PBS to air "Christmas at Belmont"

Belmont alumna Melinda Doolittle hosts “Christmas at Belmont,” the annual Christmas concert from Belmont University’s School of Music, which will air nationwide on PBS for the sixth consecutive year. Nashville Public Television (NPT) will broadcast the show on Tues., December 23. (Editors: check local listings.) Music City’s signature holiday event was produced by NPT and broadcast from Nashville’s illustrious Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

“Christmas at Belmont” features a collage of familiar carols, classical masterworks, world music and light-hearted seasonal favorites. More than 400 student voices join with School of Music faculty and the Nashville Children’s Choir to present the annual holiday production, made possible through funding from the Beaman Family Foundation and the Jack C. Massey Foundation.

“We are thrilled to partner with NPT for the sixth year in a row to showcase our world-class students and faculty of the School of Music nationwide,” Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said. “Thanks to Melinda and previous hosts, alum Josh Turner and Brenda Lee, ‘Christmas at Belmont’ has become a beloved holiday tradition locally in Nashville and throughout the country.”

Doolittle graduated from Belmont in 1999 with a degree in commercial voice and began her professional singing career as a backup singer for acts such as BeBe and CeCe Winans, Michael McDonald, Kirk Franklin, Aaron Neville, Alabama, Jonny Lang and Anointed. Doolittle emerged from the background to headliner after her successful run on the sixth season of “American Idol.” Since her time on the show, Doolittle has been preparing for the release of her debut album.

“Christmas at Belmont” was filmed in the Laura Turner Concert Hall in the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown Nashville. Opened in 2006, it is one of few venues in the world featuring natural lighting and state-of-the-art acoustics, including motorized acoustic drapes and an acoustical isolation joint that encircles the entire concert hall and prevents sound waves traveling into or out of the hall.Belmont UniversityBelmont University, host of the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate, is a fast-growing community of over 5,000 students who come from almost every state and more than 25 countries. Committed to being a leader among teaching universities, Belmont brings together the best of liberal arts and professional education in a Christian community of learning and service. Our purpose is to help students explore their passions and develop their talents to meet the world’s needs. With more than 75 areas of study, 12 master’s programs and three doctoral degrees, there is no limit to the ways Belmont University can expand an individual's horizon.