Known as the college’s Christmas gift to the Greater Bluefield community, “Christmas at Bluefield” is an annual celebration of the birth of Christ through carols, drama, scripture and candlelight. Open and free to the community, the production features groups from BC’s Music and Theatre Departments, who provide a service of musical and dramatic portrayals of the Christmas story.
As always, the performance will be followed by a reception for all in attendance inside Bluefield College’s Shott Hall. In the event of inclement weather, the “Christmas at Bluefield” production will be moved to Monday, December 5 at 7:30 p.m.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for the campus and community at-large to come together to worship the Christ child,” said Bryant Moxley, head of BC’s Department of Music. “As we share our music, we pray that God will bless all those in attendance with a fresh awareness of the significance of the child whose birth we celebrate.”
This year, “Christmas at Bluefield” will feature the music ensembles Variations, Praise Singers, Bluefield Singers, Bluefield Concert Band and Orchestra, Women’s Chorus, and Men’s Chorus. The program also will feature BC Theatre troupes.
The musical groups will perform traditional carols, spirituals, contemporary Christian songs, and new choral selections, while the drama groups will offer dramatic interpretations of various portions of the Christmas story.
Under the direction of Bryant Moxley, assistant professor of music, Variations is an auditioned vocal ensemble that performs a wide variety of sacred music locally, throughout Virginia, across the eastern region, and internationally. In fact, Variations has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City and on mission in Austria, Italy, and the Czech Republic.
Praise Singers, under the direction of Susan Allen, instructor of music, is an auditioned vocal ensemble accompanied by a band, which specializes in contemporary Christian music, including praise and worship. The group tours regularly throughout Virginia, across the eastern region, and internationally. Like Variations, the group has performed in concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City and participated in international music mission trips to Austria, Italy, and the Czech Republic.
Under the direction of Lisa Moxley, instructor of music, Bluefield Singers performs classical, folk, spirituals, and folk music. Composed of students from all academic disciplines, the group specializes in contemporary Christian music and also incorporates scenes from Broadway shows into its repertoire.
The Bluefield Concert Band and Orchestra is a small company of instrumental musicians on string, woodwind and brass that performs works from standard orchestral literature. Under the direction of Dr. Charles Priest, assistant professor of music, the Concert Band is one of the latest music ensembles in the school’s new instrumental music program.
The Men’s and Women’s choruses in “Christmas at Bluefield” will be comprised of respective male and female voices from all of the music groups participating in the program.
Under the direction of theatre professors Charles Reese and Rebecca McCoy-Reese, BC’s theatre groups feature drama students who share the Gospel through skits and interpretive scripture reading.
“‘Christmas at Bluefield’ is our gift to the campus community, alumni and residents of the region,” added Moxley. “Ultimately, it is our gift to God, a gift of praise and worship in response to His ultimate gift of the Christ child.”
“Christmas at Bluefield’s” music and drama portion of the program will be followed by the annual lighting of the Bluefield College Christmas tree and the community reception. For more information, contact the BC Office of Public Relations at [email protected]