Exeter, NH (November 26, 2007)—On Friday, November 30, at 7:00 p.m., Phillips Exeter Academy’s Music department will host its Annual Holiday Concert with 260 students and more than 10 major ensembles inside Thompson Gymnasium, located on the corner of Court and Gilman Streets in Exeter. The concert is free and open to the public.

The West African Drum Ensemble and the Glee Club will perform Babatunde Olatunji’s Betelehemu, a Yoruban/Nigerian carol, led by instructors Randy Armstrong and Ryan Turner; the Concert Band, conducted by instructor Peter Schultz, will perform folk dances written by Dmitri Shostakovich; the Women’s Chorus will perform “Kyrie” and “Agnus Dei” from Messa Basse by Gabriel Fauré, conducted by instructor Turner; the Stage Band, led by conductor Charlie Jennison, will perform Big Band holiday favorites; the Concert Choir will perform “Daemon irrepit callidus ” by György Orbán, “O nata lux” by Morten Lauridsen, and “My Spirit Sang All Day,” by Gerald Finzi and conducted by instructor Turner; the Chamber Orchestra will perform “Allegro con Spirito,” Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 in D major, K.385, and “Haffner,” conducted by department chair Rohan Smith and Schultz; the Glee Club will perform “When Icicles Hang,” by John Rutter and conducted by instructor Turner; Symphonia will perform L’arlesienne Suite No.1, by Georges Bizet and conducted by instructor Jae Hyeok Jang; the Percussion Ensemble will perform Sambaremi, by Christophe Merzet and conducted by instructor Gail Volk; the Symphony Orchestra will perform “Leonore” Overture No. 3, Op. 72, by Beethoven; and the finale includes an audience sing-along of such holiday favorites as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Let it Snow and Silver Bells.

For further information, please contact Patrice Baker in the Music department at (603) 777-3453. A complete list of upcoming events is available on the Phillips Exeter Academy public events line at (603) 777-4309 and on our website at http://www.exeter.edu/news_and_events/news_events.aspx. To learn more about Exeter's concert series, please check the Musical Performances page. For directions to Phillips Exeter Academy, call (603) 777-4330.

Phillips Exeter Academy is a coeducational, independent preparatory school that was founded in 1781 and originated the system of instruction known as Harkness teaching in 1931. In the spirit of its charter to foster both goodness and knowledge, students come from a wide variety of geographic, economic, racial and religious backgrounds. The diverse student body comes from approximately 45 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and 23 foreign countries.