Festival of Carols tickets are on sale now!
The Indianapolis Symphonic Choir has announced the winner of the 2023 Christmas Carol Commission Competition: Daniel Watson, a versatile Indianapolis-based composer, teacher, and musician.
This annual competition seeks an outstanding original and unpublished Christmas/holiday piece, which will be performed by the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir at its annual Festival of Carols performances in December.
Watson is the Director of Choirs at Greenwood Community High School, where his choirs regularly earn “State Vocal Jazz Finalist,” “Best Section,” and “With Distinction” honors at competitions. He is also an Associate Faculty of Voice at Indiana University Indianapolis, maintains an active private music studio, and regularly collaborates and performs in the community through conducting, piano and vocal performance, and composing. He performed with the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir with his wife Bethany from 2015 to 2020.
Watson received the Outstanding Future Music Educator of the Year Award (2015) from the Indiana Music Education Association as well as the National Association for Music Education National Professional Achievement Award (2014, 2015). He has performed, directed, and premiered compositions at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, as well as throughout Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and the United States.
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Tickets are on sale now for Festival of Carols, taking place at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at Clowes Memorial Hall on the campus of Butler University, and at 3 p.m. on both Saturday, Dec. 16 and Sunday, Dec. 17 at The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. A Midwest family tradition filled with a variety of holiday favorites, the Choir will be joined by guest artists including one of Indy’s favorite cabaret singers Anthony Nunziata and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Spotlight Choir from Ben Davis High School, and of course, Santa!
Festival of Carols features a selection of fan-favorite and traditional holiday music such as “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “The Prayer,” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem” sharing the stage with newer (and brand new!) compositions certain to become treasured favorites.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit indychoir.org/foc. Festival of Carols will continue to offer performances with sign language interpretation (ASL).
About the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir
The Indianapolis Symphonic Choir is proud to be one of the nation’s most established and dynamic musical institutions. Among the most active symphonic choruses in the United States, the Choir reaches more than 20,000 persons each season through performances and education & community engagement programs. The 150 volunteer singers demonstrate the Choir’s commitment to musical excellence through their talent and dedication during each 10-month season.
The Indianapolis Symphonic Choir was founded in 1937 at the request of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra to perform the great choral-orchestral repertoire. This continued partnership exhibits the best of collaborative ideals – two independent arts organizations combining their strengths to create beautifully lasting musical results. For more information, visit indychoir.org.