Bringing the Christmas mood to the UTM campus, the Piano Ensemble presented its annual concert with a holiday twist.

“I have never outgrown my child-like fascination with Christmas and Christmas music. May I never do so,” said Dr. Elaine Harriss, director of the Piano Ensemble.

The Holiday Concert began with the Nutcracker Suite, by Peter Ilyich Tchaikivsky, arranged by Nicholas Economou.

The first movement Overture, was played by Megan Beam and Eri Miyashita.

“I was so nervous,” said Miyashita, a freshman Intensive English major from Japan.

The second movement of the piece, Danses Characteristiques, consisted of many parts, such as March and Danse de la Fee Dragee, performed by Linda Farmer and Hideko Umehara; Danse Russe Trepak and Danse Arabe, performed by Will Sanderson and Martha Byrd (both are high school students in Dr. Harriss’s piano class); Danse Chinoise and Danse des Mirlitons performed by Eri Miyashita and Linda Farmer.

The second movement of the piece sounded amazing with each duet of students playing certain parts of the movement.

“The Nutcracker Suite is such a holiday classic,” said Linda Farmer, a sophomore Music major from Dresden. “These songs are familiar to everyone and it was fun to play.”

The third movement of the piece, Waltz of the Flowers, arranged by N. Jane Tan, was performed by Farmer, Beam, Umehara, Miyashita and Dr. Elaine Harris, director of the Piano Ensemble.

“It was a great portrayal of talent,” said Jeannie Pritchett, a sophomore Music Education major from Pleasantview.

The piece Duet Fantasy on Jingle Bells by James Pierpont, arranged by Robert Vandall, was interesting to watch.

Four UTM professors performed this piece. Dr. Sue Byrd, Dr. Neil Graves, Dr. Victoria Seng and Dr. William Zachry performed very well. The piece began with lively chords to a more slow tone and then back up to the lively chords.

Beam and Joanna Robbins played Fantasia on Greenleaves by Ralph Vaughan Williams, translated by Hubert Foss.

The piece had a somber tone with a sweet, calm melody. It had the sounds of a classic Christmas song with great chords.

“It was really challenging,” said Robbins, a freshman Music Education major from Paris. “I was extremely nervous, but I was happy with the way it turned out.”

The end of the concert came with Arrival of Santa Claus, Op. 360 by H. Englemann, arranged by John Schaum. The piece was played by several members of the ensemble, along with Dr. Harriss, Delana Easley and Scott Roberts.

The piece was played and then the pianists played it again for a surprise visit by Santa Claus.

“Because Christmas music is a special love of mine, this event was fun to prepare and all the performers enjoyed themselves.

The literature was among the best Christmas ensemble music available. The wide variety, including ballet music, Bach, deeply moving carols and light-hearted fun pieces, had something for everyone. And of course, Santa (Dr. Kevin Lambert) was the hit of the show,” said Harriss.