The Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages will present the 30th annual Adventssingen, a free concert of traditional German Christmas music, Sunday, Dec. 4, at 6:30 p.m. in the Provo Tabernacle.
The program will feature music and readings from Austria, Germany and Switzerland performed by BYU students and faculty, as well as members of the community.
Admission is free and all are invited to attend.
The concert will highlight the BYU German Choir and traditional Austrian folk music groups with a harp, guitar and hammer dulcimer. Throughout the musical numbers, the Christmas story will be read in German. Michelle James, assistant professor of German and director of the German Choir, suggested that non-German speakers bring an English B ible to follow along with the story.
“Everyone can enjoy the German songs and get in the mood for the holidays,” James said. “The program is for German and non-German speakers alike.”
Although the German Choir is the core of the program, community men’s and women’s choruses and a choir from Timpview High School will perform in the collaboration of German Christmas music celebrating Advent.
In Roman Catholic churches, Advent focuses on spiritual preparation during the four weeks before Christmas.
“Christmas in these Germanic and Slavic countries, particularly Austria and Switzerland, has a stronger religious element and a weaker secular element,” James said. “Our program focuses on these religious elements, keeping a balance between formal pieces and light-hearted folk music.”
For more information about the Adventssingen concert, please contact Michelle James at (801) 422-2463 or michelle_james@byu.edu.
Writer: Angela Fischer
