Holiday concert a feast for your ears

As Eastern New Mexico University presents its annual gift to our community in tonight’s 7 p.m. Holiday Concert at the Campus Union Ballroom, at least four music students are lacing on their running shoes so they can dart quickly between ensembles with multiple roles in this always-beautiful (and free) production.

Christopher Barber, a freshman from Muleshoe, Andres Labastida, a fifth-year senior from Hobbs, Adan Martinez, a junior from Clovis, and Cristian Zaragoza, a senior from Muleshoe, all pull double duty (and in some cases triple or quadruple) in the annual prism concert.

For newcomers, a “prism concert” is the very best in surround sound. Audience members are seated in the middle of a U-shaped musical feast, with each of the school’s ensembles set up in different locations. With ensembles taking turns throughout the evening, there’s no such thing as a bad seat in this house.

Tonight’s program includes offerings from the Clarinet Choir, the Brass Quintet, the ENMU Jazz Ensemble, Swanee Singers, Chamber Singers, Symphonic Band, and University Singers.

“My favorite aspect of the concert is the format,” Labastida said. “Being able to see and hear all the ensembles without the changing of the stage is fascinating.”

If you attend and watch closely, here’s where you’ll find these four students:

Barber plays trumpet in the Jazz Band and Symphonic Band, and sings bass for Chamber Singers and University Singers.

Martinez, another trumpeter, will appear with the Symphonic Band, the Jazz Band, and the Brass Quintet, and lend his voice to Chamber Singers.

Labastida plays trumpet and euphonium — the first with the Symphonic Band, the second with the Brass Quintet — and also adds his bass voice to Chamber Singers.

Be watching for Zaragoza as a Swanee Singer, then on flute with the Symphonic Band, and then back to vocals with the University Singers.

Phew.

All four look forward to this event as much as I do.

It’s Barber’s first ENMU holiday concert but he hopes tonight’s audience will leave with “joy in their hearts” and a sense of the “importance of music in our holiday traditions.”

“I always enjoy the large crowd that comes out to support us all,” Martinez said. “It’s so refreshing to see everybody come together and enjoy music towards the end of the semester.”

“The holiday concert is always my favorite because I get to really put my instrumental and vocal chops to work,” Zaragoza said, “not to mention we get to bring peace to the community through music.”

“I hope the audience will leave the concert feeling ‘Christmasy,’” Labastida added. “That is what it’s all about, feeling the holiday spirit.”

All that, plus cake and cider afterward, courtesy of the University Friends of Music.

O come, all ye faithful.

Betty Williamson hopes to be there with (sleigh) bells on. You may reach her at: [email protected]