Laramie County Community College’s Music Department will host the eighth annual Holiday Collage concert, a celebration of the season’s music and traditions, at 3 p.m. Dec. 7 in the Surbrugg/Prentice Auditorium on LCCC’s Cheyenne campus. The event is free and open to the public.
This year’s concert features performances from the Cheyenne Brass Band, Collegiate Chorale, Vocal Cantorei, Wind Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra, offering a wide range of music that captures the warmth and joy of the holidays.
The Cheyenne Brass Band will premiere two new arrangements by local composer and arranger Ron Swim — “We Three Kings” and a newly imagined setting of Handel’s “And the Glory of the Lord” from “Messiah.”
The Wind Ensemble will perform “Terkishe Tanz,” a lively dance piece with Middle Eastern influences, along with a return performance of “The Bells of the Winter Range,” a medley of Christmas tunes by Greeley, Colorado, composer Dylan Fixmer that includes “I Saw Three Ships,” “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and “In the Bleak Midwinter.” The ensemble will close with retired U.S. Air Force Band euphonium soloist Will Jones performing “Theme and Variations on Auld Lang Syne” by Simone Mantia, bringing the program full circle from Hanukkah through Christmas to New Year’s.
The Collegiate Chorale will perform “It Feels Like Christmas” from the beloved “A Muppet Christmas Carol” before joining the Cheyenne Brass Band for a collaborative performance of “And the Glory of the Lord” from Handel’s timeless classic “Messiah.” Singers from the Cheyenne Chamber Singers and Capitol Chorale will also join the ensemble for the collaboration.
The Chamber Orchestra, directed by John Fritz, will open with “Highland Holiday,” an arrangement that transforms traditional carols into Celtic fiddle tunes complete with bodhran drum and penny whistle. “A Joyous Sleigh Ride” will follow, offering a Wyoming interpretation of “Joy to the World” through a spirited country and western-fiddle arrangement. The orchestra will conclude with “The Sleigh (A la Russe),” a fast-paced, minor-key dash through the Russian countryside that captures the exhilaration of a wintry ride.
Lobby performances before and after the concert will include a local woodwind chamber ensemble and LCCC instrumental and Cantorei students performing favorite holiday tunes.
“This concert celebrates the familiar melodies and shared experiences that bring people together during the holidays,” said Dr. Frank Cook, LCCC director of bands. “From local composers to timeless classics, every piece reflects the warmth, gratitude and nostalgia of the season. These concerts remind us of family, togetherness and the simple joy of gathering to enjoy music that connects generations.”
https://www.lccc.wy.edu/news/2025-11-20_holiday_concert.aspx