If you want to escape the typical “Jingle Bells” loop this season, CMC has two solid options coming up. They’re bringing together distinctive Eastern and Western sounds for a celebration that feels both timeless and lively.
The Winter Celebration: From Renaissance to Hans Zimmer
On December 21, faculty member Shirley Wong-Frentzel leads the Annual Winter Celebration Concert. Shirley is a baroque specialist, but she doesn’t stay in one lane. She’s bringing a program that jumps from the 15th century straight to the 21st.
“This year I am promoting music which shows the uniqueness of the East and West,” Shirley says. “This tradition began in the ’60s and continues to this day. I am a baroque specialist so I always feature the recorders, and voice.”
It’s an eclectic lineup. You’ll hear heavy hitters like Mozart, Chopin, and Dvořák, but also Renaissance pieces like Landini’s “La Bionda Tressa” and folk dances.
The program is a box of surprises. Instead of just a list of formal classics, the music is a sonic journey. As Wong-Frentzel explains, the show includes music from the 15th through the 21st centuries, for voice, winds, strings and percussion. She aims for a mix of music for dance, for sorrow and joy during the holiday season. And the best part? Following the concert, the celebration continues with a reception where guests can enjoy dumplings.
Jazz Ensembles: The Free Fall Concert
For a completely different vibe, catch the Jazz Ensembles Fall Concert. Directed by saxophonist and local staple Charlie Gurke, this is where the students show off what they’ve been working on all quarter.
Charlie is a heavy hitter in the Bay Area Latin and Jazz scenes (you might know him from Gurkestra or Candela), and he’s got the Beginning, Intermediate, and Standards ensembles ready to play. It’s an evening of improvisation and rhythm, and best of all, it’s free and open to the public.
The Details
- Annual Winter Celebration Concert: Dec 21 (Hosted by Shirley Wong-Frentzel)
- Jazz Ensembles Fall Concert: Dec 16 (Hosted by Charlie Gurke)