Dove Award-winning, Grammy-nominated American gospel singer Babbie Mason will join Lee University's musicians for A Classic Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 3, at 3 p.m. in Conn Center on the Cleveland, Tenn., campus.
"A Classic Christmas is one of our biggest events of the entire year," said Dr. Jonathan Rodgers, assistant professor of choral music. "In fact, it is the largest-attended music event that the school produces each year."
This will be the 28th annual program presented by Lee University's School of Music. It will include a variety of sacred and secular Christmas music, ranging from Vivaldi's "Gloria," featuring student soloists, to music from popular Christmas movies "The Polar Express" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
The concert will feature Lee's Choral Union, directed by Dr. Jonathan Rodgers; Chorale, directed by Dr. William R. Green; Lee University Symphony Orchestra, directed by Robert Bernhardt; Brass Choir, directed by Dr. Nathan Warner; and Lee Handbell Choir, directed by Dr. Laud Vaught.
Choirs from Cleveland High School and East Hamilton Middle-High School will help open and close this year's program.
Mason, an artist-in-residence at Lee, has led worship for national and international events hosted by Billy Graham, Charles Stanley and Anne Graham Lotz. In 2010, she was inducted into The Christian Music Hall of Fame.
"For all the ways that our culture tries to divide us now, music has a way of bringing people together," said Rodgers. "I'm excited to see how it brings people together in the spirit of the season."
Tickets are free, but sold out. However, a wait list has been formed. Interested parties may call 423-614-8343 to be placed on that list.