News

HOLIDAY BRIEFS: Chorale, Sandburg shows, Bullington wreaths

The Hendersonville Merchants & Business Association invites organizations to sign up for the Dec. 5 Christmas parade.

By Bill Moss, Published: November 25, 2015

Chorale in 'Holiday Mood'

Hendersonville Chorale will present the fall concert “Holiday Moods” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, at First United Methodist Church. The program will include a broad range of traditional and classical Christmas music and feature Chorale members, three guest vocalists, a harpsichordist and a flutist. The Chorale is conducted by Mary Beth Shumate and accompanied by Michael Brannon.
Tickets are available at the Henderson County Visitors Center, Opportunity House, from Chorale members and at the door. Cost is $15 for adults, and there is no admission charge for children or students.
Ashley Renfro, mezzo soprano, will be a guest soloist. She lives in Hendersonville and currently serves as assistant choral director for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Asheville. Tenor soloist Blake Ellege travels full time performing for opera companies, symphonies, churches and chamber ensembles throughout the Southeast. In 2014 he was named by the National Association of Teachers in Singing as one of the top four Lyrical Tenors in the United States for Classical Voice and one of the top 14 tenors for Musical Theater in his respective categories. Bass soloist Bart Gilleland, a native of Texas, joined the Brevard High School faculty as choral director just this year. A versatile dramatic actor and singer, he is often seen on the operatic and oratorio stages.
Harpsichordist Stephen Klein will be featured in the opening presentation of J.S. Bach’s “For Unto Us a Child is Born.” Flutist Paul Doebler will perform during Robert Hunter’s “The Christmas Nightingale.” For more information, visit www.hendersonvillechorale.com.

Sandburg shows celebrate Christmas

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site will host Christmas at Connemara events on Saturday, Nov. 28, and Saturday, Dec. 19, each day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This year visitors will have a new opportunity to enjoy music and events inside the home. While the Sandburg furnishings were packed away this fall, it left plenty of room to move the holiday event inside to fill the rooms.
On Nov. 28 the New Mountain Strings will provide dulcimer music while visitors make crafts inside the home. In the house garage at 10:30 a.m. Lucy Allen and Marshall Goers sing holiday music while performing on guitar, banjo and mandolin. At 11:30 a.m. Black Feather, dressed in her native Cherokee Indian attire, will share stories of Cherokee holiday traditions.
On Saturday, Dec. 19, at 10 a.m. Steve and Jean Smith will provide dulcimer and harp music while visitors make crafts. More music begins in the house garage at 10:30 a.m. with John Perkins performing. At 11:30 a.m., professional storyteller Becky Stone will share traditional African-American holiday stories and songs accompanied by guitar.

Parade organizers invite participants

The Hendersonville Merchants & Business Association will present the 2015 Christmas Parade with the theme “An Olde Fashion Christmas” through downtown Hendersonville on Saturday, Dec. 5, starting at 10:30 a.m. on Oak Street next to Hendersonville High School.
Anyone interested in being in the parade may contact the Merchants Association by calling 828-692-4179 or e-mailing cherylgudgerthompson@gmail.com. Entry fees vary and are no more than $25 per entry up to five units per entry (vehicles, etc.). Proceeds will benefit The Storehouse of Henderson County.

Bullington Gardens sells holiday greenery

Bullington Gardens is now taking orders for holiday greenery.
Available are freshly-cut Fraser fir trees from the North Carolina mountains as well as garland and wreaths. The trees and garland will be available for pick-up 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 4, and Saturday, Dec. 5, during the 11th annual Open House and Holiday Sale and Christmas Mart. Buyers should pre-order items by Wednesday, Nov. 25, because a limited number will be available. Also for sale are decorated wreaths and swags as well as unique handmade holiday craft items and at the annual open house premium amaryllis, poinsettias and cyclamen. Following the sale, these items along with swags and wreaths will be available for sale at Bullington Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Dec. 18 or as long as the supply lasts. A new item for this year’s sale is wreaths for veterans’ graves. For a $15 donation, Bullington will place a wreath decorated with a red bow, to honor a fallen veteran, on a gravesite at the Western Carolina Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain. Bullington Gardens is at 95 Upper Red Oak Trail in Hendersonville.

Holiday Gallery opens in historic train depot

SALUDA — The Saluda Historic Depot is opening the Saluda Holiday Gallery. The gallery is open through Dec. 31 Thursday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

An opening reception will be held Saturday, Nov. 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. to introduce more than 15 artists who will display and sell a variety of art from paintings, pottery, jewelry, fairy gardens and more.

