The BYU-Idaho Music Department is set to present the annual Swinging Christmas concert which will feature the university’s Sound Alliance band and Vocal Union chorus group. This family-friendly event welcomes all ages to revel in the festive spirit with special guest appearances from Frosty, Santa and his elves. This year the event organizers have included a unique jingle bell parade for all the children who are in attendance.
The bulk of the concert music will feature six of nine movements from the Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn arrangement. However, Aaron Miller, the director for Sound Alliance, said those who attend the concert will be astonished with the music a big band can produce.
“I think you might be surprised at what a jazz band can do. It does not have to always swing. You might hear some old classics,” he said.
Miller says he enjoys the process of preparing the students for a spectacular show.
“The big thing is finding ways to push the students to do more than what they think they can do,” he said. “My joy in it is seeing what the students can do and trying to put together a program that's going to be fun for people of all ages, not just the kids or not just the adults.”
The Swinging Christmas concert starts at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 8 in the auditorium inside the Hart Building. Purchase tickets at www.byui.edu/ticket-office/. Children 10 and under get in free with the purchase of an adult ticket, ensuring a joyous experience for the whole family.