Arts and culture
Christmas Carol Concert at Leiden University
- With S.M.G. “Sempre Crescendo” Carol Choir, Mantas Jarašūnas (conductor) and Jan Verschuren (organ)
- Date
- Thursday 19 December 2024
- Time
- Explanation
- Only for university staff and students. Entrance is free.
- Address
-
Academy Building
Rapenburg 73
2311 GJ Leiden
A festive start to Christmas in the Great Auditorium at Leiden University. Specially for the University community, the S.M.G. “Sempre Crescendo” Carol Choir will sing traditional Christmas carols, both centuries old and contemporary, interspersed with atmospheric organ music. Come and enjoy and sing along (because there also songs that we will sing together) and you will be all set for Christmas!
With
Choir: S.M.G. “Sempre Crescendo” Carol Choir
S.M.G. “Sempre Crescendo” is a student choir and orchestra based in the historic centre of Leiden. Sempre Crescendo also has a smaller women's choir, the Madrigal Choir, and an annual Christmas choir. Sempre Crescendo is known for its music and for its traditions. Founded in 1831, Sempre Crescendo is one of the oldest student music groups in the world.
Director: Mantas Jarašūnas
Mantas Jarašūnas (1999), born in Lithuania, started singing from an early age. As a young boy, he participated in various choirs and international projects. Later, specializing in choir conducting, he received his musical education in Lithuania, Austria and the Netherlands. As a conductor, he has practiced with various European choirs, including Groot Omroepkoor and Capella Amsterdam. As a singer he participated in concerts in Laeiszhalle & Elbphilharmonie Hamburg among others, and was a performer of the Lithuanian Pavillion at the 58th Biennale Arte in Venice in 2019.
Organist: Jan Verschuren
Jan Verschuren studied organ with Hub. Houët in Eindhoven and then with Reitze Smits at the Lemmens Institute in Leuven, Belgium and at the Utrecht Conservatory. He is university organist of Leiden University and Eindhoven University of Technology and organist-titularist of the Hartebrugkerk.
Programme
S.M.G. “Sempre Crescendo” Carol Choir
- O Come all ye faithful (sing-along)
- Silent Night (sing-along)
- Glorious Kingdom
Orgel
- Où s’ent vont ces gais bergers? - theme and variations Claude Balbastre (1724 - 1799)
- S.M.G. “Sempre Crescendo” Carol Choir
- Durme, durme
- Entre le boeuf et l'âne gris
- Jul, Jul, Stralande Jul
Organ
Il est un petit l’ange - theme and variations Claude Balbastre
S.M.G. “Sempre Crescendo” Carol Choir
- Hark the Herald angels sing
- Coventry Carol
- Jingle Bells (sing-along)
- A Merry Christmas (sing-along)
During sing-along songs the lyrics will appear on a large screen.