Choral Director Gail Kennedy and the PebbleCreek Singers will be welcoming composer/conductor/arranger Mark Hayes back as their Special Guest Conductor on December 1 and 2, 2015, for A Mark Hayes Christmas.
Donna Swagger
Wrap all the special imagery of the holiday season into a musical package and you have A Mark Hayes Christmas. The PebbleCreek Singers pay tribute to the music of Mark Hayes who will make a guest appearance with the chorus on Tuesday, December 1 and Wednesday, December 2, 2015. At these two performances he will either direct or accompany the choristers in their numbers. In addition, he will perform a mini piano concert of Christmas music. Concert dates are Tuesday through Sunday, December 1 through 6. All performances start at 7:00 p.m. in the Renaissance Theatre.
Mark Hayes is an award winning concert pianist, composer, arranger and conductor. He received a Bachelor of Music degree summa cum laude in piano performance from Baylor University. It was at Baylor he realized his dream of becoming a composer and arranger. Today he is known internationally and his music is performed all across the globe. He has traveled to Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, South Africa and Canada to concertize, conduct and lead workshops.
His compositions and arrangements are known for their unique American sound, drawing from such diverse musical styles as pop, jazz, folk, gospel and classical. His personal catalog totals over 1000 works.
Mark is also an accomplished orchestrator and record producer. He is the recipient of the Dove Award, the equivalent to a Grammy in gospel music. In 2010 Mark released his first CD of original songs titled All Is Well. In July 2013, he launched his own music publishing company, Holmes Street Publishing.
Mark has served as guest conductor at Carnegie Hall, featuring his Te Deum and Magnificat. He arranged and orchestrated the music for Civil War Voices, which won six awards including Best Musical in the 2010 Midtown International Theater Festival in New York. He conducted the world premiere of his work, The American Spirit, at Lincoln Center in May 2011, and the world premiere for his Requiem in Lincoln Center in May 2013. He also conducted the European premiere of his Requiem in Rome in 2014 as part of the International Music Festival sponsored by the Vatican. He is only the third American invited to conduct there. When not traveling Mark spends his time at home in Kansas City, Missouri, composing or arranging his next project. His mission is to “create beautiful music for the world.”
Capture all the merriment, joy and wonder of this special season of the year. Join Director Gail Kennedy and the PC Singers as they ring in the holidays with their 2015 Christmas concert, A Mark Hayes Christmas.