By Rodney Richey, Herald Bulletin Feature Writer
ANDERSON — A nationally televised holiday program has originated from Anderson for the past two decades.
Friday night, the Anderson University School of Music will again present its annual “Candles and Carols” Christmas concert at 7:30 p.m. in Reardon Auditorium.
More than 250 AU students from the School of Music will participate, including the chamber orchestra, chorale, and men’s choir, directed by Richard Sowers; the women’s chorus, directed by Joani Brandon; the wind ensemble, directed by Susan Taylor; the guitar ensemble directed by Mark Stanek; and the dance ensemble, choreographed by Matthew Farmer.
It is the 45th year for the program in its on-stage form. For 15 of those years, Jeffrey Wright, dean of the college of arts, has been artistic director.
“We try to think of fresh and imaginative ways of combining our musical ensembles, to keep the music fresh and interesting for the audience,” Wright said.
“We really strive to, first, tell the Christmas story in an authentic way, but also to do it in a way that captures the imagination of the audience.”
The show, which encourages participation from its live audience, will again be broadcast on stations throughout the country, produced by AU’s Covenant Productions. (The group also produces DVDs and CDs of the program for purchase.)
One to more than 100
That first year, one station carried the broadcast: WIPB Channel 49, Muncie.
“Somewhere in the mid-’90s, there was a huge leap in distribution on it,” said Donald Boggs, general manager. “It varies today from year to year, but it’s perhaps 120 TV stations in the United States.”
Indeed, the marketplace has changed radically. Today, excerpts from past “Candles and Carols” can be seen on Web outlets like YouTube.com.
He added that the show is seen each year in 19 of the top 20 television markets. The only exception is Miami.
“We’ve grown in a lot of ways, so there are more students involved than ever before,” Wright said. “But also, the quality of the music has escalated through the years. That’s why we’re able to broadcast it into so many major markets.
“At the heart of the concert, it’s still the Christmas story. But the music is very sophisticated but appealing to a wide audience.”
“I think ‘Candles and Carols’ hits a nice niche,” Boggs added. “It is not flashy, contemporary or glitzy. It is high-quality Christmas music, traditional as well as contemporary.
“And it’s a friendly piece. There are a lot of young faces in it. I’m sure the demographic skews older, but that’s OK. It is meaningful to people.”
Contact Rodney Richey, 640-4861, rodney.richey@heraldbulletin.com.
