Kansas State University

MANHATTAN -- Holiday-themed music, dance art events abound on the Kansas State University campus in the month of December.

The following events, all free unless otherwise indicated, are sponsored by the university's McCain Performance Series; the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance; and the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art. They include:

* "The Sound of Christmas," starring Elisabeth von Trapp with the Carolian Brass, will be presented at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, in McCain Auditorium. Tickets are $14.50-$75, plus applicable taxes and fees, and can be purchased at the McCain Auditorium box office, at 785-532-6428 or online at http://www.k-state.edu/mccain.

* The music program will present its Theory Class Composition Recital at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, in All Faiths Chapel. The program will feature the best original compositions from the Music Theory I-IV classes, taught by David Littrell, university distinguished professor of music; Kristin Mortenson, instructor of music; David Pickering, assistant professor of music; Tod Kerstetter, professor of music; Ben Worcester, instructor of music; Karen Large, assistant professor of music; and Craig Weston, professor of music.

* Organ students of David Pickering, assistant professor of music, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, in All Faiths Chapel.

* The Kansas State University Concert Band and Brass Ensemble, conducted by Frank Tracz, professor of music and director of bands, and Don Linn, instructor of music, will be in concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, in McCain Auditorium.

* Kansas State University's Wind Symphony and Wind Ensemble, conducted by Frank Tracz, professor of music and director of bands, and Don Linn, instructor of music, will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, in McCain Auditorium.

* The music program will partner with the Beach Museum of Art for a Meet the Music concert featuring the piano students of Slawomir Dobrzanski, associate professor of music, at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, at the museum.

* The Collegium Musicum, the university's early music ensemble that is directed by Thomas Bell, associate professor of music and faculty/graduate services librarian, will perform a concert at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, in McCain Auditorium's Kirmser Hall.

* WinterDance 2013 will be at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5-6 and 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Mark A. Chapman Theatre in Nichols Hall. Tickets are $8-$14, plus taxes and fees, and are available at the McCain Auditorium box office, online at http://www.k-state.edu/mccain or by calling 785-532-6428.

* Karen Large, assistant professor of music, will perform a faculty artist recital at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, in McCain Auditorium's Kirmser Hall.

* The K-State Flute Ensemble, directed by Karen Large, assistant professor of music, will perform a recital at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, in McCain Auditorium's Kirmser Hall.

* The Beach Museum's Family Holiday Workshop will be 1:30-3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, and offers a variety of winter-based art activities for the whole family. The cost of the workshop is $5 per child and $3 for members of Friends of the Beach Museum. Reservations are not required. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

* The university music program's Holiday Extravaganza, featuring the K-State Collegiate Chorale, Concert Choir, In-a-Chord, K-State Singers, Men's Choir and Women's Choir, will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, in McCain Auditorium. The performance will be directed by Joshua Oppenheim, assistant professor of music, and Julie Yu, associate professor of music. A small admission fee will be charged.

* The piano studio of Slawomir Dobrzanski, associate professor of music, will perform a concert at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of Manhattan 481 Zeandale Road.

* The university dance program's Student Spotlight will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9, in the Mark A. Chapman Theatre at Nichols Hall.

* The Kansas State University Orchestra, directed by David Littrell, university distinguished professor of music, will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, in McCain Auditorium. They will share the program with the Gold Orchestra, a Manhattan-area youth orchestra featuring students in grades 5-12, which Littrell founded in 1989 and continues to direct.

* The Beach Museum's Early Release Workshop for school-age children will be 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11. It will offer linoleum block printmaking, with participants making their own holiday cards. Cost is $5 per person and $3 for Friends of the Beach Museum members. Preregistration is required by calling 785-532-7718.

* "The Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Rocks! 10th Anniversary Tour!!" will stop at McCain Auditorium at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11. Tickets are $29.50-$125, plus taxes and fees, and can be purchased at the McCain Auditorium box office, by phone at 785-532-6428 or online at http://www.k-state.edu/mccain.

*The horn studio of Jacqueline Kerstetter, associate professor of music, will present a recital at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, in All Faiths Chapel.

* The Kansas State University Jazz Bands, directed by Wayne Goins, professor of music, will perform a concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, in the K-State Student Union.

* The Kansas State University Jazz Combos, coordinated by Wayne Goins, professor of music, will perform a concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, at Union Station in the K-State Student Union.

* The university dance program will hold auditions for SpringDance 2014 at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, in studio 008 in Nichols Hall.

* The Beach Museum ArtSmart classes for December will be on printmaking. Homeschool Tuesday will be 1-2:30 p.m. and a class for all ages will be 4-5 p.m., both Tuesday, Dec. 17; Toddlers and Twos will be 10:30-11 a.m. and a class for all ages will be 4-5 p.m., both Wednesday, Dec. 18; a class for ages 2-3 will be 10:30-11:30 a.m. and a class for school-age, kindergarten and up, will be 4-5 p.m., both Thursday, Dec. 19; and a class for ages 4-5 will be 10:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20. The cost for ArtSmart classes is $3 per child and $1.50 for Friends of the Beach Museum of Art members. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

* The Beach Museum of Art will be closed Monday, Dec. 23 through Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014. The museum will resume normal hours on Jan. 2.