Christmas Is Coming

The Michael Teolis Singers begins its next decade with a holiday concert that includes
some new Christmas sounds, new takes on old Holiday favorites, and reprises from the MTS
Holiday files.

Our season opens with “Christmas is Coming!” As with our previous concerts that have always
presented lively songs of the season, this one display the ensemble’s versatility and a
variety of musical genres and styles.

Featured on our Christmas program will be the music of William Mathias, Allan Bullard, Noel
Goemanne, William Ferris’ haunting Christmas carol, “Gentle Mary.”

The concert title piece is Mack Wilbeg’s rollicking arrangement of the carol, “Christmas is
Coming,” arranged for chorus and piano four-hands. As always, the ensemble likes to bring to
light the music of established contemporary composers. For this concert, and as our central
work, we will present the Chicago premier of “Cantata for Christmas,” by British
composer, John Gardner.

Some familiar songs of the season will include, “Welcome Christmas,” from the film,” The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”; “The Pretty Little Dolly,” which was first performed by Mona Aboud on the Tonight Show in 1962; and we will close with the medley from the film “Home Alone.” In anticipation of its 200th anniversary, we will also perform the traditional carol, “Silent Night,” as arranged by William Ferris.