Marine Art Museum. Tickets for this “Off the Page” concert are sold out. The locally raised jazz vocalist will sing holiday songs with a jazz beat.

Tickets for student performances are all $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and are available at www.pagetheatre.org or at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715.

Choirs to perform April 28

The Saint Mary’s Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, under the direction of Dr. Patrick O’Shea, will present their Spring Concert on Saturday, April 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels. The concert will also feature the Saint Mary’s Chamber Orchestra and organist Eric Heukeshoven. The performance will include works by Purcell, Bruckner, Egil Hovland, Stephen Hatfield, and Stephen Paulus.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students and are available at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Other upcoming April events

• Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts Music Division Spring Concert, 7 p.m. Monday, April 23, at the Valéncia Arts Center Recital Hall; $10 for adults, free to youth and students (at the door). The concert features MCA’s Winona Area Youth Singers (WAYS), the MCA Flute Choir and instrumental music division students.

• Spring Choirs Concert, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28, Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels; tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students.

Chamber Singers to tour Wisconsin, Illinois, Ontario

The Chamber Singers will perform in Wisconsin, Illinois and the Canadian province of Ontario as part of their 2012 Concert Tour. The 27-voice select ensemble is directed by Dr. Patrick O’Shea.

Upon their return, the Chamber Singers will present a free “Homecoming Concert” at the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, 7th and Vila streets, Winona, on Thursday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call Dr. O’Shea at Ext. 1598.

Saint Mary’s ‘Lessons and Carols’ service is Dec. 10

The joyous and uplifting Christmas service of “Lessons and Carols” will be presented by the Department of Music at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10.

The beautiful service, held in the majestic Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, features the Saint Mary’s Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, directed by Dr. Patrick O’Shea, and the Chamber Orchestra.

“Lessons and Carols” reflects on the Christmas story through several short readings, hymns and Christmas carols sung by the choirs and audience. Music includes familiar carols and selections by composers from the Renaissance to the present.

The Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels is located at Wabasha and Vila streets in Winona.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Saint Mary’s ‘Lessons and Carols’ service is Dec. 10

The joyous and uplifting Christmas service of “Lessons and Carols” will be presented by the Department of Music at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10.

The beautiful service, held in the majestic Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, features the Saint Mary’s Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, directed by Dr. Patrick O’Shea, and the Chamber Orchestra.

“Lessons and Carols” reflects on the Christmas story through several short readings, hymns and Christmas carols sung by the choirs and audience. Music includes familiar carols and selections by composers from the Renaissance to the present.

The Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels is located at Wabasha and Vila streets in Winona.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Saint Mary’s choirs to present ‘Lessons and Carols’

The Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Women’s Choir will present their annual holiday tribute, “Lessons and Carols,” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10. The concert will also feature the Saint Mary’s Chamber Orchestra.

The performance — a celebration of Advent and the Nativity through song and spoken word — will be held at Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, located at Wabasha and Vila streets.

Music will include familiar carols, as well as selections by a variety of composers from Renaissance to the present.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

SMU offers full weekend of student performances

Two public student performances — a jazz concert and a choir and band performance — will highlight Family Weekend.

• Jazz groups will kick off their year with a fall blast at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, in Figliulo Recital Hall. Jazz Combo I (a new and hot jazz nontet) will fire off the show with jazz classics like Horace Silver’s “The Preacher,” “I'll Take Romance” and the cool bossa “Speak Low” by Kurt Weil. Alto saxophonist Markeise Russell and tenor saxophonist Ben Scott are two of the student soloists featured in the combo. The 18-piece Jazz Ensemble follows with selections including “My Romance” with Tyler Ringeisen on flugelhorn, “My Foolish Heart” featuring Katy Kosiek on alto sax, and several other recognizable standards like “It Had To Be You,” arranged by Frank Mantooth. Closing the Jazz Ensemble set will be Gordon Goodwin’s rocker “Hit The Bricks.” Both groups are directed by Dr. John Paulson. Two jazz workshop combos, directed by Dr. Paulson and Eric Heukeshoven, will play for a reception following the concert in the Toner Student Center Lounge.


Flute player Emily Fasen, of Monticello, Minn., rehearses for the upcoming Family Weekend performance.

• The Concert Band and Choirs will combine talents for a 2 p.m. concert Saturday, Oct. 1, at Page Theatre. The Concert Band, under the direction of Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, will start the concert with “Bayou Breakdown” by Brant Karrick, followed by the “First Suite in Eb” by Gustav Holst, and finishing with an arrangement by John Wassen of music from “Pirates of the Caribbean.” The Chamber Singers will perform a set of Swedish folksongs arranged by Hugo Alfvén, and the Concert Choir will present selections by Fauré, and Gilbert and Sullivan. Both choirs are directed by Dr. Patrick O’Shea. The Women’s Choir, directed by Lindsy O’Shea, will also perform. A reception will follow in the Toner Student Center Lounge.

Tickets to both performances are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and are available at the Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org. Tickets are also available at the door.