Photo by Kevin Michki Fredonia State students Julianna R. Grabowski, Lucia E. Helgren and Mariami Bekauri will be featured, along with The Highland Divas and the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, when Rockefeller Arts Center presents “Poinsettia Pops” on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in King Concert Hall at the State University of New York at Fredonia.

Rockefeller Arts Center’s Christmas pops concert has been a regular tradition at the State University of New York at Fredonia over the last 25 years.

This season’s edition — titled “Poinsettia Pops” — will be presented on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in King Concert Hall with three of Fredonia’s own talented student vocalists sharing the guest artist spotlight.

Music majors Mariami Bekauri, Julianna R. Grabowski and Lucia E. Helgren will be featured performers. The trio will sing a medley of Christmas tunes.

Bekauri is studying for her master’s degree in voice performance. She appeared as Mrs. Nolan in the Hillman Opera production of “The Medium” in October. This February, she will portray Cecilia March in the Western New York Chamber Orchestra production of “Little Women.”

Bekauri toured Cuba as mezzo-soprano soloist for Aaron Copland’s “In the Beginning” and sang as alto soloist for Handel’s “Messiah” with Brown University Chorus. She appeared as mezzo-soprano soloist with Finger Lakes Camerata at the Canandaigua Lake Music Festival, and as alto soloist with the Hobart and William Smith Community Chorus.

She graduated from Wellesley College in 2013 with degrees in physics and music.  In 2015, she earned her master of science in materials science engineering from Brown University.

Grabowski is a senior performance and music education double major studying voice and piano. Her recent credits include the Second Witch in the Hillman Opera production of “Dido and Aeneas,” Alma Hix in the Commencement Eve Pops production of “The Music Man in Concert” and Katisha in Fredonia’s Student Opera Theatre Association’s production of “The Mikado.”

She was also a finalist in Fredonia’s 2016 Concerto Competition. In February, she will be appearing as a spirit and serve as the cover for Jo in The Western New York Chamber Orchestra’s production of “Little Women.”

Grabowski serves as the president of the Fredonia chapter of the National Association for Music Education and as vice president of the Fredonia chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.

Helgren is a senior vocal performance and arts administration double major. She appeared as Monica in the Hillman Opera production of “The Medium” in October and as Marion in the Commencement Eve Pops production of “The Music Man in Concert” last May.

This past summer, she appeared in the world premiere of “SHOT!” with Nickel City Opera in Buffalo. Her other recent credits include Uxor Pilate in “Saint Matthew Passion” with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, “L’elisir d’amore” with Finger Lakes Opera, “Amahl and the Night Visitors” with Nickel City Opera and “The Merry Widow” and “Susannah” with the Hillman Opera.

Helgren recently won concerto competitions at both Fredonia and the Rocky Ridge Music Center.

“Poinsettia Pops” will also feature The Highland Divas, a Celtic trio based in New York City, and the Western New York Chamber Orchestra with 50 musicians performing under the direction of conductor Glen Cortese.

The program includes favorite Christmas songs like “O Come Emmanuel,” “Let It Snow,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Little Drummer Boy” and selections from “The Nutcracker.”

Tickets are available through the Fredonia Campus Ticket Office in the Williams Center, by phone at 673-3501 or online at fredonia.edu/tickets.

This event is sponsored by DFT Communications and Bahgat and Laurito-Bahgat, CPAs as part of the Lake Shore Savings Season.