College of Arts & Communication at UW-Whitewater

On December 1, 2012 UW-Whitewater’s Music Department is hosting its annual Gala Holiday Concert, Dinner and Silent Auction; the Department’s major fundraiser. Last year Gala raised over $16,000 and has set a goal of $18,000 to benefit the Department scholarship fund.

Items to be auctioned at the silent auction have been donated by individuals and area businesses.  These items range from art work, gift certificates, luggage, sporting equipment, food, music and theatre tickets. Unfortunately a complete list of this year’s items is not yet available as items are still arriving. The silent auction begins at 7:00 pm, prior to the concert, and will pause at 7:25 to ensure guests can get to their seats for the start of the concert. Bidding resumes at intermission and closes 5 minutes prior to the start of the second half of the performance. Also prior to the start of the concert, as well as during dinner, intermission and after the concert, small student ensembles will be performing throughout the Young Auditorium.

Giles Swayne

This year’s Gala concert is boasting a world premiere of Giles Swayne’s The New-born. Giles Swayne was born in Hertfordshire, UK in June 1946. He has lived in Singapore, Australia, Ghana and parts of England. He began composing at the age of ten, and went on to study the piano at Cambridge. Upon leaving Cambridge, Swayne won a composition scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, London. After living in Africa, Swayne developed a major interest in Africa and African music that has influenced his work both directly and indirectly. Swayne’s works are mostly performed in England and have generally been theatrical and engaging; The New-born however is a classical style Christmas carol. So how did UW-Whitewater earn the pleasure of being the first to perform this work before the English? The answer is simply, timing. The English men and boys choirs wait on their Christmas concerts until the start of Advent which is December 2; so by Gala being on December 1 we are able to be the first. Being that Giles Swayne now lives in London we were not able to bring him to see this historic event however the Department hopes that some day it will be possible.

Another addition to Gala is Emanuele Andrizzi, the new Director of Orchestras at UW-Whitewater.  Andrizzi comes to Whitewater after finishing his education at Northwestern and is also the Assistant Cover Director at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Andrizzi will be conducting two pieces for Gala,Vivaldi’s Magnificat and Regina Coeli from Mascagni’s opera Cavalleria Rusticana.

The concert begins at 7:30 pm in Young Auditorium.

Parking at UW-Whitewater’s Greenhill Center of the Arts has always been interesting thus patrons are encouraged to utilize both Lot 1 in front of the Greenhill Center/Young Auditorium and Lot 2 between Greenhill Center/Young Auditorium and Laurentide Hall.  Please make a note that there is also a Theatre/Dance Department event on Saturday and the parking lots may be congested.