“Toys…They line the windows, of the endless sea of stores. Twinkling in starlight, people shuffling through doors. Songs come on the radio about buying fancy things, but above the bustle of it all a single carol rings…”(Lyrics by Aubrey Aikens)
An original Christmas carol, written for 8 part choir and 30 part orchestra composed by young local musician Dante Zubel, will be making its world debut at the Uintah Basin Orchestra and Chorus Christmas concerts this Saturday. UBOC Conductor and Artistic Director Dr. Bankhead approached him about writing the piece last spring and Dante admits that at first the task felt overwhelming. “Really my only goal was to try and convey the feeling I get during Christmas time to everyone who listens to it and plays it,” explains Dante. With that in mind he approached Aubrey Aikens, a friend he has collaborated with before, for some Christmas poetry and chose the lyrics from the selection she sent. With lyrics matching the feeling he hoped to convey, the process began. “I heard the melody in my head and a lush background,” explains Dante. “It was the emotion of Christmas and winter in that first chord and once I had that, the melody for the voices just followed, any anxiousness went away and it was a happy experience in giving the gift of music.” UBOC’s matinee concert will be
Saturday at 2:00pm
with the evening concert
at 7:30pm
. If the chance to experience the Messiah or enjoy local dancers and a children’s choir isn’t enough, don’t miss your chance to experience Dante’s original Christmas carol,
The True Meaning of Christmas Sings
, in its debut performance
this Saturday, December 2nd
, at the Vernal Middle School auditorium. Tickets can be purchased on
www.uboc.org
, at Davis Food and Drug, or at the door.
