December 3, 2009
LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. – Starting Thursday, December 10th, Lake Junaluska’s annual Appalachian Christmas will be in full swing. All are invited to attend three Junaluska Singers performances, an arts and crafts show, and performances by The Cockman Family and Dr. Carl Hurley.
The Junaluska Singers will be performing a special Candlelight Service in historic Memorial Chapel at 7:30pm on Thursday, December 10th. This will be the first of Dr. Glenn Draper’s farewell performances as Director of Music at Lake Junaluska and the Junaluska Singers. Limited seating is still available.
The following evening, Friday, December 11th at 7:30pm in Stuart Auditorium, the Junaluska Singers will perform Handel’s Messiah. “I recommend everyone come hear the Junaluska Singers and the many wonderful soloists performing Handel’s Messiah,” exclaimed Dr. Draper during a recent interview. “I directed a military choir the first time Handel’s Messiah was performed on NBC Radio nationwide Dec. 12-13, 1952. It had never been done in the military – it was a new thing. They’ve had performances every year since then. I directed the first three. That’s a tremendous honor – it’s like planting an oak tree – it’s still growing. At this year’s performance, we have outstanding soloists to sing with a 30 piece orchestra that includes performers from the Asheville Symphony. Dr. Melodie Galloway, the director of choral music at UNC Asheville and a former Junaluska Singer, has coordinated the orchestra and Singers this year.”
Saturday, December 12th, from 8:30am until 5:00 pm will be the Arts and Crafts Show in the Harrell Center. Local and regional crafters will be selling their work.
Dr. Glenn Draper’s farewell performance, The Many Moods of Christmas, will begin at 2:30pm in Stuart Auditorium. This concert features many former Junaluska Singers, including The Harper Twins, Michael Smith and his son, and John Dominique, who will be singing solos for Mozart’s Requiem in Carnegie Hall before joining the Junaluska Singers for all of the Appalachian Christmas concerts. Following this performance, Dr. Draper will retire as the Director of Music at Lake Junaluska and the Director of the Junaluska Singers. The concert will conclude with a tribute to Glenn and Lounelle Draper at a gala celebration with reception in the Terrace. All are invited to join Lake Junaluska in honoring the Drapers for their dedication.
Later that evening, The Cockman Family and Dr. Carl Hurley will perform at 7:00pm in Stuart Auditorium. Persons of all ages will enjoy the sounds of The Cockman Family, followed by the humor and wit of Dr. Carl Hurley.The Cockman Family bluegrass gospel group is made up of four brothers, their sister, and their father. They have been singing publicly for over 12 years and have a unique style. Dr. Carl Hurley came from a family of talkers, and he spent endless hours listening to aunts, uncles and cousins swapping yarns and stories that were richly embellished after years of telling. The idea of making people laugh was a fascinating but far-flung idea for the young Hurley. Dr. Carl Hurley has a career in public speaking and entertainment.
For more information about concerts or to purchase tickets, call 828-452-2881, ext. 0 or visit www.lakejunaluska.com/christmas.aspx.