GRANTHAM, Pa. (Sept. 27, 2006) — The Messiah College School of the Arts will present three concerts to celebrate Homecoming Weekend on Oct. 20-22 in Miller Auditorium, located in the Climenhaga Fine Arts Center on the college’s Grantham campus. All concerts are free and open to the public. For more information, call the music department at (717) 766-2511, extension 3310.

Concert highlights

Oct. 20, 8 p.m.

The Messiah College Symphony Orchestra will perform a concert entitled “Three Shades of Red” under the direction of Timothy Dixon, the director of orchestral activities at Messiah College and music director of the West Shore Symphony Orchestra. As red is the theme for the School of the Arts this academic year, the concert will feature compositions that define blood and fire (“A Night on Bald Mountain,” which is about St. John’s battle with Satan’s minions), passion (the “Hanson Symphony No. 2”-subtitled “The Romantic”) and communism (“Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1”). In addition, the concert will feature pianist Ya-Ting Chang of the Mendelssohn Piano Trio and trumpet player William Stowman, director of bands and chair of the department of music at Messiah College.

Oct. 21, 8.p.m.

The Messiah College Jazz Ensembles will present their annual fall concert under the direction of William Stowman. The performance will feature both of Messiah’s jazz bands performing a variety of music, including big band classics, jazz standards, contemporary jazz as well as Messiah’s own brand of sacred jazz.

Oct. 22, 3 p.m.

The Messiah College Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Winds will present a concert under the direction of Bradley Genevro, director of bands and assistance professor of music. The Wind Ensemble, comprised of 46 members, will feature guest soloist Rebecca Wilt, director of keyboard studies at Messiah College, and guest composer and conductor Thomas Stone.  Stone will be in residence homecoming week and his piece “Shadows of Eternity” will be performed by the Wind Ensemble. In addition, the Symphonic Winds, a 65-member ensemble, will perform Stone’s piece “Were You There.”