October 13, 2003
"Christmas At Belmont" Concert to Be Broadcast Nationally on PBS
PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, will broadcast Belmont University’s annual Christmas at Belmont concert, making it available to millions of TV viewers across the country.
Nashville Public Television (NPT) and Belmont University are partnering to produce the one-hour extravaganza for broadcast nationwide on PBS Thursday, December 25, 2003, at 8:00 p.m. CDT. Recording legend and Nashville icon, Brenda Lee, will host both the live show at Belmont's Massey Performing Arts Center and the televised PBS special. The production is being funded by a grant from the Beaman Foundation.
The annual Christmas at Belmont performance is a holiday tradition at Belmont University where its School of Music features outstanding choral and instrumental ensembles that have received high praise both nationally and internationally. The concert is a wonderfully diverse musical collage of familiar carols, classical masterworks, percussive world music and light-hearted seasonal songs. The university symphony orchestra, percussion ensemble and jazz quintet join forces with more than 300 student voices and the Nashville Children's Choir to present Nashville's own celebration of the season.
"We are grateful to the Beaman Foundation for making it possible to partner with NPT to produce Christmas at Belmont for national television," said Dr. Robert C. Fisher, president of Belmont University. "We have a world-class School of Music and we are delighted that we can now bring our students and faculty to national prominence."
"Our partnership with Belmont University to produce this Christmas special for PBS will bring the musical assets of one of Nashville's premier educational institutions to a national audience," said Steve Bass, NPT President and CEO. "PBS programming is aired on the nation's 349 public television stations, which means that millions of Americans will have the opportunity to enjoy a new holiday tradition from Music City."
About Belmont
Belmont is a liberal arts university with approximately 3,600 students who come from 42 states and 28 countries. Belmont is committed to premier teaching with a focus on success in the real world. In addition to seven baccalaureate degrees in 57 study areas including adult degree programs, Belmont offers eight master's degrees and two doctoral degrees.
About NPT
NPT has achieved prior success in developing local productions for national audiences including Rachel and Andrew Jackson: A Love Story and An Evening with the Nashville Symphony. An NPT production on the life of country music legend Hank Williams for PBS American Masters series is also currently underway.
About PBS
Founded in 1969, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is a private, nonprofit corporation whose members are America’s public television stations. PBS provides quality television programming and related services to 349 noncommercial stations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa.
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Greg Pillon: 615.460.6645
Belmont University
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Nashville, Tennessee 37212
615.460.6000
Belmont University, host of the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate, is a fast-growing community of nearly 4,800 students who come from almost every state and more than 25 countries. Committed to being a leader among teaching universities, Belmont brings together the best of liberal arts and professional education in a Christian community of learning and service. Our purpose is to help students explore their passions and develop their talents to meet the world’s needs. With more than 75 areas of study, 12 master’s programs and three doctoral degrees, there is no limit to the ways Belmont University can expand an individual's horizon.
For more information visit www.belmont.edu
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