NIC Christmas concert today

North Idaho College will present its “Sounds of Christmas” concert in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center at 2 p.m. today.

The annual concert will feature performances by the NIC Wind Symphony, NIC Cardinal Chorale, and NIC Chamber Singers.

“This wonderful evening of music will have the popular Holiday Sing-Along arranged by local composer Tom Tucker and performed by the NIC Wind Symphony and NIC Choral Union,” said NIC Director of Bands Bryan Hannaford. “It will get the whole town in the holiday mood and who knows? Santa might show up!”

This year’s program will feature the premiere of a new choral work The Ancient Inn by Idaho composer Paul Aitken. The piece will be performed by the NIC Choral Union, featuring violin by NIC student Ashley Dryer, under the direction of NIC Director of Choirs Max Mendez. The choirs will sing music that spans the globe musically and culturally. Expect to hear Serenissima una noche and Carols of Western Europe, which will showcase the music of Germany, France, Austria, Italy and Catalonia.

This concert will also feature the NIC Wind Symphony under Hannaford’s direction. The Wind Symphony will be performing classic holiday music like Sleigh Ride and Let There Be Peace on Earth. The Wind Symphony will begin their set with a wild piece named Joyride that combines John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine and Beethoven’s Ode to Joy from his 9th Symphony.

“This was a great moment to sneak in a contemporary wind ensemble piece,” Hannaford said. “There are many modern compositional techniques used by Michael Markowski in this piece, but the composer’s use of the familiar Joyful, Joyful theme makes this piece accessible for all audience members.”