KU School of Music Celebrates the Season with 97th Annual Holiday Vespers and KU Jazz Vespers


LAWRENCE - A favorite KU holiday tradition, the 97th Annual Holiday Vespers will be held on Sunday, Dec. 5 with concerts at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Lied Center of Kansas.

Vespers will feature the KU Choirs, conducted by Eduardo García-Novelli, Melissa Grady and Dwayne Dunn, the KU Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Carolyn Watson, and the KU Trumpet Ensemble, conducted by Steve Leisring.

Both performances will include music by Coleridge-Taylor, Tchaikovsky, Burleigh, Thomas, Memley, Handel, Britten and more, the audience will have a show of both seasonal favorites and classical works. Repertoire highlights include the “Sleeping Beauty Waltz,” “Sleigh Ride,” and the “Die Fledermaus Overture.”

The KU Jazz Vespers featuring Vanessa Thomas will be held on Thursday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lied Center of Kansas.

The 2021 DownBeat Award-winning Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Dan Gailey, will be joined by special guest vocalist Vanessa Thomas. This Jazz Vespers performance will offer seasonal favorites featuring the popular Kansas City vocalist’s seamless span of five octaves, and unique versatility.

This year’s performances are free (tickets are required) thanks to the generosity of our sponsors Reach Out Kansas, Inc. and the Law Offices of Smithyman & Zakoura. Tickets can be reserved at the Lied Center Ticket Office, by phone at 785-864-2787 or online at Lied Center.

Both events can be live streamed via the following links:

For more information on Vespers, contact the KU School of Music at 785-864-3436 or visit Music School site.

97th Annual KU Vespers event poster (event details in article)

Media Contact:
Kylie Smith (she/her/hers)
Director of External Affairs
KU School of Music
785-864-4104
kyliesmith@ku.edu