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The Magic Returns: Enjoy Holiday Broadcasts of Crane Candlelight Concert Selections

SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music Announces Upcoming Broadcasts of 'Christmas Past, Christmas Present,' Produced by Mountain Lake PBS

Potsdam, NY (12/16/2020) — While concertgoers won't be packing into seats in Hosmer Hall at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music this year, audiences across the North Country will still be able to experience the musical magic of the traditional Crane Candlelight Concerts this holiday season -- thanks to upcoming television and radio broadcasts.

Mountain Lake PBS has produced "Crane Candlelight 2020: Christmas Past, Christmas Present," bringing together highlights from past concerts along with newly-filmed pieces featuring students and faculty from The Crane School of Music. Transport yourself to years past, when nearly 300 members of the Crane Chorus and Crane Symphony Orchestra filled the stage -- and then enjoy beautiful solo works and small chamber pieces filmed this year, following all safety guidelines.

"Crane Candlelight 2020: Christmas Past, Christmas Present" will air on Mountain Lake PBS at the following times:

  • Tuesday, Dec. 22: 8 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Dec. 23: 12:30 a.m.
  • Friday, Dec. 25: 1 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

The program will also air on North Country Public Radio on Wednesday, Dec. 23, from 8 to 9 p.m.

"Crane Candlelight 2020: Christmas Past, Christmas Present" will be available to stream online beginning after the premiere date on Dec. 22, both on the Mountain Lake PBS website, https://mountainlake.org, and by using the PBS Video app.

To view a promo video, click here.

The "past" section of the program will include arrangements of the Hebrew song "Hine ma Tov," the French carol "Cantique de Jean Racine," the Welsh lullaby "Suo-Gân," and "O Magnum Mysterium," a traditional responsorial chant from Christmas Mass -- all featuring the Crane Chorus and Crane Symphony Orchestra. Another past highlight is a rendition of "Greensleeves" (or "What Child Is This") performed by organist Michelle Martin-Atwood and percussionist Hannah Prenevau.

For the newly recorded section of the concert, the Giroux Honors Jazz Combo will take the stage to present Vince Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy," from "A Charlie Brown Christmas Special." A trombone quintet and a saxophone quartet will both join in the fun -- one with a medley of favorite carols, and the other with a performance of "Sleigh Ride." Student pianist Cole Fortier will also perform "Little Drummer Boy." Three faculty performances will round out the program, including cellist Marie-Élaine Gagnon playing an arrangement of "Silent Night" alongside Ling Lo on piano, tenor Lonel Woods singing "O Holy Night" (also with Lo), and finally soprano Kathleen Miller performing "Gesu Bambino" with pianist Jeffrey Francom.

The annual Crane School of Music holiday celebration performances are a major highlight of the Crane concert season. The holiday concert tradition began in the 1930s, at what was then the Crane Institute of Music at Potsdam Normal School, and has continued to grow in prominence ever since.

About The Crane School of Music:

Founded in 1886, SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music has a long legacy of excellence in music education and performance. Life at Crane includes an incredible array of more than 300 recitals, lectures and concerts presented by faculty, students and guests each year. The Crane School of Music is the State University of New York's only All-Steinway institution. For more information, please visit http://www.potsdam.edu/crane.

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Media Attachments

Students fill the stage during a past Crane Candlelight Concert at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music. Highlights from past concerts will come together with newly recorded selections for the new Mountain Lake PBS production, “Crane Candlelight 2020: Christmas Past, Christmas Present.”

Film crews from Mountain Lake PBS (including station president and CEO, Bill McColgan, seen in the past here) have brought together highlights from past performances with newly recorded pieces for this year’s Crane Candlelight broadcast.

The magic of the traditional Crane Candlelight Concerts (seen here) will return to the airwaves this year, accompanied by newly recorded solo and chamber selections.

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