Music Holidays News

PBS Wisconsin to Showcase ‘Holiday Concert from UWEC’ on Dec. 20

the 49th annual concert will be televised statewide

Sawyer Hoff, photos by Bill Hoepner |

CHRISTMAS CHEER. If you missed the annual UWEC Holiday Concert, have no fear! PBS Wisconsin will be televising the performance on Dec. 20.
CHRISTMAS CHEER. If you missed the annual UWEC Holiday Concert, have no fear! PBS Wisconsin will be televising the performance on Dec. 20.

UW-Eau Claire’s annual Holiday Concert has been a festive tradition on campus and in the community for the past 49 years. If you missed the performance held this year on Dec. 3, now is your second chance to experience the program yourself! PBS Wisconsin will be televising this year’s event statewide on Wednesday, Dec. 20, starting at 8pm.

Held by UW-Eau Claire’s Music & Theatre Arts Department, the event features over a hundred students from a mix of musical groups on campus including the Wind Symphony, University Symphony Orchestra, The Singing Statesmen, Symphonic Choir, Novum Voce, Concert Choir, and Women’s Concert Chorale.

The program spotlights holiday classics as well as music by George Frideric Handel, Leroy Anderson, and Julie Giroux. The show’s finale is a blend of art forms as UW-Eau Claire alum Kyle Newmaster used the poetry of former Wisconsin poet laureate – and UWEC professor emeritus – Max Garland, in his piece titled, Winter’s Song: A Musical Setting of Winter Poems by Max Garland.

“The great thing about our campus is that music is such an important part of it,” said Dr. John R. Stewart, UWEC Holiday Concert executive director. “You can’t walk around campus without finding somebody that’s involved in one of our ensembles.”

Conductor Dr. Christopher G. McGinley led The Singing Statesmen, Symphonic Choir, and Novum Voce. Dr. Frank A. Watkins conducted The Concert Choir and Women’s Concert Chorale. The University Symphony Orchestra was led by Professor Nobuyoshi Yasuda.


Watch the 2023 UW-Eau Claire Holiday Concert on Wednesday, Dec. 20 on PBS Wisconsin (WHWC-TV on local airwaves). The show will be available to stream online as well as on the free PBS App shortly after its broadcast debut.