The YSU Dana School of Music pulled out all the stops (how convenient, a pipe organ metaphor) for its annual Holiday Concert, Dec. 3 at Stambaugh Auditorium, enlisting the Stambaugh Chorus, Fitch High School Chamber and Concert Choirs, two distinguished soloists and every man jack (and jill) at the school to bring holiday cheer to thousands.

The spirit of the occasion was further gladdened by the friendliness of the Friends of Music, who hosted and fed the throng, and presented the annual Dana Award to YSU Dean Joseph Edwards, who has prominently supported music, the school and the community for 40 years.

The nationally prestigious Dana School, an arm of The College of Fine & Performing Arts at YSU, has historically enriched its 135 year tradition of music education with outreach to the city, and the overflow crowd at this year’s concert was evidence of this effective symbiosis.

As usual, there were Carols & Cocoa in the ballroom downstairs to touch off the festivities, with Caribou Coffee providing the hot drinks and the Friends, their favorite cookies. The crowd spilled out into the lobby.  Entertainment was by the Trombone Ensemble, Dana Flute Ensemble, University Chorus, Women’s Chorus, Dana Chorale, and audience participation.

Then the masses moved to the concert hall for the formal concert.

The Dana Brass Quintet opened the show with a Christmas medley, Dana Chorale sang a traditional French carol from the balcony surround, and the YSU Jazz Octet played a stylish “Sleigh Ride” arranged by Dana’s Kent Engelhardt.

Kay Williams directed the accomplished Fitch High School Concert Choir on two pieces, and then Stephen Gage led the Dana Symphony Orchestra in an instrumental “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful” with ‘all ye’ singing along.

The evening’s featured presentation was Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria,” performed impressively by a Festival Chorus of the combined Dana Symphonic Choir and Stambaugh Chorus, the Dana Symphony Orchestra, and sopranos Misook Yun and Jennifer Jones Mosher, all directed impeccably by Dana’s Hae-Jong Lee. It was a feat fit for a major city concert hall.

Three holiday songs from “Home Alone” by John Williams — done by the Chorale, Chorus and Orchestra, and again conducted by Lee — rounded out the show.

Once again, the 2008 Holiday Concert was a heartening example of the interrelationship of the Dana School of Music and its students with the community it serves and entertains.