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Canadian Mennonite University invites community to celebrate Christmas at CMU

Annual ‘create-your-own-concert’ event features something for everyone

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and Canadian Mennonite University wants you to join in the merriment at its annual Christmas at CMU concert.

The event takes place on Saturday, November 26 at the university (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.). There are two concerts: one at 2:00 PM and the other at 7:00 PM. Admission for both concerts is free, and all are welcome to attend.

Dr. Janet Brenneman, Dean of the CMU School of Music, is looking forward to the concerts.

2016 Christmas at CMU“I love how the CMU community comes together for this event,” Brenneman says. “Many people’s efforts go into this, and it really is representative of our entire CMU community.”

More than 100 performers are involved in the event, which features CMU choirs; vocal and instrumental jazz; a classical guitar ensemble; and performances by the university’s music faculty.

Christmas at CMU is a multi-generational, interactive event that allows family, friends, and neighbours of all ages to mingle in CMU’s beautiful heritage building.

Part of the event’s appeal is that people who attend do not have to sit in the same spot for an hour-and-a-half.

Music ensembles will be stationed in different parts of the university, allowing attendees to create their own concert by walking around the festively decorated campus—all while enjoying hot apple cider and cookies.

Now in its 16th year, this year’s Christmas at CMU event will feature for the first time ever a Music Therapy Coffeehouse, where Music Therapy students will perform their own arrangements of classic holiday songs.

Meanwhile, there are a couple of items on the schedule specifically for children.

Dietrich Bartel, Associate Professor of Music, will read How the Grinch Stole Christmas in CMU’s Faculty & Staff Lounge. Following that performance, children and parents are welcome to make music with CMU alumna Rebecca Harder.

“Christmas at CMU is a family-friendly event, with short little concerts and many opportunities to get up, move around, and enjoy some cookies,” Brenneman says. “Plus, Father and Mother Christmas will be there.”

Christmas at CMU will end with an audience carol sing in the Loewen Athletic Centre, an annual tradition that always culminates with everyone singing Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.

Since it was first held in 2001, Christmas at CMU has become an important event on the university’s calendar. Alumni and friends from across Canada travel to Winnipeg to attend.

“I love that alumni come back to this event—it’s a great place for them to connect,” Brenneman says. “I also love seeing people from the community here. There’s always some that are here for the first time, and that’s fun.”

For the complete Christmas at CMU schedule, please visit cmu.ca/christmas.

About CMU

A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over 800 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

 

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Events News Releases

Community invited to celebrate 15th annual Christmas at CMU

Annual create-your-own-concert event features more than 100 musicians

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) invites the community to celebrate the start of Advent at its 15th annual Christmas at CMU concert event.

Christmas at CMU takes place on Saturday, November 28 at the university (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.). There are two concerts: one at 2:00 PM and the other at 7:00 PM. Admission for both concerts is free, and all are welcome to attend.

Rudy Schellenberg, Professor Emeritus of Music and one of the event’s key organizers, is joyfully anticipating the concerts.

“It’s really an intergenerational event, which is the great thing about it,” Schellenberg says. “There’s something for everybody.”

More than 100 performers are involved in the event, which features CMU choirs; vocal and instrumental jazz; a classical guitar ensemble; and performances by the university’s music faculty.

Christmas at CMU is a multi-generational, interactive event that allows family, friends, and neighbours of all ages to mingle in CMU’s beautiful heritage building.

Part of the event’s appeal is that people who attend do not have to sit in the same spot for an hour-and-a-half.

Music ensembles will be stationed in different parts of the university, allowing attendees to create their own concert by walking around the festively decorated campus—all while enjoying hot apple cider and cookies.

ChristmasCMUHighlights of this year’s event include Making Room for the Angel’s Song, a multimedia monologue taking place in CMU’s Great Hall. Based on Luke 1:26–38 with music from George Crumb’s A Little Suite for Christmas, the piece will feature CMU President Cheryl Pauls on piano.

Meanwhile, Dietrich Bartel, Associate Professor of Music, will read How the Grinch Stole Christmas in CMU’s Faculty & Staff Lounge, with CMU student Jesse Dollimont performing musical selections from the famed 1966 animated TV special to accompany him.

Following that performance, all children and parents are welcome to make music with Rebecca Harder, a CMU alumna and instructor with the university’s Community School of Music and the Arts.

