Festival of Carols Captures an Authentic Christmas
The annual Festival of Carols as performed by the 170-member Alma
College Choir marks the beginning of Advent, the four-week period
leading up to Christmas.
“The carols reflect the sacred nature of the season and for many
rekindle memories of Christmas Eve services,” says Choir Director Will
Nichols. “The concert is a community celebration that draws an audience
from all over mid-Michigan. All are welcome.”
Performances are sung at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 and Saturday, Dec. 6 and
3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 in the Remick Heritage Center at Alma College.
Concert tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors 62 and up, $3 for
youth 18 and under, and free for Alma College faculty, staff and
students. Seating is reserved. Call (989) 463-7304 for ticket
information.
The 170-member Alma College Choir performs the "Festival of Carols."
The singers represent the Women’s Glee Club, the College Chorale
and the Alma College Choir. Joining the choir for this year’s concert
will be members of the Alma College Kiltie Marching Band and Alma
Symphony Orchestra.
The great carols of Christmas form the program. As in years past, the
concert will open with the processional carol “O Come All Ye Faithful,”
with the famous descant by Sir David Willcocks. Also new this year is
an arrangement by Nichols and Alma pianist Anthony Patterson for “O
Come, O Come Emmanuel.”
Other carols include “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “The Holly and the
Ivy,” “Good King Wenceslas,” “The Sussex Carol,” “Tomorrow Shall Be My
Dancing Day,” “Lo Ere Blooming,” “The Inn Keepers Carol,” “Pat-a-pan,”
“Ding Dong Merrily on High” and “Still, Still, Still.”
The singers and audience know that the Festival of Carols is a Rudolph- and Frosty-free zone.
“Our hope is that the concert captures something more authentic and
beautiful about the Christmas season,” says Nichols. “There is a need
to sing—and hear—the wonderful music that tells the Christmas story so
beautifully.”
The Alma College Choirs have always given concerts of Christmas music,
but the Festival of Carols was created in 1993 with the opening of the
Heritage Center for the Performing Arts. Presbyterian Hall provides a
beautiful physical and acoustical setting for the concert, but the Hall
only seats an audience of 500, so second and third performances were
added to accommodate the growing audience.
The audience for the Festival of Carols is the most diverse audience all year, says Nichols.
“Alma College students come to hear their friends singing, and parents
and grandparents and siblings always attend,” he says. “But the
Festival of Carols also draws many community members who have no other
connection to the College or the Choirs than a deep love for the carols
of Christmas and a desire to share the holiday spirit among friends and
neighbors.”
Posted: Sun, November 23rd, 2008 at 8:33AM
