Samantha Davenport Performs in Nationally Televised 'Christmas at Belmont' Concert

2013 Dec 17

Samantha Davenport, a native of Tullahoma, TN, will appear on the nationally televised "Christmas at Belmont" concert airing this holiday season on PBS.

Hosted by internationally renowned mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves and taped at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center, more than 800 student musicians joined the Belmont School of Music faculty and the Nashville Children's Choir for the taping of "Christmas at Belmont." The annual production of traditional carols, classical masterworks, world music and light-hearted seasonal favorites, produced by Nashville Public Television (NPT), will premiere on NPT on Thurs., Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. Central. The nationwide premiere on PBS is scheduled for Fri., Dec. 20 at 9 p.m. Central, with an encore broadcast Christmas Eve at 7 p.m. Central. This is the 11th consecutive year "Christmas at Belmont" has been seen by a national audience on PBS.

This year's edition of "Christmas at Belmont" features the University Symphony Orchestra, Belmont Chorale, Percussion Ensemble, Musical Theatre, Jazz Band and Bluegrass Ensemble, as well as mass choir. The performance includes both classic sacred holiday music such as "Ave Maria" and "My Lord Has Come," as well as festive seasonal songs such as "Go Tell It On the Mountain," "On This Winter's Night" and "We Need a Little Christmas," to name a few.

"'Christmas at Belmont' is an amazing opportunity to showcase Belmont University's world-class School of Music in front of a national audience," said Belmont University President Bob Fisher. "We're incredibly grateful that this partnership with NPT puts our talented students and faculty in living rooms across the country."

"We're always thrilled to bring Nashville to the nation, and the 'Christmas at Belmont' production is one of the finest examples of this," said Beth Curley, president and CEO of NPT. "Belmont's School of Music is world class, exemplary of the city's dedication to music and performance in all of its forms and genres. 'Christmas at Belmont' is always magnificent and a highlight of PBS' holiday programming."