By AMY WARD
Universe Staff Writer
The Temple Square Concert Series has an exciting December schedule featuring a wide variety of musical groups and Christmas music.
In a less formal series of concerts, dozens of high school choirs will sing the carols of Christmas during the month as well as many adult choirs and small ensembles.
These concerts will take place hourly on selected days in the Assembly Hall from 5 to 9 p.m. Some afternoon programs will also be held in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. The Temple Square Visitors' Centers have available program schedules.
The formal Temple Square Concert Series began Friday and Saturday with the annual Mormon Youth Chorus and Symphony Christmas concert.
On Dec. 10, the Mormon Youth Chorus and Symphony will present its annual Christmas Sing-in. Children of all ages are allowed for this concert. The concert will begin at 8 p.m. in the Tabernacle.
On Dec. 12, the Salt Lake Symphony will perform popular Christmas favorites such as Haydn's 'Toy Symphony,' Herbert's 'Babes in Toyland,' the Prelude from 'Hansel and Gretel,' and Anderson's 'Sleigh Ride.' The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Assembly Hall.
Dec. 13's concert will feature the Eleanor Kennard Chorale singing carols, lullabies, spirituals and traditional melodies. The program will be in the Assembly Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Also on Dec. 12 and 13, the Oratorio Society of Utah and the Utah Symphony Chamber Orchestra will perform Handel's 'Messiah' in the Tabernacle at 7 p.m. Tickets for this concert cost $5 or $10 and are available at the Utah Symphony box office.
On Dec. 17, the Jay Welch Chorale and Orchestra will trace the birth of Christ, beginning with prophesies and ending with the nativity and the flight into Egypt. They will also present some lighter Christmas songs. The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Assembly Hall.
Dec. 19 and 20 will be the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas concert featuring The Canadian Brass as guest artists. The concert will be in the Tabernacle at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at Temple Square's Information Booth, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the Bountiful Regional Center and the Harris Fine Arts Center.
On Dec. 21, the Salt Lake Symphonic Choir will perform the last Christmas concert of the series. An hour full of popular and classical carols will begin in the Assembly Hall at 7:30 p.m.
There will also be concerts in the Tabernacle and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building from 5:30 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. during Salt Lake City's New Year's Eve celebration.