NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN COLLEGE PRESENTS

CANDLELIGHT CAROLS CONCERT

Popular Holiday Event Likely to Draw Sellout Crowd

(EUGENE, Ore.) – Northwest Christian College (NCC) kicks off the Christmas season with its annual Christmas concert, Candlelight Carols, on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Eugene, 3550 Fox Meadow Road. Melissa Stock, adjunct professor of music, will direct the concert, guiding the audience through a full palette of musical styles, from contemporary to traditional Christmas carols. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and admission is free. Audience members are encouraged to arrive early to be ensured a seat; carolers will serenade early arrivals before the show.

Candlelight Carols’ lineup features:

• The NCC Community Choir, a group of alumni, staff, trustees, students and community singers
• NCC VIRTUE, the college’s top touring ensemble
• The NCC Dickens’ Carolers chamber ensemble
• NCC alumni, the Stock Brothers
• Local theater professional Ed Ragozzino, narrator.

Candlelight Carols is such a local favorite that it regularly attracts a standing room only audience. This year’s concert will be recorded for a CD, with sales to benefit the college’s music program.

Performers:

Melissa Stock, adjunct professor of music and director of VIRTUE, is in her fifth year of teaching at Northwest Christian College. She came to Eugene from Southern California where she was director of evening service instrumental worship for the Crystal Cathedral. She has orchestrated, published, performed and arranged music for numerous live shows and CDs worldwide. In 2005, she was the piano coach for the film The Sisters, in which she acted as hand double for star Erika Christensen and recorded the rough tracks of the film.

Ed Ragozzino has spent his career sharing his musical talents with Eugene audiences, working as an educator, administrator and theater director at the University of Oregon, South Eugene High School and Lane Community College. He has directed more than150 plays and musicals, including summer season musicals at the Eugene Festival of Musical Theater where he was executive director from 1986 through 1995.

The NCC Community Choir was formed in spring 2005 with 12 members, and today, has grown to include more than 80 NCC alumni, students, staff, faculty, trustees and others who come from communities throughout the Willamette Valley to participate in the musical ensemble. The choir has produced a CD, Gospel & Hymns Live, from its spring 2007 performance.

The Stock Brothers, Jim, Matthew and Joel, are native Oregonians and NCC alumni from Sweet Home who have recorded numerous CDs and performed throughout the Northwest and Southern California. Their specialty is giving traditional melodies new life by updating familiar hymns with a unique harmonic blend. The Stock Brothers were featured on a Christmas album recorded by the Crystal Cathedral and the Hour of Power and have since recorded their own Christmas album.

VIRTUE 2007-08 is NCC’s premier touring ensemble, traveling 20 weekends every school year and performing frequently at school functions. Singers Krista Callahan, Tommy Parker and Sandi Jasmer make up this year’s VIRTUE. They have toured throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

NCC Chamber Ensemble takes on its holiday identity each fall as the NCC Dickens’ Carolers.  The Ensemble’s singers are an auditioned performing group who are committed for a full year to sing with VIRTUE at local concerts. Prior to the Candlelight Carols Concert, the Carolers will serenade audience members with Christmas classics in the church foyer.