Posted on Dec 15, 2006

Murray State University is decking the halls across the country this Christmas season with its Celebrating the Holidays at Murray State University 2006 edition, produced for KET television. Special musical groups from Murray State, including the Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, the Voices of Praise and instrumentalists will join guest soloists in the TV special. Filmed around campus and the region, the show features a number of holiday settings. In just its third year of production, the show is fast becoming a holiday favorite that has spread throughout the country. Shown through the region last year, Holidays at Murray State has expanded into major markets such as Philadelphia, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Denver, Orlando, Baltimore, Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C. The broadcast will include standards such as Deck the Halls, Sweet Little Jesus Boy and Go Tell It on the Mountain, as well as Ave Maria, Cantate Domino, O Holy Night and Hark the Herald Angels Sing, along with many others. The Concert Choir and the Chamber Singers are both under the direction of Dr. Bradley Almquist, director of choral activities at MSU. The Concert Choir is internationally recognized, having toured Ireland, Wales and England. In addition, it has been chosen to perform commissioned works a number of times. Participation in the choir is by audition only. The Chamber Singers are selected from members of the MSU Concert Choir and the University Chorale; the group is dedicated to the study and performance of music composed for small ensembles. Voices of Praise is a student-organized choir at Murray, dating back to 1975. Faculty performers for the event are Dr. Sonya Baker, soprano, and Dr. Randall Black, tenor. Retired faculty member Marie Taylor plays piano on three numbers. The show, which began in 2004, is an hour-long event and can be seen on a number of stations throughout the holiday season. The Kentucky Educational Television network will show Holidays on Thursday, Dec. 21, at 8 p.m. (CT) and on Saturday, Dec. 23, at 3 p.m. (CT) on KET1. The show was produced for KET by MSU's broadcast media services. Other stations carrying the show include: o WYBE in Philadelphia, Pa. - Wednesday, Dec. 20, 3 a.m. (ET) o WFPT/WWPB in Washington, D.C. - Sunday, Dec. 24, 2:30 a.m. (ET) o KAWB/KAWE in Minneapolis-St. Paul - Sunday, Dec. 24, 11:30 a.m. (CT) o KBDI in Denver, Colo. - Saturday, Dec. 23, 5:30 a.m. (MT) o WBCC in Orlando, Daytona Beach and Melbourne, Fla., Monday, Dec. 25, 10 p.m. (ET) o WGPT in Pittsburgh, Pa., - Sunday, Dec. 24, 2:30 a.m. (ET) o WMPB/WMPT in Baltimore, Md. - Sunday, Dec. 24, 2:30 a.m. (ET) o WIPB in Indianapolis, Ind. - Sunday, Dec. 24, 2 p.m. (ET) and Monday, Dec. 25, 3:30 p.m. (ET) o WTIU in Indianapolis, Ind. - Monday, Dec. 25, 1 p.m. (ET) o WCTE in Nashville, Tenn. - Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2 p.m. (CT) o WCVN/WKON in Cincinnati, Ohio - Thursday, Dec. 21, 9 p.m. (ET) o WCVN/WKON in Cincinnati, Ohio - Saturday, Dec. 23, 4 p.m. (ET) o KUEN in Salt Lake City, Utah - Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2 a.m. (MT) and Sunday, Dec. 24, 4 a.m. (MT) o WGVK in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, Mich. - Sunday, Dec. 24, 2 a.m. (ET) o WKPC/WKZT in Louisville, Ky. - Thursday, Dec. 21, 9 p.m. (ET) and Saturday, Dec. 23, 4 p.m. (ET) o KET/WKHA/WKLE/WKMR/WKSO in Lexington, Ky. - Thursday, Dec. 21, 9 p.m. (ET) and Saturday, Dec. 23, 4 p.m. (ET) o WKAS/WKPI in Charleston and Huntington, W.V. - Thursday, Dec. 21, 9 p.m. (ET) and Saturday, Dec. 23, 4 p.m. (ET) o WOUB in Charleston and Huntington, W.V. - Sunday, Dec. 24, 11 p.m. (ET) o WDCP/WDCQ in Flint Saginaw and Bay City, Mich. - Sunday, Dec. 24, 1 p.m. (ET) and Monday, Dec. 25, 10:30 p.m. o WKMU/WKPD in Paducah, Ky.; Cape Girardeau, Mo. and Harrisburg, Ill. - Thursday, Dec. 21, 9 p.m. (CT) and Saturday, Dec. 23, 4 p.m. (CT)