The British are coming! Or at least a taste of their music will be.
On March 23 and 24, the Western Nebraska Community College Vocal Music program will dive deep into the heritage and influence of the British music scene, which will be presented during their 28th Annual Gala.
Performances begin at 6:30 p.m. each evening at the Gering Civic Center.
Roughly 400 years of British composition history will be covered throughout the performances, dating back to the 17th Century with classical composers like John Dowland and Henry Purcell, and working up to 20th Century composers of Gerald Finzi, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Benjamin Britten, to name a few.
The 'British Invasion' will highlight arrangements that impacted the music sphere worldwide, featuring popular songs from The Beatles, The Monkees and Elton John, to name a few.
Perhaps one of the most well-known British influences in American culture occured in the 1960s at the height of Beatlemania in the United States. After The Beatles visited the United States in 1964, the U.S. saw a dramatic rise in pop and rock groups around the country.
However, Britain's impact on American music goes far beyond the influence of The Beatles or the 1960s.
"(The British Invasion) suggests the long-term exchange of musical ideas between America and the British Isles that continue to this day," said Patrick Newell, WNCC vocal music instructor.
Included in the Gala's performances will be popular arrangements such as "Let it Be," by The Beatles, "You'll Be in My Heart," by Phil Collins, and "Sing We and Chant It," by Thomas Morley.
Tickets go on sale March 2, and must be purchased in advance by calling 308-630-6550 or by visiting wncc.edu/performingarts. Admission is $30 per person. All tickets are reserved. To request specific seats, call the WNCC Foundation (308-630-6550) or purchase in person at the John N. Harms Center on the WNCC Scottsbluff Campus.
Social hour begins at 6 p.m. each evening with dinner served at 6:30 p.m. Dinner includes British (roast) beef and mashed potatoes with onion gravy, green bean amandine, spinach and strawberry salad, along with dinner rolls. Bread pudding and whisky sauce will be served for dessert.