Central College’s music program welcomes the public to a host of holiday concerts, including the 49th annual Christmas Candlelight Concerts.
The Central Community Orchestra will host a concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28, in Douwstra Auditorium on Hoekstra Family Stage, under the direction of Phil Peters, orchestra director. Admission is free.
ALMA Holiday Concert will kick off the holiday music season at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29. The concert will be directed by Gabriel Espinosa, a 1979 Central graduate and associate professor emeritus of music. Admission is free.
Join the Symphonic Wind Ensemble for an instrumental concert at 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 1, in Douwstra Auditorium on Hoekstra Family Stage, under the direction of Brad Lampe, lecturer of music. Admission is free.
The Flying Pans Steel Band Caribbean Christmas Concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, in Douwstra Auditorium on Hoekstra Family Stage. Stan Dahl, senior lecturer of music, will direct the performance. Admission is $5 or free with the donation of a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots.
A Cappella Choir, Chamber Singers and College Community Orchestra will perform Christmas Candlelight Concerts under the direction of Mark Babcock, a 1991 Central graduate, professor of music and M. Joan Kuyper Farver Endowed Chair in Music. “Comfort and Joy” is the theme for this year’s concert. Peters, who recently joined the Central music program, will direct the orchestra.
The first performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, located at 4114 Allison Ave. in Des Moines.
Two Christmas Candlelight concerts in Pella will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, and Saturday, Dec. 9, in Douwstra Auditorium on Hoekstra Family Stage. Tickets for adults are $15; students up to age 12 and senior citizens are $12; and admission is free to those who present a Central ID. To reserve seats, visit events.central.edu.
A Christmas Candlelight dinner will be Friday, Dec. 8, and Saturday, Dec. 9, in Graham Conference Center in Vermeer Banquet Room. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. A cash bar will be available. Reservations are required, and the deadline to register is Thursday, Nov. 30. Tickets for adults (public, faculty and staff) are $20, children ages 5-12 and Central students are $10. Children ages 4 and under are free. To reserve seats, visit events.central.edu.
A tradition of the Candlelight Concert is the purchase of poinsettias in honor or in memory of someone. The Douwstra auditorium will be decorated with these poinsettias. Those who purchase may take them home after the concerts on Friday or Saturday. Purchase poinsettias for $25 on Central’s website
Central College of Pella, Iowa, is a private, four-year college known for its academic rigor, engaged citizenship and character formation, experiential learning, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), athletics and service. For more information about Central College, visit central.edu.
