The University of Rhode Island Department of Music highlighted all of its ensembles in the third annual Holiday Extravaganza on Saturday.
The show started with the song: “Our Finest Dreams,” from the Christmas scene of the Lyric Stage Workshop’s production of “Little Women,” the Broadway musical. All of the actresses reprised their roles as the March sisters: fourth-year Chelsea Gartland and Morgan Garcia as Jo, second-year Ally Campbell as Amy, fourth-year Louise Joyce as Beth and fourth-year Meghan Rinaldi as Meg.
“It was so fun; I love playing Meg,” Rinaldi said. “I love doing it. It was a little different for the concert, but it was so comfortable. I did miss it.”
The setlist for the show ranged from old to modern-day holiday songs, according to Brenton DeBoef, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The oldest song was “Greensleeves” by an unknown writer in 1580, and the most recent song was “Please Santa Please,” written by Pentatonix in 2023. “Greensleeves” was performed by the Wind Ensemble, and “Please Santa Please” was performed by In the Pocket, URI’s Jazz Choir.
One older song was “Mass in G Major” with pieces “Kyrie” and “Gloria,” by Franz Schubert, performed by a collaboration between the university chorus, concert choir and the symphony orchestra, according to DeBoef. The songs were written in 1815 and only took him six days to write. Despite their continued popularity, they weren’t officially published until 18 years after his death in 1846.
One modern-day song was URI’s Big Band’s first piece, “Give Love on Christmas Day,” by The Corporation, arranged by Emmett Goods, the director of the big band, according to DeBoef. The song was led by fourth-year saxophonist Tyler Vollucci. With Vollucci’s solo, he recreated the Jackson 5’s unique tone.
Preparing for the solo was all about improvisation, according to Vollucci. When Goods gave him the sheet music, he told Vollucci that he was playing soprano. As he rehearsed in class, he winged the composition.
“The URI Big Band is a requirement of the program, but you know, it’s a class, so I have to take it,” Vollucci said. “But I’m happy to be a part of it; there are other great people, and I’ve made a lot of friends.”
There were a few mix-ups while performing the solo, according to Vollucci. However, audience members came up to congratulate him, so he was the only one who noticed. Faculty members also participated in the concert, according to DeBoef.
Voice Faculty Directors Rachel Hanauer and Atla DeChamplain performed a duet of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” accompanied by the guitar ensemble. The song was arranged by the Barenaked Ladies featuring Sarah McLaughlin. In this version, the song includes “We Three Kings,” which McLaughlin sings.
Audience members were encouraged to sing along in a Christmas carol sing-along performed by all ensembles, according to DeBoef. The songlist included “Joy to the World,” “The First Noel,” “Silent Night” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”
To learn about upcoming events, visit the Department of Music’s events calendar.