Christmas at CMU will end with an audience carol sing in the Loewen Athletic Centre, an annual tradition that always culminates with everyone singing Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.

“There’s something universal about the Hallelujah Chorus that is a great summation of the purpose of this event,” Schellenberg says. “It’s a highlight every year.”

Since it was first held in 2001, Christmas at CMU has become an important event on the university’s calendar. Each of the two concerts draws approximately 700 people.

Alumni and friends from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and even southern Ontario travel to Winnipeg to attend.

“Christmas at CMU is our gift to the constituency that supports the university and to the community at large,” Schellenberg says. “It is a thank you for all the donations and students that CMU benefits from.”

While Schellenberg is co-organizing this year’s event, his retirement this past spring means he will not be conducting any of the ensembles.

“For the first time, I’ll be able to walk the halls and enjoy the music along with the audience,” Schellenberg says. “I think I’ll come to both concerts.”

For the complete Christmas at CMU schedule, please visit www.cmu.ca/christmas.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over 800 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program. 

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

Categories
Events News Releases

Community invited to celebrate Christmas at CMU

Annual concert draws alumni, friends from across Canada

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) invites the community to celebrate the start of Advent at its annual Christmas concert.

Christmas at CMU takes place on Saturday, November 29 at the university (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.). There are two concerts: one at 2:30 PM and the other at 7:00 PM. Admission for both concerts is free, and all are welcome to attend.

Rudy Schellenberg, Associate Professor of Music and one of the event’s key organizers, is joyfully anticipating the concerts.

Christmas at CMU Poster“One of the great things about Christmas at CMU is the mix of people,” Schellenberg says. “I’m looking forward to the buzz created by the return of all these alumni and friends of CMU.”

The concert will feature a handful of new features this year, Schellenberg adds.

Sue Sorensen, Associate Professor of English, will present A Christmas Home Companion at CMU, which consists of her telling a series of short stories recounting some of her childhood Christmas experiences. CMU music faculty will perform accompaniment.

Meanwhile, all children and parents are welcome to make music with Rebecca Harder, an instructor with CMU’s Community School of Music and the Arts.

Recent additions to the program also include Dietrich Bartel, Associate Professor of Music, reading How the Grinch Stole Christmas, with CMU student Jesse Dollimont performing musical selections from the famed 1966 animated TV special to accompany him; a jazz guitar ensemble; a handbell ensemble; and percussionists playing steel drums.

More than 100 performers are involved in the event, which also features CMU choirs; vocal and instrumental jazz; flute and classical guitar ensembles; and performances by the university’s music faculty.

Christmas at CMU is a multi-generational, interactive event that allows family, friends, and neighbours of all ages to mingle in CMU’s beautiful heritage building.

Since it was first held more than 10 years ago, Christmas at CMU has become an important event on the university’s calendar. Alumni and friends from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and even southern Ontario travel to Winnipeg to attend.

“It’s a wonderful gift we give to our constituency at Christmas,” Schellenberg says of the concert.

He adds that part of Christmas at CMU’s appeal is that people who attend do not have to sit in the same spot for an hour-and-a-half.

Music ensembles will be stationed in different parts of the university, allowing attendees to create their own concert by walking around the festively decorated campus—all while enjoying hot apple cider and cookies.

“The concert is created for people like me who can’t sit for very long,” Schellenberg quips. “If you can’t sit longer than 20 minutes, you can leave after 10 and go get a cookie.”

For the complete Christmas at CMU schedule, please visit www.cmu.ca/christmas.

Immediately preceding Christmas at CMU, the public is invited to join students, staff, and faculty at the grand opening of Marpeck Commons, CMU’s new library, learning commons, and bridge. Marpeck Commons will be open from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with an official grand opening program starting at 1:30 PM and ending at 2:15 PM.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences and social sciences, and graduate degrees in Theology and Ministry. CMU has over 1,600 students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury Campus and in its Menno Simons College and Outtatown programs.

For information about CMU, visit: www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:

Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

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Student Projects Video

Christmas@CMU video

 

Christmas@CMUOn November 27 and 28, the Canadian Mennonite University community came together to celebrate Christmas.  Venues across the north campus were filled with musicians, storytellers and minstrels.  Student reporters – Rachel Bergen and Ben Borne, from CMU’s Media Workshop class, were there to capture the festive moment.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fvOcpl53U4[/youtube]