Take a break from holiday shopping and celebrate the season with the UNC Asheville Music Department’s annual Holiday Concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, in UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Auditorium. The concert will feature UNC Asheville student musical groups performing well-known holiday carols. Admission is $5. The event is open to the public.

The University Singers, directed by Melodie Galloway, will perform a mix of Christmas, Hanukkah and winter songs, including “Coventry Carol,” “Hiney Ma Tov,” “Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind” and “Here’s the Pretty Little Baby.”

The UNC Asheville Jazz Choir will perform traditional holiday carols including “Jingle Bells,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Sing Sing Sing” and “Blue Rondo a la Christmas.” The choir will be led by Melodie Galloway.

UNC Asheville’s Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of David Wilken, will perform “Yo Hark! Those Angels Swing” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.”

The String Ensemble will take a different approach to the traditional Holiday Concert by performing the selected tunes in a surround-sound style, placing performers off-stage and among the audience. Director Wayne Kirby, UNC Asheville Music Department chair, will play guitar and lead the audience in a sing-a-long of classic carols.

The UNC Asheville Concert Band, led by John Entzi, will wrap-up the concert with traditional holiday pieces, including “Carol of the Drum,” “Greensleeves” and “Sleigh Ride.”

For more information, call UNC Asheville’s Music Department at 828/251-6432.