Related pages: Future_Concerts
Concert Archives: 2005-06, 2004-05, 2003-04, 2002-03, 2001-02,
2000-01, 1999-2000, and 1989-2005 Program History.

Thoughts About the Program

'Tis the Season! That phrase brings to mind family, friends, memories and so many other things associated with the Holiday Season.  Yet, for many of us this time of year also brings stress (both financial and emotional), crowded stores and highways, and a yearning for a simpler approach to Christmas.  That is as is should be, for "Christmas" in our modern society bears very little resemblance to that first Christmas over two thousand years ago. The Michael O'Neal Singers, and our very special guests, The Atlanta Young Singers of Callanwolde, will remind you in today's concert of the true meaning of this special time we call Christmas.

Through carols and songs that emphasize especially what it must have been like at the birth of the Christ Child, we hope to offer you not only beautiful music, but also perhaps a perspective on the Season rarely explored in the midst of our rushed lives.  We will be utilizing modern technology (the new screens of Roswell UMC) in order to better "tell the story" and yet we will do so sparingly, using the technology more in an effort to enhance the overall experience rather than detract from the musical message.

In settings of O Magnum Mysterium, performed by The Michael O'Neal Chamber Singers, you will be encouraged to consider what it must have been like for the simple animals at the manger to witness the birth of baby Jesus. In Laud to the Nativity, the MOS and Instrumental Ensemble will transport you to the manger scene with the Angle, the Shepherd, and the Virgin Mary, and the sense of adoration, awe and mystery will be heard in the music of Ottorino Respighi.  The Atlanta Young Singers of Callanwolde will bring their internationally acclaimed sound to our concert with several beautiful selections, including music from Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols and the America Premiere of Child Song by Irish composer Mary McAuliffe.

It is the purpose of all great art to enrich our lives and make us more human. May the music you hear today be a source of both beauty and truth in a world that seems to increasingly devalue both.

Search our site! Enter one or more keywords, and click the Search button.
The Michael O'Neal Singers: P.O. Box 1008, Roswell, GA 30077
Office 770-594-7974, Fax 770-650-5933, e-mail: Staff@mosingers.com
  Privacy Statement