Conway Women’s Chorus to present concert Dec. 10

The Conway Women’s Chorus will present A Night of Joy at 2 p.m. Dec. 10 at Wesley United Methodist Church in Conway. Members of the chorus include, front row, from left, Sarah Gottsponer, Lisa Bouabedi, Jo-Ed Woodward and Kari Yamber; second row, Lisa Wilson, Anita Bayless, Bonda Moyer, Donna Overton and Amanda Gates; third row, Julie Craig, Melissa Stiller, Kimberly Norris, Donna Etchieson, Barb Cavallo, Sally Wise and Kendra Thomas; and back row, Lynn Baker, Teena Woodworth, Dee Woodrum, Mimi Carlin, Anna Abernathy, Elizabeth Barnes and Joan Hanna. Chorus members not shown are Ruth Bass-Burgess and Judie Burney, and Erin Fehr, accompanist.
The Conway Women’s Chorus will present A Night of Joy at 2 p.m. Dec. 10 at Wesley United Methodist Church in Conway. Members of the chorus include, front row, from left, Sarah Gottsponer, Lisa Bouabedi, Jo-Ed Woodward and Kari Yamber; second row, Lisa Wilson, Anita Bayless, Bonda Moyer, Donna Overton and Amanda Gates; third row, Julie Craig, Melissa Stiller, Kimberly Norris, Donna Etchieson, Barb Cavallo, Sally Wise and Kendra Thomas; and back row, Lynn Baker, Teena Woodworth, Dee Woodrum, Mimi Carlin, Anna Abernathy, Elizabeth Barnes and Joan Hanna. Chorus members not shown are Ruth Bass-Burgess and Judie Burney, and Erin Fehr, accompanist.

CONWAY — The Conway Women’s Chorus will celebrate Christmas with a special concert at 2 p.m. Dec. 10 at Wesley United Methodist Church, 2310 E. Oak St. The public is welcome, and there is no admission charge.

“The first Christmas night was a night of joy and wonder,” said Joan Hanna, director of the Conway Women’s Chorus and the Faulkner Academy of Arts. “We invite the community to celebrate the life-changing event of Christ’s birth with us by attending our concert, A Night of Joy.”

Hanna said the program will include “Christmas Pipes,” which was originally arranged for Celtic Women; John Jacob Niles’ arrangement of “I Wonder as I Wander”; and “Joy to the World” with a Latin beat.

She said the duet “Sing for Joy!” from Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus has been arranged for women’s chorus and “perfectly reflects the exuberance of the season.”

“Selections from the classical repertoire, as well as folk music from the Appalachians, will give an air of

reflection and festivity,” Hanna said.

The holiday program will also include Hanna’s music students performing piano ensembles — duets, trios and quartets. These students are McKinley and Jackson McKissack and Ian Turkia, all of Vilonia; Gavin Patton, Faith Carter, Destiny Vaden and Spencer Smith, all of Wooster; Rachel Barnett of Enola;and Sarah Gottsponer and Chloe Sharp, both of Conway.

“It may be a fight for the keyboards, but you will enjoy it all,” Hanna said.

She said the children, ages 9 to 17, will open the show with traditional holiday music such as “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Silver Bells” and a humorous rendition called “Jingled Bells.”

Included in A Night of Joy will be instrumental settings of “What Child Is This,” “Deck the Halls” and “Angels We Have Heard on High.”

Hanna said the chorus will end the program with its traditional singalong.

“We are showcasing some of the old traditional carols and need joyful voices from the audience,” she said, smiling.

For more information, call the Faulkner Academy of Arts at (501) 399-7401 or email faulknerarts@yahoo.com.

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