WCNY to present ‘Holidays at Hendricks’ on television, radio and Internet

“Holidays at Hendricks,” the annual holiday concert featuring the Hendricks Chapel Choir, the Syracuse University Brass Ensemble (SUBE), the Hendricks Handbell Ringers and University Organist Kola Owolabi, will be aired on television and radio and streamed on the Internet on Dec. 19, 24 (Christmas Eve) and 25 (Christmas Day) through a unique collaboration between Syracuse University and WCNY.

Broadcast times for WCNY-TV are Dec. 19 at 5:30 p.m. and Dec. 24 at 9:30 p.m. WCNY-TV is found on Channel 24 or Time Warner Channel 11.

The radio broadcast and audio webstreaming will be on Dec. 24 at 6 p.m. and Dec. 25 at 8 a.m. WCNY-FM (CLASSIC-FM) is found at 91.3 in Syracuse, 89.5 in Utica and 90.9 in Watertown, and the webstreaming can he heard at http://www.wcny.org.

The 90-minute concert was recorded live on Dec. 6 in Hendricks Chapel, during which the three groups performed individually and in combination. The choir is directed by John Warren, the Syracuse University Brass Ensemble by James Spencer, and the handbell ringers by Jessica Bowerman and Emily Cirillo. Owolabi provided accompaniment.

This year’s program includes music by Anderson, Danner, Delius, Manz, Mozart and Victoria, as well as traditional carols and holiday offerings. The full program, a list of performers and audio excerpts can be found at http://hendricks.syr.edu/holidayconcert/.

The Hendricks Chapel Choir is a select, voice-mixed choir of about 40 students that provides music for the Sunday morning interdenominational Protestant service at SU, as well as various campus events. The choir presents annual holiday and spring concerts, and has toured in Argentina, Chile, China, the Czech Republic, Poland and Uruguay.

The SUBE, housed in SU’s College of Arts and Sciences, is composed of members of the SU faculty and staff, the SUNY Upstate Medical University faculty and staff, and accomplished musicians from surrounding communities. The 35-member SUBE presents about 18 performances a year. The ensemble’s repertoire includes music from all major musical periods and often features new compositions commissioned by nationally known composers.

The Hendricks Chapel Handbell Ringers is a group of students, faculty and staff from the Syracuse University community. The ensemble rings five octaves of Schulmerich handbells and four octaves of Schulmerich MelodyChimes. The Handbell Ringers perform at Protestant worship services in the chapel throughout the academic year, as well as at other churches and venues throughout Central New York.

An award-winning DVD recording of the 2008 concert is available for $15. For information on ordering, or to pre-order a DVD of the 2009 concert, e-mail subrass@cas.syr.edu or visit http://www.subrass.com.