Hark the herald Hoosiers sing

Get your tickets now:

IU students with student ID and children: $11 to $15
General public: $14 to $20
Tickets available online at
www.iuauditorium.com, Ticketmaster or the IU Auditorium Box Office

The IU Auditorium will soon be filled with songs of holiday cheer when the Jacobs School of Music puts on its annual Chimes of Christmas performance at 7:30 p.m. today.

Featuring the Grammy-nominated IU show choir, the Singing Hoosiers, as well as the Jacobs School’s Wind Ensemble and Trombone Choir, the musicians are set to inspire audience members with new songs and traditional carols that incorporate a talented combination of singing, dancing and instrumental performances.

Steve Greist, student manager and varsity coordinator for the Singing Hoosiers, said that members of the group have been practicing up to 10 hours per week to prepare for the 14 songs they will perform at the concert.

“I think the reason the Chimes is so enjoyable for us is simply because it kicks off the Christmas season in such a brilliant way,” Greist said. “It’s all about promoting good
cheer.”

Junior Sarah Miller, a member of the Singing Hoosiers, said the performance is a great way to get into the holiday spirit.

“This is a beautiful season, and this music really brings our group together,” Miller said. “We are like a big family, and we bring our love of music and love for each other with us out on that stage.”

Sophomore Kali Kuhlenschmidt is looking forward to attending the concert for the first time.

Her parents, who have been coming to the show for the past six years, have enjoyed sharing the magic of the performance with the rest of their family. Last year, they brought their 2-year-old granddaughter, Sofia.

“My parents said she loved the performance and even sang and danced to some of the songs, as much as a two-year-old can do,” Kuhlenschmidt said.

Just as the Chimes of Christmas has brought smiles to the Kuhlenschmidt family for the past few years, the show has a deep-rooted tradition in the holiday season at IU.

IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said the first Chimes of Christmas performance on record was in 1959.

“For generations, people have come to watch the Chimes of Christmas,” Booher said. “It’s usually the unofficial kick-off to the holiday season and has enjoyed a huge amount of support over the years.”

While the shows contain a mixture of contemporary and traditional music, Booher said viewers can always be guaranteed to hear two classics: Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” and “Dona Nobis Pacem”.

The songs performed at the Chimes of Christmas showcase the variety of musical talent within IU’s music community.

“It brings together the Jacobs School of Music with the Singing Hoosiers and the wind and trombone ensembles, which create a festive and upbeat feeling for the start of the holiday season,” Booher said.

As students and visitors enjoy the variety of holiday entertainment in Bloomington, Booher said the Chimes of Christmas, along with IU Ballet Theater’s performance of “The Nutcracker,” are the holiday traditions that most think of when coming to spend the holidays at IU.

“The Chimes of Christmas has been a part of and will continue to be part of holiday memories for decades,” Booher said.