The artists are donating 30 percent of the proceeds from their sales to the fundraising effort to purchase the depot.
For more information, contact Judy Ward at 828-674-5958 or email at judyward@charter.net, or Cathy Jackson at 828-817-2876 or email cathyj@rsnet.org.

‘Tis the Season’ show features holiday hits

The Hendersonville Community Band will perform its annual “Tis the Season” concert conducted by Winford Franklin at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Blue Ridge Conference Hall at BRCC.

Among the selections are Leroy Anderson’s “A Christmas Festival,” “A Holiday Piece” by Stephen Foster, “Russian Christmas Music” by Alfred Reed, “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear,” “Away in a Manger,” “March of the Toys/Toyland” by Victor Herbert, “Amazing Grace” by Frank Tichelli and “A Most Wonderful Christmas,” arranged by Robert Sheldon. The show also features “Holiday for Trombones” by David Rose and “Sleigh Ride” taking the audience home for a joyous holiday season.

Tickets are $10 for adults. Students are admitted free. Tickets may be purchased from any band member or at the Henderson County Visitors Center, Laurel Park Wine Market and at the door. For more information visit www.hcbmusic.com or call 828-692-8801.

Church choir to perform ‘Jesus, Prince of Peace’

The Hendersonville Presbyterian Church adult choir will perform “Jesus, Prince of Peace,” a musical written by Brenda Bradshaw, at the 10:55 a.m. service on Sunday, Dec. 6.
The music, selected by director of music Gayle Stepp features compositions by George F. Handel, Douglas E. Wagner, Paul Manz, John Carter, Joseph Martin, John Rutter, and Mark Hayes. Characters portraying the Prophecy and birth of Jesus include Lance Johnson as Isaiah, Karey Garrison as Mary, the mother of Jesus; Peter Garrison as a shepherd boy; and David Garrison, director of ministries, as Joseph. Senior Minister Bill Campbell will be one of the Wise Men.
Costuming is by Anne Carlin and Marilyn Frenier. The Choir will be directed by Gaye Stepp with Brenda Bradshaw directing the actors.
A special offertory solo, “Star of the East,” by George Cooper and Amanda Kennedy, will be sung by Cathey Riding Gilbert, accompanied on the piano by Mary Lib McLeod.

Trio to perform at public library

Blissing, an a capella trio made up of Lynn Nichols, Diane David and Eileen Douglas, will present a concert of Christmas songs at the Kaplan Auditorium of the Henderson County Public Library at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Grace holds Advent services

The community is invited to gather at Grace Lutheran Church for three mid-week Advent services at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, Dec. 2, 9 and 16 in this season of hope and preparation for celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Messiah.

A light supper (free will offering requested and reservations required) will be served from 5 until 5:30 p.m. in Stull Hall for those who wish to eat at the church before each Advent worship service in the sanctuary at 6 p.m. The MWednesday supper and worship services are open to the public. Reservations for supper can be made by calling 828-693-4890 no later than the Friday before each Wednesday service.

Nursery care will be available for children ages birth to 5 years old during all Advent services. Grace Lutheran Church is located at the corner of Sixth Avenue West and Blythe Street. For more information call 828-693-4890.

Advent Service features Scottish Pipes and Drums

St. James Church will present an Advent Service of Lessons and Carols at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29. The annual holiday service will feature the Montreat Scottish Pipes and Drums, an ensemble dedicated to preserving and performing classical Scottish music in Western North Carolina, led by Joe Bailey, playing Highland Cathedral, The Bells of Dunblane, and Scotland the Brave during the service. This year, the bagpipes will be playing an arrangement of Highland Cathedral by Mark Schweizer which will add both the majestic sound of the Harrison & Harrison pipe organ as well as two trumpets.
The St. James Choir led by Director of Music Brad Gee will be singing anthems and carols appropriate to the seven Advent readings, including Advent Hymn by Martin Jean, a lush, impressionistic setting of Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming by the Swedish composer Jan Sandstrom, Prepare the Way, O Zion featuring the new zimbelstern on the organ, and other anthems. St. James parishioner Paul Doebler will be playing Three Carols for Flute and Organ by Michael Barker for the prelude; Howard Bakken will be the organist for the service.
Doors for the service will open at 4 p.m. There will be a candlelight reception following the service in the Parish Hall, to which all are cordially invited. For more information, call 828-694-6925.