The Blankenship Recital Hall was filled with music and Christmas cheer at the UT Martin Piano Ensemble Holiday Concert on Nov. 12, 2024.
Under the instruction of Dr. Elaine Harriss, the UT Martin Professor of Piano, several students performed traditional Christmas carols on piano, typically in small groups that played separate parts that complemented each other to form a coherent tune.
The ensemble was composed of instructors such as Dr. Harriss herself, UT Martin collaborative pianist Dr. Chan Mi Jean, UT Martin alums Linda Farmer and Victoria Russell, Union University alum Linda Williams and retired music teacher Robin Pape. The ensemble also consisted of UT Martin students such as Grace Browning, Jacob Callender, Katie Lownsdale, Timothy Odle and Christopher Ostenson, along with Konami Ishikawa, a student from Aichi University, Japan. Other individuals present included local pre-college students such as Chloe Baumgardner, Tyler Lownsdale, Isaac Ostenson and Elizabeth Woody.
A variety of Christmas and winter melodies echoed throughout the Fine Arts Building, starting with the ever-recognizable Sleigh Ride written by Leroy Anderson and arranged by Michael Edwards. This spectacular piece was followed up by Christmas Carols arranged by Norman Dello Joio, which was a medley of O Come, All Ye Faithful, Silent Night and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, written by John Reading, Franz Gruber and Felix Mendelssohn, respectively. The merriness continued with pieces such as The Nutcracker Suite, written by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and arranged by Nicholas Economou, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, written by Johannes Sebastian Bach and arranged by Myra Hess and Jingle Bells, written by James Pierpoint and arranged by Ron Boud.
As an extravagant finale, the entire ensemble took their seats at the numerous available pianos and recited the wondrous Arrival of Santa Clause, Op. 360, written by Hans Enlemann and arranged by John Schaum. As the performers defied expectations with said final number, Elwood Doss enthusiastically greeted the many audience members with plethoras of sweets and candies, dressed in a bright red suit that perfectly embodied Saint Nicholas himself.
The concert was well received by all in attendance, exciting them further for the upcoming holiday season. It also marks Dr. Elaine Harriss’ final Christmas concert, who will being retiring after the spring 2025 semester.
Dr. Harriss will hold her final piano ensemble concert this upcoming spring, ending her 24-year tenure at UT Martin.
You can view the performance here:
