�������� University invites the community to attend the annual HLGU Music Department Christmas Concert on Friday, December 5, at 7 p.m. in the Roland Fine Arts Center.

This festive celebration of the season will feature performances by the HLGU Concert Choir, under the direction of Elaine Carty, as well as the HLGU Band and the HLGU Chamber Choir, both under the direction of Dr. Edwin Aybar.

The concert will open with selections by the Concert Choir, including Frozen Choral Suite arranged by Roger Emerson and Northern Lights by Ola Gjeilo. Both pieces will be directed by Katelyn Browning, a Music Education major, in partial fulfillment of her degree requirements. Additional Concert Choir selections include Children, Go Where I Send Thee arranged by Adam Podd and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing arranged by Tim Bandy.

The HLGU Chamber Choir will continue the program with Masters in This Hall, a French Christmas carol arranged by Richard Oliver; Sing We Noel by Patricia Wilhelm; We Three Kings by J. H. Hopkins, arranged by Darmon Meader; and Good Christian Men, Rejoice, a traditional German carol arranged by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw.

The HLGU Band will perform several festive instrumental works, including A Royal Christmas arranged by Harry Stone, Fantasy for Christmas arranged by Jim Curnow, The Bells of Christmas arranged by Bob Krogstad, and Let Earth Receive Her King arranged by Jeff Cranfill.

The evening will conclude with a grand finale as the HLGU Band and Concert Choir join together for the beloved Hallelujah Chorus���ڰ��dz� Messiah by G.F. Handel, transposed by Clair Johnson.

This event is free and open to the public.

The concert will feature The HLGU Concert Choir, under the direction of Jane Griffen, and the HLGU Orchestra and Jazz Combo, both under the direction of Jason T. Laczkoski.

Songs to be performed include, “Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” “Veni, Veni Emmanuel, Ero Cras,” “See Amid the Winter’s Snow,” “Glory to God in the Highest,” “Chill Out Gents,” “Angled Angels”, a few tunes from holiday movie favorites, and “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” in the style of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

This event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and tickets must be reserved in advance. For more information about the concert, or to reserve a ticket, contact Jane Griffen at 573.629.3165.

by Alex Shipley, student worker

The Ireland-hailing Rend Collective will be visiting �������� University as part of their 2019 Revival Anthem Tour. The concert will be held Saturday, October 26, at 7 pm in the Mabee Sports Complex.

Ticket sales begin June 21 and can be purchased online at , or through . Prices range from $20-$70, with VIP experiences available. Pre-sale tickets will be available Wednesday morning, June 19. to sign up.

A limited number of tickets are available to students at a discounted rate. Only one ticket per student with a valid student ID will be available. Students can email joshua.pierce@hlg.edu to reserve tickets.

For more information, visit . To learn more about Rend Collective, visit .

It will be a combined concert with performances by the HLGU Symphonic Orchestra, Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Clarion Trumpet Choir, and La Sua Voce.

A variety of music will be featured throughout the evening including a percussion ensemble, a traditional spiritual, “All I Ask of You” from The Phantom of the Opera, a cappella music, a John Phillip Sousa march, and much more.

For more information on the event, please contact Jane Griffen, music department chair, at 573-629-3165, or via email at jgriffen@hlg.edu.

by Rebecca Sneed ’12

HLGU is hosting a free concert with singer-songwriter Erskin Anavitarte on Wednesday, October 17, at 7 pm. The event will be held in the Roland Fine Arts Center and is open to the public.

Erskin is a Texas-born and Nashville-based artist of many passions. He is a singer-songwriter, diversity spokesman, and adoption advocate who captivates his audience with his energetic personality, musical artistry, and lyrical truth. Whether across the country or around the world, his focus is to strengthen ministries, engage the culture, and create impactful art.

Erskin has traveled across the country and around the globe to encourage people in communities, churches, coffee shops, and other concert venues. The many musical genres that he seamlessly covers – Pop, Jazz, Country, R&B, and Hip Hop – attract a diverse fan-base and are continually winning over new listeners. His music can be found on Spotify, ReverbNation, and iTunes.

Erskin was a basketball stand-out who earned a scholarship to East Tennessee State University. He then went on to earn an M.Div. at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX. He currently resides in Nashville, TN, with his wife Kelli and their children. Erskin’s heart for orphaned, abandoned, and vulnerable children led him to become an advocate for the non-profit organization Holt International.

For more information about the concert, contact the student life office at 573-629-3026, or studentlife@hlg.edu.

by Rebecca Sneed ’12

The community is invited to attend this special night of music. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are available for $10 per person at the door. Groups of 10 or more are $8/ticket in advance. Contact Josh Pierce, director of student life, at joshua.pierce@hlg.edu for a group discount. The event is free for students with a valid HLGU ID.

The Gray Havens centers on husband and wife Dave and Licia Radford. Since their beginning in 2013, their projects have been hailed as “an imaginative treatment of faith…[having] a visionary quality that’s both playful and enraptured.” They have a knack for creating a listening experience similar to paging through your favorite book, with richly textured compositions and multi-layered lyrics. Releasing their debut EP on Noisetrade in 2013, and their first full-length album, Fire and Stone, in 2015, the duo has gained a steady following of listeners nationwide.

Their newest release, “Ghost of a King,” debuted at #3 on the iTunes singer-songwriter charts, rewarding listeners with immersive soundscapes and lyrical imagination. From poetic – almost Shakespearean – imagery to grand epics fit for darkened concert halls, to pop music infused with loops and infectious beats, the album possesses a remarkable range. In the context of that refreshing variety, the album stays cohesive thanks to its exploration of the human condition of longing.

Today, The Gray Havens are making the most well-crafted music of their career. Their next highly anticipated full-length album is expected to release in 2018.

For more information, contact Josh Pierce, director of student life, at 573-629-3014, or via email at joshua.pierce@hlg.edu.