The holidays wouldn’t be complete without music and this December, Clayton State University’s Spivey Hall decks its elegant halls with both the sights and sounds of the winter celebration. Against a beautiful backdrop of brightly decorated trees and wreaths, December concertgoers will experience a diverse array of music, including holiday pieces both familiar and new, in a variety of musical styles from jazz to medieval, with stops at bluegrass, a cappella, gospel and choral along the way.
“What would the holidays be without music?” said Sam Dixon, Spivey Hall’s executive and artistic director. “Singing takes pride of place this time of year, with traditional tunes evoking cherished memories, and excellent musicians of all ages offering music new and old to discover and enjoy.”
With “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” The Fred Hughes Trio (Dec. 3) fuses familiar holiday tunes with “equal shares of jazz improvisation, gospel-tinged soul, and funky blues” (AXS.com).
American lutenist Hopkinson Smith (Dec. 3) brings the music of Shakespeare’s time to life with “MAD DOG: The Elizabethan Lute.”
Skylark Vocal Ensemble returns to Spivey Hall (Dec. 11) to close the Hall’s holiday season with a program of a cappella Christmas music spanning the centuries.
Spivey Hall’s holiday schedule also provides budget-friendly options for family outings. Clayton State University’s Department of Visual and Performing Arts / Division of Music presents Christmas at Clayton State (Dec. 2 and 4), with performances from the CSU Orchestra, the CSU Community Chorus and the CSU Chorale. Spivey’s Young People’s Concert Series brings Holiday Blues from Cedar Hill Bluegrass (Dec. 6), with tickets priced as low as $2.00. And no holiday would be complete without the angelic harmonies of the Spivey Hall Children’s Choir (Dec. 9-11), including carol sing-alongs with Spivey Organist-in-Residence Alan Morrison and lots of Christmas cookies.
The Clayton State Prep School, a community engagement arm of the Clayton State University Division of Music, presents a student recital concert, accompanied by the Clayton County Honors Orchestra; attendance is free to the public.
For tickets or more information, call the Spivey Hall Box Office at 678-466-4200 or visit spiveyhall.org. In addition to the standard ticket pricing indicated for each performance, there is a 50 percent discount available to students and Georgia educators with ID. Discounted single tickets are available only through the box office, which is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; series subscriptions are now available online for purchase.
